Buffy's New Home
by Kitkat5979
Summary: After her mother's death five months after the battle with Angelus Buffy is sent to live with her aunt Jenna in Mystic Falls. As she starts her junior year along with her cousin Elena she will discover a different type of vampire when she meets the Salvatore brothers who seem to be keeping secrets surrounding both her own history and that of Elena's.
1. Prologue

_A/N: Welcome to Buffy's New Home everyone, hope you enjoy it and give it a chance it does get better. I promise xx_

Anyway, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or The Vampire Diaries.

{Hope you enjoy and please send me your thoughts. A few things to know: the timeline on Buffy has changed so that it will fit with TVD. Also in this story Buffy moved to Sunnydale during the middle of her freshman year, everything else in Buffy between season 1 and 2 is pretty much canon only the battle with Angel happened a few months before the end of the second year.}

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or The Vampire Diaries. Which makes me very sad.

* * *

 **Sunnydale, California - August 21st, 2009 8.00am**

Buffy sits there on the couch staring off into space, trying not to break down as she relives the last few days in her head. They had only gotten back from L.A a week ago.

After the battle with Angel five months ago Buffy had come home and had broken down crying, her mother had just held her telling her it was going to be all right. They had spent hours talking, after telling her what had happened with Acathla and Angel, Joyce had decided that Buffy needed time away from Sunnydale to grief.

The time had been good for them both; they had reconnected and were closer than ever.

However, Buffy in that time had also learned that Joyce had had many health problems over the past year, due to a brain tumour but luckily she was now in recovery.

Two days after returning to Sunnydale Buffy had gone to see the gang, however, when she had returned home she had called for her mother only to find her on the couch, no longer breathing. After the EMP had declared Joyce dead Buffy's first instinct had been to call Giles. He had rushed to the Summer's residence seeing Buffy, she was frozen unable to peel her eyes away from her mother's corpse. He had comforted her and had called Willow to come and take Buffy so that he could go and handle everything that needed to be done.

So now, days later Buffy was sat in Willows living room with Wil, Oz, Cordy and Xander waiting for Giles to come back from Joyce's Lawyer's office. She had not spoken since finding her mother and she had barely eaten.

Buffy herself felt nothing, she was nothing but an empty shell. In the past five months, it had been her mother getting her through the pain of killing the man she loved and now she's gone. Her Mother was gone. She had nothing left, she was 17 years old, had been expelled from two different schools; she had lost the man she loved and now the person who she loved most is gone. What was she going to do?


	2. The Phone Call

_A/N: Forgot to mention that in this story Joyce was originally from Mystic Falls and here Buffy's dad is part of a founding family but Joyce choose not to change her last name after getting married and Buffy got Joyce's last name._

* * *

 **Mystic Falls August 21st, 2009 - 10.30am**

Elena and Jenna were sat on the couch watching TV while Jeremy had disappeared to his friend's house again like usual he lied about what he would be doing. However, Jenna was going easy on him after everything that both he and Elena have been through since losing their parents in the car accident last spring. Elena seemed to be adjusting better than Jeremy, who seemed to have gone into a much darker place.

As the show they were watching goes to commercial the phone starts ringing. Elena stands, reaching for the phone, assuming it would be either Bonnie or Caroline.

"Hello?"  
 _"Yes hello, may I please speak with Miss Jenna Summers?"  
_ Elena turns to her aunt "It's for you"

"Who is it?" Jenna asks but Elena just shrugs and goes back to watching TV while Jenna takes the phone and heads into the kitchen.  
"This is Jenna Summers, may I ask who is calling"  
 _"Yes hello, my name is Martin Wilkes I'm Joyce Summers attorney. I'm sorry to inform but Joyce passed away a few days ago"_

Jenna stands there in shock, she had seen Joyce at Miranda and Grayson's funeral and other than that they have not seen or spoken in years, not since she and her ex-husband Hank Fell had moved to L.A with their daughter Buffy when she was still young. Jenna holds back tears, she could feel her voice breaking as asks how Joyce passed.

 _"Miss Summers had been suffering from a brain tumour over the past nine months, after her surgery, it seemed as though everything was fine, however, she suffered a brain aneurysm last week and was found by her daughter Buffy Summers."_

Jenna couldn't believe it, her sister had been suffering for so long and she had had no idea and then she thinks of Buffy, the poor girl must be so traumatised. "Oh my god, is Buffy ok? Where is she, can I speak to her?"

Elena who was still staring at the television hears Buffy's name and turns her head to face Jenna. She and Buffy had been very close when they were younger before Buffy's parents had shipped her off to L.A. Elena rose from her seat and walks towards Jenna, whose eyes were now red, with tears running down her face as her lips trembled. In that moment Elena knew immediately that something was wrong, very wrong.

Jenna saw Elena move towards her but she was still trying to process all the information that she was being told. Apparently, Buffy was crushed; she wasn't speaking to anyone and was staying at her friend Willow's house for the moment. While it turns out that Hank was off in Spain with his assistant, living the cliché. Jenna always knew that man was a slime ball but Joyce had loved him so she never said anything.

Little did Jenna know that the shocking of all news was yet to come.

 _"I'm very sorry for your loss Miss Summers, however, there is something else that I need to tell you. Shortly after Joyce left Hank she came to me to change her Will, as Miss Summers had full custody of Buffy and Mr fell has expressed no interest in trying to fight Joyce's decision, it seems as though Miss Summers wanted you to receive custody of Buffy if anything were to happen to her, stating and I quote 'Jenna you are the strongest person I know and I Know we have not been close these last few years but if there is one person I trust to take care of my daughter it is you.'_

Jenna stands there frozen, she couldn't believe it, Joyce wanted her to take care of Buffy. First Jeremy and Elena, now Buffy? Could she really do this, take care of three teenagers, emotionally traumatised teenagers on top of that? As she contemplates what to say she realises that she was near enough Buffy's only family left, other than a father who could not care less. She knew she didn't have a choice, it was not a matter of if she could do it, but that she had to, she refused to let this girl be alone, she needed her family and that was her Jeremy and Elena, they were all she had left. "I understand, what do I need to do?"

 _"Well at the moment there is nothing for you to do; as I still must inform the young Miss Summers of what Joyce had decided. At the moment Buffy is staying with her friends, once she is informed of the situation I will have her prepare to come to Mystic Falls within the next two weeks. Any funeral details Joyce pre-prepared before she died, I will send you all the information as she wished to be buried in her hometown. Also, there is one thing which can be done which involves Buffy's education, you see a few months ago Miss Summers was expelled from Sunnydale High, so you will need to find her some options regarding her education."_

"Thank you, I can do that and if there is anything else I need-"

 _"I will inform you straight away. I'm sorry for you loss Miss Summers."_

As Jenna hangs up the phone she falls to her knees crying as the reality sets in. Both of her big sisters were gone. Elena approaches her aunt and wraps her arms around Jenna as she cries "Jenna what is it, what's wrong?" Jenna looks up at Elena, she slowly stands, she grabs Elena's hand before walking towards the living room.

She looks at Elena watching the sadness wash over the girl's face as she explains to her what had happened to Joyce. Once she was done Jenna breaks down again while Elena does the same.

Once they were finally calm Elena looks towards Jenna, whose face was now red and puffy, knowing hers must look very similar Elena calmly asks "What do we do now?" Jenna whose voice was breaking as she speaks answers quietly "We prepare for Buffy's arrival. She is going to need us, we are all she has left now."


	3. Joyce's Will

Sunnydale, California: August 21st 6.00pm

It had been hours since Giles had gone to see Mr Wilkes. Buffy was finally speaking again and had eaten a tonne of Willow's Ben and Jerry's ice cream but Willow didn't care, all she cared about was Buffy. While Oz and Cordelia have gone off to get Pizza she and Xander had stayed with Buffy, trying to keep her from breaking down, it seemed to be going well, with Xander making Buffy smile with his inappropriate jokes while Willow watched with a smile as he tried to cheer up the sad slayer. Buffy had been through too much, it just wasn't fair. She had been called when she was 15 and had been kicked out of her school in L.A 6 months into her freshmen year. She had come here hoping to escape all that, only to end up dying by the hands of The Master. Then her relationship with Angel ended with him having lost his soul. He had become Angelus and had slowly tried to destroy her from the inside out. Buffy was strong, though, and when Angel tried to end the world with Drusilla by awakening Acathla, Buffy and Spike had gone to stop them.  
At the time Willow had been trying to restore Angel's soul; she found out that it had worked but not in time. As Angelus had awakened Acathla and right before Buffy killed him his soul was restored, so instead of having to kill the monster that wore Angel's face she had to kill the man she loved.

After five months Joyce had been able to help her daughter heal but now she's gone and Buffy had lost everyone she'd ever loved. Willow, as much as she wanted to help has no idea how, which frustrated her, Buffy is her best friend and she couldn't help and deep down Xander knew this too. Buffy had just lost too much and they weren't enough.

Finally, Giles arrives, he sees Buffy Willow and Xander on the couch, Buffy was resting her head on Xander's shoulder while Willow holds her hand.  
He looks down at Buffy, he didn't know what to do for the young girl, she had lost so much and he had no idea how on earth she was holding it together. He sits down on the chair opposite the couch where the three friends were sat and takes his glasses off cleaning them with the end of his shirt, trying to figure out how to tell them what the lawyer had told him.

Xander looks towards Giles "Hey G-Man, so what's the what?" Giles smiles slightly at Xander's abuse of the English language that, he may barely understand but has come to very much enjoy.  
Willow looks at him with her big eyes and begins to babble "Yeah Giles, what did you and the lawyer talk about? 'Cause you have been gone a long time and we were getting worried. I mean what can take that long to talk about but then again we have not been in this situation before so maybe it was only a short time for what you were talking about, well unless you were talking about tea 'cause then what can you say about tea that would take so long but you are British so maybe.."  
Willow's babble is cut short by Buffy as she sits up and places her other hand on Willow's arm "Will, take a breath ok"  
Willow takes a deep breath calming down, then looks back towards Giles, "Sorry," she whispers to the watcher.  
Buffy, turns to face her watcher, "Well, what did the lawyer say? Umm...why was it so important that you've been gone all day."  
Giles smiles as he looks at the girl he thinks of as his own daughter, this was the first time he had heard her speak since she had called him after she had found Joyce. He shakes his head and looks at the three friends, dreading their reaction to what he was about to tell them but he takes a deep breath and calmly tells them about his meeting.  
"Well, we went through the will, the house and gallery are to be sold and the money will be put in a trust for you, that you will be able to access when you turn 18. However, the most important subject was where custody of you goes too. It seems as though Joyce, left custody of you to your Aunt Jenna in Mystic Falls"  
Buffy looks at her watcher "Figures, my mum did not trust my dad and he clearly could not care less about me, Aunt Jenna from what I remember is one of the few people my mum trusted with her life" Buffy stops talking as her voice cracks, Willow puts an arm around her to keep Buffy calm.  
Giles continues "Buffy, Joyce made all the plans for her funeral before the surgery so you don't need to worry about any of that. What you need to worry about now is preparing to leave for Mystic Falls, as you have to be there within the next two weeks." Giles at this point was very close to crying himself for the young girl, as now not only had she lost her mother but she now has to move away from her home and leave all her friends behind.

Willow and Xander both sit there shocked, trying to keep from yelling. Buffy couldn't leave, this was her home they were her family. Deep down though they both knew that Buffy needed to get away from Sunnydale, she had lost too much here and needed to go somewhere where she could maybe start to heal, which is something she couldn't do here.

"What about the Hellmouth?" a small timid voice asks, the three turn to look at Buffy who had realised something that both Xander and Willow hadn't yet. It was the question of who would protect the Hellmouth, it was demon central they wouldn't be able to handle it without a Slayer.  
Giles, however, is already prepared for the question "Well after the meeting I contacted the council, they have agreed to send the new slayer to protect the Hellmouth. Buffy, they are releasing you from active duty for as long as you need and have promised not to contact you for help unless it is an end of the world problem. They also say that if you do continue to slay wherever you go, you may call them if you need any assistance with research but unless you request it, they will not interfere with your life any longer."  
Buffy sits there in shock, she was not a big fan of the Council but of all things she would've expected from them, this was nowhere on the list. For the first time ever they were giving her an actual choice, she would no longer have to take orders from some stuffy English men in suits. She could be in charge of herself now; it was the first time since finding her mother that she had felt anything other than pain. She felt hope.


	4. Goodbyes

Mystic Falls – 2 weeks later 4th September

Buffy looks at herself in the mirror, she was wearing her black leather jacket with dark blue jeans and a black vest as well as her platform boots. The only piece of jewellery she was wearing was her mother's charm bracelet and the ring that Angel gave to her, only now she wears it on a long chain around her neck, it was more of a way for her to remember him than anything else now. She walks towards her bedroom door but quickly turns around staring at her now bare room, everything in the house had either been put in storage or shipped to Mystic Falls. She takes a deep breath and closes her bedroom door for the last time and makes her way down the stairs.

Standing next to her bags were Willow, Xander, Oz and Cordelia, while Giles was currently on his way with his car. Cordy was the first person to speak, breaking the long silence "Why is everyone so sad, I mean yeah she is leaving but hell, she gets to get out of this godforsaken town, although she does have to go to Virginia, so maybe that's worse." Everyone just stares at her, Cordelia just rolls her eyes then steps towards Buffy "Anyway, if you ever tell anyone I said this I will deny it but... I'm gonna miss you Buffy" she then does something so unexpected and hugs Buffy, Buffy who was momentarily stunned hugs her back "I'll miss you too, Cordy." Cordelia smiles then steps back and wraps an arm around Xander's waist.  
Oz steps forward next and hands Buffy a CD, which says 'Dingoes Ate My Baby' Buffy looks up and smiles with tears in her eyes. "It will remind you of the Bronze." OZ tells her.  
Cordelia then speaks up again "Really? Won't that just remind her that Dingoes play their instruments as if they have plump sausages taped to their fingers, no offence."  
Xander and Willow both glare at Cordy, yelling at the same time "Cordelia!"  
"Why are you yelling my name, I'm not deaf, plus I said no offence" Cordelia responds, looking genuinely confused by their outbursts.  
Xander looks at Oz "Sorry man" but Oz being Oz just replies "No, that's fair."

Buffy smiles watching her friends interact; she was really going to miss this. She steps forwards and hugs Oz whispering a thank you. He smiles at her before he and Cordelia go outside leaving the trio to have their final moments together.  
Willow at this point was in tears and Xander wasn't any better, he was getting very close to crying, but was desperately trying to hold onto his pride; failing miserably.  
Buffy looks at her two best friends water filling her eyes, she hugs them both letting the tears fall.  
"Promise me you will both be careful, no getting yourselves in trouble and no hunting vampires by yourselves. I can't lose anyone else." They both nod and look at Buffy who was trying not to have a complete breakdown.  
Willow was fully crying and could barely form sentences, while Xander who was managing somehow to keep it together, reaches into his pocket and pulls out a box handing it to Buffy. She opens the box, inside was a photo frame with a picture of her Xander and Willow from last year. Buffy looks up at Xander and Willow and smiles " I Love you both so much and I'm going to miss you so much."  
"We are going to miss you too Buffster" Xander replies smiling, Willow clears her throat and tells Buffy to call her every day, Buffy promises, telling them to come and visit her anytime, the three friends hug again and grab Buffy's bags.

Buffy grabs her weapons chest after Xander both tries and fails to pick it up causing Willow to giggle. It turns out the council as a thank you for everything she has done since becoming the Slayer, gave her a tonne of paperwork which will get her through security without having her bags checked, so her weapons chest, which she is taking just in case, will not get her into any trouble. Plus it seems the council pulled some strings and got her into Mystic Falls High. 'Great another school', Buffy thinks as she wonders how long it will be before she gets kicked out of that one too.

As they pile Buffy's stuff into Giles' car Buffy hugs her friends once more before getting into the passenger seat next to Giles. She smiles at them then looks at the house. A sad smile crosses her face as she remembers when her mother and she moved into this house, she then whispers "Goodbye" as Giles puts the car into drive and they head towards the airport. She looks back towards her friends waving goodbye, Willow was crying while Oz kept his arms around her tightly; Cordy was doing the exact same with Xander.

As Giles drives past the leaving Sunnydale sign Buffy feels more tears run down her face, she wipes her eyes and sits in silence as she and Giles keep driving, when they arrive at the airport Giles and Buffy grab her bags and walk inside. They do not speak until Buffy had gone through security and was waiting for her plane to start boarding. Giles looks at her sweetly before he hugs her "I'm so proud of you Buffy, You are truly all I could've wanted in a Slayer and more. I'm going to miss you. If you ever need anything I'm just a phone call away day or night, if you need help I will be there for you" Buffy looks up at the man who had been more of a father to her than her own and gives him a sad smile "Thank you for everything Giles, I'm going to miss you too".

As her plane starts to board Buffy waves goodbye to Giles one last time. She sits down in her seat and as the plane takes off for Virginia Buffy whispers one last goodbye to her old life and plays with the bracelet she found in her mother's room while packing up her old house. She looks out the window as the plane takes off and prepares for what her new life will bring.

* * *

It had been two weeks since Jenna had received the call about Joyce, after informing Jeremy about what had happened he had agreed to help clean up the spare bedroom where Buffy would be staying. It had surprised her, Jeremy had been very closed off since the death of his parents, Elena had said that he was helping because they both understood what it was like to lose your parents and he wanted to make the transition for Buffy as easy as possible. However, as soon as the room was ready he went right back to ignoring both Jenna and Elena.  
Jenna having now spoken with the principle at Mystic Falls High had somehow managed to get Buffy in, however, she was warned that with Buffy's history she will be expected to be on her best behaviour.

At the moment Jenna was driving to the airport with Elena to pick up Buffy, she knew the two girls had been close when they were young and have been writing letters to each other over the years, so hopefully, with Elena there, it will be easier for Buffy. Elena was excited to see her cousin but she was also nervous, Buffy had only just lost her mother 3 weeks ago and she had no idea how she was holding out but Elena planned to do whatever she could for her in order to make her transition from California to Virginia as easy as possible. As the two of them pull into the parking lot at the airport Jenna looks over at Elena "Ready?" she asks, Elena just nods and they both head to the airport to go get Buffy.


	5. Arriving In Mystic Falls

**Mystic Falls 4th September 2009**

Elena and Jenna were waiting for Buffy at the airport, her plane had landed 15 minutes ago and they still hadn't seen her. This fact was making Jenna start to panic. "Oh, God. What if she did not get on the plane and she's run off somewhere, what if she's in jail or in a ditch somewhere, wha-"  
Elena turns at her aunt and tries to calm her down "Jenna, I'm sure she is fine she is most probably just grabbing her bags".

At that moment Jenna turns her head and sees a young girl with mid length blonde hair, instantly knowing it's Buffy due to the likeness to Joyce. "Buffy!" she yells, the girl turns revealing a tired looking Buffy, carrying 2 bags and a heavy looking chest. Jenna and Elena make their way towards Buffy who places her bags on the ground. Jenna wraps her arms around the small blonde "Buffy, last time I saw you, you could barely walk, now look at you"  
Buffy offers her a small smile and as Jenna steps back Elena hugs the blonde

"Hey Buffy, it's good to see you. I'm so sorry about your mum."  
Buffy again smiles at the two of them "It's good to see you both and thank you. Also, I did not get to tell you earlier but I'm sorry about your parents, how are you and Jeremy doing?"  
"We're ok, it's been hard but we are taking it day by day, thank you" Elena smiles at her cousin, so happy to finally see her again although they had spoken to each other, over the years, she had been wanting to see the blonde again, however, she just wished it was under different circumstances.  
Jenna smiles at the blonde then at Elena "How about we get you home? I'm guessing you are going to need some sleep after the flight"  
Buffy looks at her aunt "Yes, please. Jet lag is no friend of mine "  
Elena giggles and goes to grab one of the bags, Jenna does the same but when she tries to lift the chest she can't make it budge. Buffy quickly grabs the chest lifting it easily, as though it weighed nothing. Jenna stares in shock; Buffy just shrugs "I'm stronger than I look." Jenna gives her an odd look before shrugging and grabbing the other bag.

Buffy gets into the back seat of the car and stays very quite. She just listens as Elena tells her all about Mystic Falls and her friends. After Elena had finished speaking Buffy puts on her headphones and leans her head against the window, trying to zone out. Jenna looks back at the blonde realising that she was just putting on a show, trying to act like she was fine when deep down she was broken. Jenna had seen the sadness in the girl's eyes and how her smiles rarely reached her eyes. She only hoped that being around family would help Buffy heal but Jenna knew it was going to take time, how much time she was not sure.

When they finally pull up in front of the house it was almost 11 pm and all Buffy wanted to do was crash on her bed, she grabs her bags with help from Elena and Jenna, even though she could have easily carried all the bags and the chest by herself and not even have broken a sweat. But after every that had happened in Sunnydale, Buffy had come to the conclusion that it was probably best to keep her strength a secret. She didn't want to risk putting anyone in danger, which tended to happen when they learnt her secret.

"Welcome home, " Jenna says as she pushes the front door open, she drops Buffy's suitcase on the floor by the door and calls for Jeremy. Jeremy comes down the stairs "What!" he yells, he looks at Jenna who points to the bags that Elena and Buffy were carrying. Jeremy rolls his eyes and picks up one of the bags, he then looks at Buffy and a sad look crosses his face. "Hey Buffy, umm I'm sorry 'bout your mom" Elena and Jenna look at him surprised. They hadn't expected Jeremy to interact with Buffy, as normally he just ignored everyone.  
Buffy looks at her younger cousin "Thanks umm, I'm sorry about your parents" after an awkward moment Jeremy nods thanks and makes his way upstairs to put the bag in Buffy's room. Elena sighs, really hoping to get Jeremy to interact more with his family, but that had been more than she expected. Jenna watches as Jeremy heads up the stairs then looks at Buffy "So Buffy, are you hungry cause I'm sure we have something in the kitchen, I think." Elena laughs while Buffy just smiles; she shakes her head "Honestly, I'm kinda beat, so I just wanna crash."  
Jenna nods "Sure, Elena could you show Buffy to her room" Elena nods and smiles.

She heads up the stairs gesturing for Buffy to follow, as Buffy makes her way up the stairs she stops and turns her towards Jenna "Goodnight Jenna."

Jenna smiles at her niece, "Goodnight Buffy."  
Buffy nods then continues to head upstairs to her room.

As Buffy follows Elena towards her new room, she looks around the house, it was a very typical small town home, much like the one she had had in Sunnydale with her mom. Elena leads her into a room; it was bare, except for a few pieces of furniture. Elena walks towards the bed and drops the bag next to the boxes that had been shipped there a week earlier.

Finally, she turns towards Buffy "Well this is you, umm... I will let you get settled and rest but if you need anything I'm right down the hall" Buffy looks at the brunette who was smiling brightly at her and says thank you, right before she leaves Elena turns back to face Buffy "If it's any consolation, I'm glad your here Buffy" she gives Buffy another small smile then leaves the room closing the door behind her.

Buffy signs "And then there was one" she looks around the room, the walls were bare, the room had no personality but Buffy couldn't find it in herself to care, if she was honest with herself she preferred it this way, the room reflected how she was feeling.  
Empty.  
The hope she had felt earlier when she had been told that she was released from the council had been dwindling the further away she had gotten from her friends, they were the ones who had been there for her over the past two years, after everything they had been through they had become her family and now she here was on the other side of the country away from them.  
Sure Elena, Jenna and Jeremy were her blood family but she had not seen or spoken to them in years, they have no idea about her being the slayer. Willow and Xander have been there through everything and now they're gone. Buffy sits on the bed, finally letting the tears she had been holding back fall, she was alone and although Elena had said that she could talk to her, Buffy knew that she couldn't, she won't drag Elena into the dark world of Demons and Vampires.

After Buffy stops crying she gets into the bed and closes her eyes hoping for a dreamless sleep.

* * *

 _It's Thanksgiving dinner at the Summers household Buffy, Xander, Joyce, Willow, Oz, Cordelia, and Giles are all sat at the table surrounded by mouth-watering food.  
"I think we're just about ready for pie," Joyce says as she stands from her seat at the head of the table. Xander looks towards the slayer's mother "Then I'll be pretty much ready for barf."  
The blonde slayer turns her head towards him as she stands to help her mother clean up the table "Xander!"  
Cordelia who was sitting next to Xander glares at him, a disgusted look on her face "Gross."  
Xander panics and turns to Joyce quickly trying to fix his mistake "No, no, Barf from eating, cause all was good and too much goodness..."  
Joyce cuts him off as she picks up his plate, reassuring him that it was all right "I'm taking it as a compliment."  
Giles, who also rises from his seat to help clean up joins the conversation "Yes, everything was delicious" he then follows Buffy into the kitchen. As Joyce leaves the room she turns towards the group "Everyone is so sweet" she then follows the librarian into the kitchen._

 _Xander at this point turns to Willow who was sitting next to Oz, looking like she might explode and asks "How are you doing there Will? Are you in the vomit club too?" Cordelia who was getting sick of this talk about vomit merely rolls her eyes and pulls a nail file out from her purse and gets to work._  
 _Willow stares with wide eyes at Xander, she replies in a drowsy voice "I had too much Nog. It tasted funny. I think I had rum in mine." The group starts to laugh as Oz smiles at his girlfriend and rubs her back._

 _Buffy re-enters the room picking up more plates before heading back to the kitchen to continue helping her mother with dessert, she hears her mother's upset and frustrated voice "Damn it. I hate this oven. It burnt" Joyce was now placing the pie on the counter looking very irritated with the now burnt pie. Buffy, trying to cheer up her mother turns to look towards the pies "No, it's just blackened. You know, it's Cajun pie." As the two women contemplate how to fix the problem, Giles finally finishes cleaning up, he grabs more plates for dessert and heads back towards the dining room._

 _Suddenly Buffy comes to a solution, she grabs one of the knives and carefully starts to cut around the pie "All we have to do is cut off a little bit of the burnt..." Buffy is cut off as she accidentally knocks the pie off the counter both Joyce and her gasp as they try to catch it._

 _Buffy looks up expecting to see her mother next to her,_ however _, the blonde freezes as she realises that she was no longer in the kitchen but in the hallway by the living room, as she turns she sees Joyce on the couch pale and no longer breathing._

Buffy shoots straight up in bed breathing in a heavy panic, she was about to call for her mother when she looks around the room, it was not her nice warm familiar bedroom, instead, it was a bare room with unpacked bags and boxes filling every corner. It is then that Buffy remembers that she was no longer in Sunnydale, she wasn't even in California anymore. She rubs her eyes realising that she had been crying in her sleep, quickly she wipes away the tears before looking over at the clock on the bedside table, seeing that it was only two in the morning. After calming her breathing back down she quickly gets out of bed and reaches into one of her bags grabbing her mother's cardigan, which still smelt like her mother's perfume. She slips the smooth material on and crawls back into the bed before closing her eyes, again hoping for a dreamless sleep. However, unfortunately, she did dream and it was the same dream that she had not had in over two months...but had had every night for 3 months after killing Angel.

 _Buffy walks along the beach by the water, there was a beautiful sunset in the background and the sound of the ocean was calming, as she walks along the shore in her pink sundress she feels the sand between her toes and the soft breeze go through her hair, it was calming and peaceful. She stops and lifts her head to bask in the sun, closing her eyes as she does, it is then that she feels two strong arms wrap around her waist, she knows straight away whom it is. Angel. She entangles her fingers with his, resting her head on his chest; she turns her head softly to look up at him "How did you find me here?" she asks him like she always does.  
And as usual, he responds, "If I was blind, I would see you."  
Buffy lets Angel hold her "Stay with me".  
"Forever. That's the whole point. I'll never leave." Buffy feels herself smile but then Angel whispers one last thing into her ear "Not even if you kill me"_

Buffy awakens again in her room in Mystic Falls, however not as panicked as the first time. The dream with Angel was the same one she had had before, she was so used to it now, that she wasn't surprised by it anymore, however still every time it feels so real. She sits up in the bed running her fingers through her hair; she thinks about her mother and Angel, remembering the good times and the bad. Buffy shakes her head, looking at the clock it was now six in the morning, she sighs knowing there was no way she would be getting back to sleep anytime soon. So she climbs out of bed and inspects her new room. Deciding that she will unpack later, knowing that once she does it would be official, this was her home and that was one thing she just wasn't ready to admit yet.

So instead she looks through one of her bags, she grabs some workout clothes and heads to the bathroom to get ready.

Fighting was one of the few things that kept her going at this point; she was able to put all of her anger into the fight, which kept her from lashing out at other people. It also helped her focus on something other than the pain and grief she was feeling.

At that moment, Buffy realises that because didn't know the town well she couldn't go to a gym or even go to the graveyard to pent out her frustration on some newbie vamp, plus she really didn't want to freak out her aunt by just disappearing so instead of going to beat a vampire to a bloody pulp she heads to the back yard.

The back yard was not overly big but by no accounts was it small. She steps out into the yard standing in the centre facing the sunrise and begins some Tai Chi.


	6. Making friend and Letting go

**Mystic Falls, Virginia**

Elena wakes up in her room, she had fallen asleep writing in her journal again, she looks at the clock beside her bed, it was 8.30.

Elena had plans with Bonnie at ten so she still had plenty of time to get ready and have some breakfast before Bonnie and she go shopping for back to school supplies. Hopefully, she could convince Buffy to join them, Buffy could really use some new friends here and she just knew Bonnie would love Buffy. The problem was she had no idea how to get Buffy to come. She wouldn't be surprised if Buffy stayed in bed till school starts. Elena herself had done almost that, she had even made it almost a whole month before Bonnie, Matt and Caroline showed up and dragged her out the house.

Once she was dressed Elena heads down the hall towards Buffy's room, she tiptoes past Jeremy's room knowing he would not be awake till at least 11 and that's with Jenna banging on the door telling him to move his ass. Elena snickers at the thought, remembering the day before yesterday when Jeremy came home at 2 am, Jenna had been so furious that the next morning she had stormed into his room at nine and dumped water all over his head to wake him up.

As Elena approaches Buffy's room she notices that the door was slightly ajar, she softly whispers Buffy's name, when there is no response she pushes the door open only to see Buffy's room empty. Her bed was made and all of her things were still in the boxes, which had all been shoved into the corners of the room. Elena frowns, worried slightly, Buffy had not been in this town since she was six, and she wouldn't remember how to get around town. Elena hears talking from behind her, she turns to see Jenna, who looks exhausted.

Jenna was currently looking extremely annoyed with the person she was speaking on the phone to, and from the look on Jenna's face Elena could see that her aunt was not so happy about being called so early in the morning. Elena waves a hello to her aunt who was now hanging up the phone "Good morning Elena. Is Buffy awake yet?"

"I think so, but she wasn't in her room. I just wanted to see if she wanted to come shopping with me and Bonnie."

Jenna smiles at the girl, but then a look of confusion covers her face when Elena tells her that Buffy was not in her room. "That's a great idea, Elena I have to deal with the rest of the funeral stuff before tomorrow and I don't think Buffy should have to deal with that, so why don't we find her and I will help you convince her." Elena smiles at her aunt, she completely understood why Jenna wanted Buffy out of the house so hopefully, shopping should keep her distracted and maybe cheer her up a bit.

The two head down the stairs expecting to see Buffy either in the kitchen or in the living room, however, the small blonde was nowhere to be seen. Jenna and Elena were really starting to worry but then they saw movement in the back yard, Jenna, and Elena glance at each other, before Jenna opens the back door and both she and Elena walk outside. Automatically they freeze in shock at the sight before them.

Buffy was doing Tai Chi mixed in with a large range of other martial arts and gymnastics, as they both stand there Buffy does something unexpected, she goes to do a back flip but stops halfway staying in a handstand position.

Buffy's eyes were closed; she takes several deep breaths, then she slowly starts to raise her right arm off the ground, she keeps her focus and maintains her control keeping her from falling, she does not falter, she simply holds that position.

After a minute Buffy who was still upside down realises that she was being watched, not wanting Elena or Jenna to find out about her Slayer powers she makes herself falter and fall to the ground, even though if she had wanted to she could have stayed in that position for as long as she wanted.

The moment Buffy falls to the side Elena and Jenna are released from their frozen state, they both run over to the small blonde to see if she was all right. "Buffy! Are you ok?" By the time that had both reached her Buffy was already standing, she laughs slightly "Yeah, I'm fine, trust me, I've had worse".

As Buffy heads back towards the house both Jenna and Elena follows her.

Buffy moves to grab some coffee while Jenna turns towards Elena "So what do you guys want for breakfast? Pancakes?" Elena grins and nods very happy with the choice while Buffy simply shrugs, not really bothered by what she was going to be eating. As Jenna turns towards the fridge to start making the pancakes, Elena turns towards Buffy "Hey where did you learn to do all that, I mean I knew you did gymnastics for a while but I've never seen anything like it. It was pretty cool." Buffy gave her cousin a small smile and tries to think of a way to explain it, honestly, she had not realised how much time had passed while she had been outside, otherwise, they would never have caught her. "Umm... well actually self-defence classes in school, apparently I was able to pick things up pretty quickly and I watched a couple of movies which helped me make my own style." Buffy happy with her answer picks up her coffee goes to sit next to the brunette.

Elena was surprised, the fact that Buffy was able to learn all that from movies and basic self-defence classes was amazing.

As Jenna places the pancakes in the middle of the table with some fruit and juice Elena and Buffy both thank their aunt then Elena turns back to Buffy, her eyes widen as she watches the small girl eat a ton of food off her plate, which looks more like it was a plate for one of the football players at their school. "So Buffy I was wondering if you wanted to come with my friend Bonnie and me shopping today, it could be fun." Elena eagerly awaits the blonde's response hoping that she would come.

Buffy, however, looks torn, she didn't really want to do anything, but she also didn't want to disappoint her cousin, who was really trying to make her feel more a home. "I don't know, I mean I still have to unpack and I don't want to ruin your shopping day with your friend." Elena shakes her head, trying to reassure her "But you won't, it will be fun, plus we can always unpack your stuff when we get back. Bonnie's, been wanting to meet you and trust me it will be easier to meet Bonnie, then it will be to meet Caroline. She kind of has a lot of ... personality." Elena giggled slightly to herself then continues "Look we will show you around town, pick up any school supplies and maybe some shoes. Please, please Buffy" Buffy laughs slightly as Elena pouts, Buffy really didn't want to upset the girl, after a brief hesitation, she nods "Ok, as long as there are shoes" Elena starts laughing again happy that her cousin had agreed. Jenna smiles, hopefully seeing where her mother grew up would help Buffy feel more at home in this town. Plus it would her time to make the final preparations for the funeral, which was in two days.

After they had finish breakfast Jenna heads off to the funeral home. Elena sits on the couch watching TV while she waits for Buffy get ready.

Buffy had chosen to wear her green jeans with her brown leather boots and a long sleeved black shirt. After she puts on her bracelet and the chain with her ring on it, she grabs her bag and places a stake, a small knife and some holy water inside, just in case.

She heads down the stairs to see Elena watching a kung fu movie, Buffy doesn't say anything she merely sits down next to her and watches the film with her, as they still had half an hour till Bonnie was going to meet them.

As they watch the film Buffy can't help but get fed up with the fighting choreography "Oh, give me a break! Uh! This is all wrong see, first, you would get the big guy, with a flying kick, then you would take out all the little ones – BAM, BAM." Buffy then yells at the TV "See? Now with the flying kick. From a dead stop. What's powering it? Raw enthusiasm?" Buffy sits back irritated with the film while Elena who was staring at Buffy in shock burst out laughing so hard that she has trouble breathing. Buffy turns towards her cousin with a glare "What? What did I do?" Elena finally calms down and looks at the blonde

"Buffy, you're are so weird...but don't worry it's in a good way." Buffy smiles at her cousin then gives her a little bow "Thank you, thank you very much" she says in her best Elvis impersonation, which was horrible therefore causing her to laugh as well. It's at that point that Buffy realises she had not laughed this much in almost a month. "Thank you, Elena." Elena looks at Buffy slightly confused, seeing Elena's confused expression Buffy decides to clarify "For making me laugh, it's been awhile." Elena sees a display of sad emotions cross the blonde's face so instead of saying anything else she pulls her cousin into a hug.

When Bonnie arrives Elena and Buffy were still watching the movie. However the second the doorbell rings Elena quickly gets up and goes over to the door, she then pulls her best friend into a hug. "Hey, Elena. It's good to see you too. So umm, how are you doing with everything?"

Elena smiles at her friend. "I'm ok just taking it day by day. Oh, there is someone I want you to meet" She pulls Bonnie by the hand, dragging her into the living room where Buffy was still sitting as she continues to criticise the violence of the martial arts film. Buffy notices Elena come back into the room with another girl and stands up as Elena introduces them "Bonnie, this is my cousin Buffy. Buffy, this is Bonnie, my best friend"

Buffy smiles at Bonnie "It's nice to meet you, Bonnie, I've heard a lot about you over the years from Elena." Bonnie immediately likes the girl, although she could see the sadness in Buffy's eyes and the way her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, despite this she just knew that Buffy was a good person, she gets the sense that they were going to be good friends. "Nice to meet you too Buffy, umm I'm sorry about your mom." Buffy thanks the girl. "You're all Elena has been talking about for weeks, it's nice to finally put a face to the name. Now please tell me that you are joining us 'cause I have a feeling that you will have dirt on Elena, which I need to know." She sends Buffy a sneaky smile while Buffy just giggles.

"Oh, I've got dirt, like this one time when a—" Buffy is cut off when Elena places her hand over Buffy's mouth, in hopes of keeping some of the things she had told Buffy over the years a secret. Bonnie just smirks knowing now that she had to get Buffy to talk. She shakes her head "Alright I promise Elena, I will not ask your family members for your secrets, however, I can't make the same promise for Caroline, because when she gets back and finds out your cousin is here, I'm just gonna say it ... you're screwed." Elena sighs knowing Bonnie was right, she grabs her jacket and tells Buffy and Bonnie to come, they leave the house; get into Bonnie's car and head to town.

Buffy sits in the back listening to Bonnie and Elena as they tell her stories about the town, Buffy does the same, she tells them stories about her life in L.A. than in Sunnydale, editing the stories slightly to get rid of the supernatural elements, this way she was not being completely truthful but she wasn't directly lying. It's a skill, she had picked up over the past two years and had actually gotten rather good at.

Bonnie and Elena had shown her around near enough the whole town, the only place had not gone to was the graveyard, which Buffy was grateful for.

At around two in the afternoon, they stop at the Mystic Grill, for some reason, it reminded her of the Bronze but that could just be because of the pool tables.

After they had some ordered food Bonnie tells Buffy about the high school and more about herself. Bonnie then notices the ring around Buffy's neck. "Wow Buffy, that ring it's beautiful, do you mind of I see it?" Buffy shakes her head and takes the chain off her neck before handing it to Bonnie. Elena who had also just noticed the ring was curious "Buffy it's beautiful, who gave it to you?" Seeing the pain cross over the blonde's face Elena begins to panic "Oh God- I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that—"

"Elena, it's ok. I'll tell"

Elena takes a deep breath glad that she had not upset the blonde, she sits back in her seat and waits to hear the story. Bonnie, who was still inspecting the ring touches the heart in the middle, as she does flashes start to appear in front of her eyes of Buffy and a taller man who looks older:

 _"Sorry, you had to wait. Ok, look, if you're gonna be popping up with this cryptic wise man act on a regular basis, can you at least tell me your name?"  
_ _"Angel."  
_ _"Angel... It's a pretty name"_

 _"I did a lot of thinking today. I really can't be around you, because when I am—"  
_ _"Hey, no big. Water over the bridge."  
_ _"All I can think about is how badly I wanna kiss you."  
_ _"Kiss me?"  
_ _"I'm older than you and this can't ever... I better go"  
_ _"H-how much older?"  
_ _"I should..."  
_ _"Go... you said"  
_ _[They walk towards each other then Angel kisses her]_

 _"I hated the girls back then. Especially the noblewomen"  
_ _"You did?"  
_ _"They were just incredibly dull. Simpering morons, the lot of them. I always wished I could meet someone exciting... interesting"  
_ _"Really? Interesting how?"  
_ _"You know how"  
_ _"Still, I had a really hard day, you should probably tell me"  
_ _"You're right, I should"  
_ _"Definitely" [Angel then leans in and kisses Buffy]_

 _"So are you gonna talk about something else at some point"  
_ _"I'm sorry. I just have so much to deal with. I don't need some new guy in my life."  
_ _"No, but maybe your_ mom _does."  
_ _"Well, sure, if you're gonna use wisdom."  
_ _"Loneliness is_ about _the scariest thing there is."  
_ _"Okay, so my_ mom _needs a guy in her life. Does it have to be Ted?"  
_ _"You have somebody else in mind? There's a guy out there that would satisfy you?"  
_ _"My dad. Yeah. Okay, that's not gonna happen. Fine, fine. I'll give Ted a chance. I'll play mini-golf and I'll smile and curtsy and be the dutiful daughter. Do I have to like him?"  
_ _"Kiss Me."  
_ _"Finally, something I want to do" [Buffy leans over and kisses Angel]_

 _"I have something for you. For your birthday. I was gonna give it to you earlier but..."[pulls out the ring]  
_ _"It's beautiful"  
_ _"My people—before I was changed – they exchanged this as a sign of devotion. It's a Claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty... and the heart... well, you know... wear it with the heart pointing towards you. That means you belong to somebody. Like this [Angel shows her his ring which she then kisses]put it on."[She places the ring on her finger]  
_ _"I don't wanna do this"  
_ _"Me, either"  
_ _"So don't go" [ Buffy kisses angel]  
_ _"Buffy. I..."_

 _"I..."  
_ _"You what?"  
_ _"I love you. I try not to but I can't stop."  
_ _"_ Me-me _, too. I can't, either."  
_ _[they kiss]_

Bonnie was suddenly brought back to reality when Elena shakes her, she glances at the two other girls before taking a deep breath. She desperately tries to understand what had just happened but she just couldn't explain it, maybe she was going insane. Bonnie quickly decides to see her Grams soon, maybe she can explain it. Although Bonnie realises that she will most likely just end up with her Grams telling her all kinds of crazy theories, it was probably nothing anyway.

Bonnie hands the chain to turns to Elena before turning Buffy "So where did you get it then?" she asks. Buffy looks at them both trying to figure out how to explain then decides to keep it short and sweet.

"My boyfriend - Angel - He, umm gave it to me"

Bonnie was keeping a blank face but inside was slightly freaking out, how could she have possibly seen Buffy and Angel together just by touching the ring, it was crazy. She shakes herself and goes back to listening, this time to Elena who had now become more curious about Angel.

"Really, that is so romantic, the ring is really pretty, does it mean anything?"

Buffy smiles slightly as she remembers when Angel gave her the ring, of course, the sweet moment had been ruined by Spike and Drusilla's minions straight afterward. "Angel said...umm that it's called a Claddagh ring, he told me that his people would exchange it as a sign of devotion. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty... and the heart... well, you know..."

Bonnie interrupts "Wear it with the heart pointing towards you and it means you belong to somebody." Buffy stares at Bonnie as does Elena. That had been the exact thing that Angel had said to Buffy, the fact that Bonnie had phrased it in the exact same way made her very curious as to how Bonnie could have known that. Before she can ask Elena beats her to it "How did you know that Bonnie?" Bonnie was freaking out slightly she hadn't meant to say that out loud. Crap. Then an idea comes to her "Grams, she has these books on random stuff and sometimes I get curious." Elena nods impressed that Bonnie had known that, while Buffy was still stunned, she only turns away from Bonnie when she hears Elena ask her another question.

"So where is Angel, is he still in high school at Sunnydale?"

Buffy laughs slightly, Angel in high school, that was such a weird thought. "No umm, Angel, was not a student he was... older"

Bonnie comes back into the conversation smirking slightly as she teases Buffy "Older huh? How much older?"

Buffy looks off to the side, she had been hoping to keep from discussing her previous relationship, what was she supposed to say? Angel had been 224 years older than her, they would think she's insane. However, before she can answer Elena turns to her, curious about the way Buffy had been phrasing her sentences when she referred to Angel. And there in that moment Elena asked the one question other than age Buffy had been hoping to avoid when it came to Angel.

"Buffy, why do you keep using past tense, where is Angel?"

Buffy looks down tears threatening to fall from her eyes, however after months of practice she was able to push them back, she looks at Bonnie and Elena. Buffy answers the question her voice breaking as she does "Umm he... Angel, he... died almost 6 months ago."

Elena and Bonnie sit there in shock, they hadn't been expecting that. They couldn't believe it, not only had Buffy been abandoned by her father when her mother died, but now it turned out she had lost the man she loved just a few months before. Buffy can see the sadness come across her cousin and potential new friend's face. So she tries to make the situation less depressing. "Hey it's ok, I wear the ring as a way to remember him, it was really hard when he first died but after a while, I realised he would not want me to be miserable so I wear it so that I will never forget him." She smiles as the two girls relax slightly, so keeps going "So Bonnie, tell me about all the trouble Elena has been getting into" Bonnie smirks as Elena looks at the two panicked, 'this is going to be a long day' Elena thinks.

* * *

After lunch Bonnie Elena and Buffy had finished shopping, they then walked around town talking for a while. Before Bonnie drives them home she even gives Buffy her number so that they can talk later.

Elena was happy, Bonnie really seemed to like Buffy, Bonnie had even told Elena that she admired Buffy for her strength and she really thinks that the girl has excellent taste in clothes. By the time they get home both Elena and Buffy were exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep for a week.

Jenna glances over the girls and seeing their tired faces decides to wait to tell Buffy Elena and Jeremy about the funeral until after Buffy had unpacked and then she could tell them all during dinner. Jenna sighs before turning back to her computer, she really had to focus on preparing for her presentation with her thesis adviser next week, she couldn't risk making any mistakes this time.

While Jenna was working at the dining room table Buffy heads upstairs to unpack with Elena, who had offered to help her. Elena follows Buffy into her bedroom then closes the door behind her, she was about to ask Buffy where she wanted to start when she sees the expression on the blonde's face, Elena realizes straight away what's wrong "Look, I know it's hard and that the moment you unpack it's official, your dad is gone, your mum, Angel. But putting it off is not going to help, it's going to make the pain worse, so let's do this together and we will go slow." Buffy can hear the empathy in the brunette's voice. Knowing that Elena understands her hesitation to unpack her things, makes Buffy feel extremely grateful that she has Elena, Jenna, and Jeremy.

Buffy glances over at Elena "Ok, let's do this"

As Elena starts to go through boxes Buffy quickly puts her weapons chest in the wardrobe, locking it.

As they unpack they start with Buffy's clothes; Elena was literally making a list of items she wanted to borrow, however, Buffy was shorter than her making Elena pout as she realizes that it's likely that she won't be able to wear a lot of the items in Buffy's wardrobe, however they fact that they had the same shoe size brought a smile to Elena's face.

As she goes through the clothing Elena is shocked by a number of leather clothes. Buffy seemed to have a tonne of leather trousers, jackets, and skirts, as well as leather platform boots.

Once the wardrobe was full they start putting up the posters and by the time they are on the last box Buffy realises that the room was starting to look very similar to her room back in Sunnydale, this fact made her feel as though a piece of Sunnydale had come with her. It is then that she remembers the CD Oz gave her before she left, she grabs it out of her travel bag and puts it into the music player. Elena watches, as Buffy turns on the music, curious as to what the album was. When music surrounds the room a bright smile comes to Buffy's face, Elena sees this, which causes her to smile. Knowing that it must be something from Sunnydale.

In the last box, there was a tonne of photos and jewellery, as Buffy puts away the jewellery she completely forgets which photos are in that box.

As Elena unpacks the box she begins admiring the photos as she takes them out and places them around the room. She picks up one of Buffy and her Mom, after that there is one of her, Buffy and Jeremy when they were little kids. Next is a photo of Buffy with a red headed girl and a brunette boy, they were all grinning at each other, Elena smiles assuming that that was Willow and Xander, from what Buffy had told her about them it was clear that they were all very close.

After finding several more photos with Buffy and her friends as well her mother, Elena reaches the bottom of the box. The last photo was of Buffy with a very handsome dark haired man who was clearly older than her. Elena stares at the photo, completely unable to figure out who it was until she looks careful at the man's hand, which was wrapped around Buffy's waist as she sat on his lap in what looked like a library. On his right hand was the same ring that Buffy wears on a chain around her neck. The man in the photo was Angel. Just as Elena comes to this realisation Buffy turns around to face her and sees what she was holding, the smile disappears off Buffy's face the next second. "I forgot that was in there." She says, her voice was sad and heavy with grief.

As she walks towards Elena, she sees the other photos her cousin had placed around the room, she smiles slightly as she sees the familiar faces of her mother and her friends.

"So this is Angel?" Elena asks with wide eyes.  
"Yeah, he's a honey right?"  
"Definitely" Elena replies while nodding in agreement, she hands the photo to Buffy, she watches as Buffy runs a hand over the image before she places it down on top of the draws.

Elena, who was now sitting on Buffy's bed looks around the room "So, I think this is much better" Buffy nods in agreement but doesn't say anything.

Elena looks over at Buffy who was now sitting in the chair by the bookcase "Buffy, do you think you will be able to move on from Angel?"

Buffy contemplates the question before answering "I will always love Angel, he was my first love and after everything we went through, then losing my mom it just reminds me that, life is short. So yes, it will never be the same, I doubt I will ever love anyone as much as I loved him but he would not have wanted me to mope around, he would have wanted me to live my life the best I can."

Buffy looks towards Elena who was still sitting on her bed. "It's been 6 months, I think moving on is actually healthy" Elena says as she leans against the headboard, she closes her eyes and thinks of her parents whom she missed more than anything, after everything Buffy had said about Angel it really did make her realize that her parents would have wanted her and Jeremy to keep on living their lives the best they could.

"Girls, Jeremy! Pizza is here" Jenna yells from downstairs, both Elena and Buffy rise from their seats and head towards the door "Thank you, Elena, you know for helping me unpack and for getting me out the house." Elena gives her cousin a small smile, than an idea pops into her head "Your welcome, but you know as a real thank you, you could let me borrow some of your shoes" Buffy glares at the girl, she was very protective of her shoes, just like her leather trousers. The look of anger and horror on Buffy's face merely makes Elena burst into laughter.

Jeremy Buffy and Elena all sit at the dining table with Jenna eating the pizza. Jenna looks at the three teenagers nervously, "Ok guys look, Joyce's funeral is the day after tomorrow." Jenna rushes out the statement knowing that it was the only way she would be able to tell them. All three faces fall with grief and misery, none of them wanted to be doing this, but they knew they had too. Silence falls between the four and the only other thing said during dinner was the fact the Joyce had requested not to have a wake, thinking they were depressing. After dinner Jeremy goes back to his room, Elena goes to write in her Journal, while Jenna takes all her work for the presentation to her room. Buffy also goes to her room to be alone.

Once each of them were alone they finally allow themselves to cry: Jenna for her sisters, Jeremy and Elena for the parents they lost and the aunt the barely knew, while Buffy for her mother.

* * *

At around midnight a sudden rage hits Buffy, she was pissed, her mother was gone and she couldn't fix it, there was no magical solution, no big bad to blame, whom she could beat to death. Buffy starts to feel the urge to hit something, she remembers that she had seen the graveyard when they passed it, while Bonnie was driving them home earlier.

Buffy sighs, she really hoped she would be able to find some vamps or a demon so that she could pent out her rage and distract herself from the grief.

As she climbs out of bed she remembers that she had not actually Slayed anything since her mom and her were in L.A. While Joyce had gone to look at a couple art galleries Buffy had been in a bad part of the city and had run into a girl named Lily who as it turned out, she had saved during the whole Ford wants to be a vampire crisis. Buffy had ended up having to battle a demon named Ken and a bunch of other demons who had been taking human teenagers to another reality, where they age faster, then working them till they die.

Buffy slips on her red leather pants, her black tank top and leather jacket, along with her platform boots. She then grabs a stake and a knife out of her weapons chest, slipping them into her jacket. After making sure that her bedroom door was closed she quietly opens her window and climbs out, when she lands on the ground she starts running towards the graveyard.

Unlike Sunnydale, which had twelve cemeteries, Mystic Falls only had the one, it was kind of disappointing. Buffy sighs as she realises that she was going to have to find somewhere other than here where she could hit things, without killing anyone or destroying a building.

It was almost one when a vampire finally showed up, at this point she had had to walk near enough to the edge of town and it was clear that this vamp was not from around this area, but it was something to hit so Buffy accepted it. It was barely a fight, the vamp got about 2 hits in, but by the end of it Buffy was just toying with it, eventually she gets board so as he runs at her again Buffy jumps up wrapping her legs around his neck. She twists her body around causing him to fall, she then brings her stake down to his heart and kills him.

She stands up patting her clothes to get rid of the vampire remains; she looks around hoping for another fight however she is once again disappointed. So she takes a slow walk back to the house. Halfway back she can feel someone watching her she turns around and prepares for an attack but there is no one there. Buffy frowns in confusion, slightly wigged out, but keeps moving.

When she finally gets back to the house it was almost 3 in the morning, she climbs into her bedroom through her window. After putting on some pyjamas Buffy climbs into bed and goes to sleep. Not once does she realise that a crow had followed her from the graveyard and was now perched on a tree branch by her window.

* * *

It was finally the day of Joyce's funeral, Jenna was trying to be strong for the kids, but it was so difficult.

Currently, she Elena and Jeremy were all waiting for Buffy downstairs so they could go to the funeral together.

Buffy looks at herself in the mirror as she puts her earrings on, with a sigh she stands and looks at herself, she was wearing a long black dress, a look of misery covering her face. She had spoken to Willow and Xander on the phone as they would not be able to come to the funeral, but their attempts at comforting her had been futile.

Buffy takes several shaky deep breaths as she tries to prepare for what is to come. Suddenly, there is a knock on her door and Jenna's head pops into the room "Hey, are you ready to go?" Buffy shakes her as tears fall down her face, Jenna rushes over to Buffy and wraps her arms around the girl "Talk to me Buffy" she begs the girl.

Buffy looks at her aunt with tears in her eyes and her voice breaks as she begins to talk " Mom was the strong one in real life. She always knew how to make things better, just what to say. I...uhh... I don't know. I keep thinking about it – when I found her if I had just gotten there 10 minutes earlier..."

"Buffy, look at me the doctors said it would not have made a difference..."

"No, they said probably... probably wouldn't have made a difference"

"That does not make it's your fault, you couldn't have done anything differently."

Jenna looks at her niece who could no longer form words "Buffy, it was not your fault you hear me. Look at me, your mother loved you more than anything in this world and she would not be happy with you blaming yourself. Now listen here, we are all going to put on a brave face; get through this together." Buffy looks up at her aunt knowing that her mother would not want her to break down but to keep moving forward. She takes a deep breath and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand and then with Jenna, walks towards her door. They head down the stairs where Jeremy and Elena were waiting.

Buffy stares at her mother's coffin as it was lowered into the dirt. It was wrong. Her mom had been so full of life and should not be placed in the ground.

Elena looks over at her cousin, there was no emotion on Buffy's face it was clear that she was shutting off her emotions in order to stop from falling apart, it was what both she and Jeremy had done when their parents had died.

After the funeral people walk over to the four of them giving them condolences, Buffy stays close to Jenna as she didn' know any of these people, who all apparently had known her mother. Her father had called telling her he would not be able to make it but Buffy had expected that. "Come on guys, let's go." Jenna says to the teens, she places some flowers on the grave then heads towards the car wanting to get away from this place before she started crying. Elena and Jeremy start to follow her when they both realize Buffy wasn't moving, she was still there staring at the fresh grave "Buffy, hey are you coming?" Elena asks her.

Buffy merely shakes her "I think I'm gonna stay a little longer" Jeremy and Elena look at each other then back at Buffy. They were both worried about her but decide that Buffy needs time on her own, Elena nods and she and Jeremy head back to the car to inform Jenna.

After the car drives off Buffy continues to stare at her mother's grave.

She couldn't be sure how long she had stood there, the sun had gone down a while ago so several hours at least. Buffy could feel tears falling down her cheeks but did not move, she merely closes her eyes and let them flow.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner." Angel says as he comes to stand next to Buffy. Buffy didn't look at him, she knew he wasn't real but she didn't want to break the illusion. She simply wraps her hand around his.

A short time later they were sitting by Joyce's grave, Angel had his arms around Buffy as she leans into him. "The funeral was — It was brutal. But it's tomorrow that I'm worried about."

"What's tomorrow?" Angel asks

"That's exactly what I don't know. Up until now, I've had a road map, things to do every minute having to do with mom."  
"Tomorrow, the stuff of everyday living resumes."  
"When I was in Sunnydale everybody expected me to know how to do it...because I'm 'so strong'."  
"You just need time. I'm sure they all understand that."  
"Time's not the issue. I can stick wood in vampires, but like I told Jenna, Mom was the strong one in real life. She always knew how to make things better, just what to say."  
"You'll find your way. I mean, not all at once, but—"  
"I don't know. I can't stop thinking about it – when I found her. If I had just gotten there 10 minutes earlier.  
"You said they told you it wouldn't have made a difference."

"They said probably ... It wouldn't have made a difference. The exact thing they said was "probably." I haven't told anyone other than Jenna"

"Doesn't make it your fault. Couldn't have done anything different."

"I didn't even start C.P.R until they told me. I fell apart."

"Buffy—. It's ok. You don't feel like it now, but you are strong, Buffy. You're gonna figure this out, and you have people to help you. You don't have to do this alone."

Buffy looks up at the sky before responding "It's gonna be light soon."

"I can stay in town as long as you want me."

"How's forever? Does forever work for you?" Buffy signs and looks at Angel shaking her head "But we both know you can't, cause your not really here"

"I'll always be with you, so will your mom but it's not –"

"The same, yeah I know" Buffy looks at Angel one more time before closing her eyes "Goodbye" slowly she opens her eyes, she was now alone next to her mother's grave. She stands up placing her hand on the headstone "I love you mom" she then walks past the grave and heads back to the house.

* * *

Jenna was full on freaking out, Buffy had told Elena and Jeremy that she was going to stay after the funeral for a while that had been ten hours ago it was almost four a.m. and the blonde had yet to come home. Jenna jumps off the couch when she hears the door open and in walks the girl in question. "Buffy, where the hell have you been?"  
Buffy looks at her aunt "I'm sorry aunt Jenna, I didn't realize how late it was. Look I'm kinda beat so could you yell at me later, I just want to go to sleep."  
Jenna is just about to argue when Buffy steps into the light, the girl's eyes were red and she looked exhausted, Jenna sighs "Ok go on get some sleep. We will talk later." Buffy smiles slightly then heads up the stairs to her room.


	7. First Day Back

**Sunnydale, California – One Week Later**

In one of the many cemeteries in Sunnydale Willow Oz and Xander were patrolling. Willow stands in front of a fresh grave waiting for the vampire to rise. Finally a hand reaches out of the ground; as the vampire pulls himself from the ground he hears Willow "That's right big boy, come and get it" the vampire stands in front of Willow who backs away, before he can attack Xander grabs the vamp from behind trying to hold him still "I've got him Go" says Xander as Oz appears from behind a bush runs towards them. As Oz tries to get his stake out of his jacket Xander was beginning to lose his grip on the vampire "Anytime now" he yells at Oz who now had his stake. However, before Oz can use the stake the vampire brings both legs up and kicks him in the face knocking him down. The vampire flips over Xander's head and throws him, causing Xander to crash into Willow "He's getting away" Willow yells as she sits up seeing the vampire make a run for it "and oww".

Oz quickly stands back up and grabs his stake, he faces the running vampire before twirling the stake in his hand preparing to throw it at the vampire, however, when he does throw it crashes into a close by gravestone; the vampire keeps running unharmed "That really never works." Oz turns towards Xander and Willow who were both breathing heavily "Are you guys alright?"

Xander was still looking in the direction that the vampire ran off in "First of all what was with the acrobatics, how did that happen?"

Oz thinks for a second before remembering something "Wasn't Andy Holleck on the gymnastics team" realization comes over Xander "That's right he was." he looks back to where the vampire had fled and yells "Cheater!" Xander looks back at Willow "Ok and the second problem I'm having, 'come and get it, big boy'."

Willow's eyes widen "Well uhh, well the slayer always has... says a pun or...or a witty play on words and I think it throws the vampires off and it...It makes them frightened because I'm wise cracking ... ok I didn't really have a chance to work on that one, but you try it every time"

Oz interrupts Willow's babbling "Ahh if I may suggest. 'This time, it's personal.' I mean there is a reason it's a classic" Xander nods his head agreeing with the werewolf.

Xander reaches down to get his stake "I've always been amazed at how Buffy fought, but in a way, I feel like we took her punning for granted."

A sad expression covers Willow's face as she turns to Xander "Xander, past tense rule"

"Oh, sorry I just mean we in the past took it for granted and we won't the next time we see her"

Willow smiles slightly "Do you think Buffy's doing ok over there? I mean she is starting school there tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, right, big day" Oz was just remembering that he still had not told Willow that he did not pass his junior year so he has to repeat it with all of them. Willow smiles at her boyfriend while Xander says something unexpected "I can't wait to see Cordelia. I can't believe I can't wait to see Cordelia."

Willow who is now full on smiling says something that is very Willow "I wonder what our first homework assignment is going to be." Both guys raise their eyebrows at the redhead who tries to justify her case "Hey, you're excited over Cordelia ok, we've all got issues."

"I guess we should pack it in." Oz suggests to the group

"Yeah." Xander responds while Willow nods

"I just wish Buffy was here." Willow says sadly "I mean she is all alone in this new town and has to start at a new school again."

The boys both nod, they both missed the blonde headed slayer as well. Willow continues, "I just wish we knew how she was doing."

The next morning in the library while students are picking up their books for the semester, Willow is filling in Giles on how last night's patrol went " So, no joy at the cemetery?"

"No." Willow answers disappointed "He got away. We still have some glitches in the system, like... vampire getting away but I think we're improving."

"For God's sake be careful." Giles exclaims "I mean, uh, I appreciate your efforts to keep the vampire population down until the new slayer arrives, but, uh, well, if anything should happen to you... you should be killed, I should take it somewhat amiss."

"You'd be cranky?"

"Entirely."

"Well, we try not to get killed. That's part of our whole mission statement. 'Don't get killed'."

"Good." Giles points to the book Willow is holding "I think you're going to love that one." Willow smiles and picks up the rest of her books, as she turns to leave she runs into Cordelia.

"Hi." Willow says cheerfully, to the brunette.

"Hey, Willow."

"How was the rest of your summer?"

"Oh, I can't believe you brought that up." Cordelia sighs as she ties her jumper around her waist "Las Palmas was the nightmare resort. They order you around and make you have organized 'fun', and I use sarcastic quote marks. Plus the fact, there are cockroaches in Mexico big enough to own property. It was all about dread." As the two exit the library, Cordelia turns to Willow "What about you? Have you heard from Buffy?"

"Oh, it was ok. Yeah talked to her last week she didn't say much though I'm rea—"

"Is Xander around?" Cordelia interrupts.

"Well, uh, yeah. Somewhere."

"Good. Great. I haven't seen him yet." Willow just nods unsure of what to say, "Do I look ok?"

"Oh, yeah." Willow says to the now nervous Cordelia.

"How's my hair?"

"Uh, it's good."

"He didn't meet anybody since I left right, did he? No, who's he gonna meet in Sunnydale, but monsters and stuff." A worried look crosses Cordelia's face "But then again he's always been attracted to monsters. How's my hair?"

"Still good." Willow turns away from Cordelia and sees someone she knows "Hi." Before she can move though Cordelia grabs her arm making Willow face her again "Maybe he's forgotten me. Well, I'll just have to make him remember. See ya." Cordelia walks off to look for Xander.

Willow runs into Oz and as they walk to class he explains about him skipping summer school, Willow not so happy with the situation accepts it and as the bell rings she can't help but wish Buffy were here with them.


	8. Mystic Falls: First day of school

Mystic Falls, Virigina

Finally, it was here, the first day of school and it was taking everything in Buffy for her not to start panicking. She wished she could be with her friends in Sunnydale.

She wasn't exactly big on the idea having to start over at a new school. Again. It would be her third high school. Another school where she would not know anyone. Except now that wasn't exactly the case, this time, she had Elena and Bonnie, who she had come to consider a friend.

Buffy had decided to take Elena's advice, put on a smile and make everyone else believe that she was fine. Buffy knew that would be what Elena was going to be doing as well.

She heads down the stairs and goes into the kitchen where Jenna, was stood by the fridge "Toast. I can make toast."

Elena simply reaches for the coffee "It's all about the coffee Aunt, Jenna. Morning Buffy." She smiles at the blonde and pores Buffy a cup of coffee as well. Buffy takes the cup thanking Elena, as she does Jeremy walks in "Is there coffee?" he asks them as he walks over to the fridge

"Your first day of school. And I'm totally unprepared." Jenna groans before she grabs some money out of her purse then walks over to the three of them "Lunch Money?" Jeremy takes some of the money and goes back to drinking coffee. Elena smiles at her aunt "I'm good" Buffy does the same.

Jenna looks over Buffy "Ok Buffy, remember you have a meeting with the principle before class. After what happened in L.A. than in Sunnydale, he insisted on meeting you just to set some ground rules."

Buffy nods "Ok, he is most probably just going to tell me to be on my best behaviour and that they will have an eye on me." Buffy snickers before turning to Elena "Who knew getting kicked out of two schools would cause this much trouble, and here I thought I would be considered the perfect student." Elena laughs and Jenna just shakes her head turning back to her bag.

Jeremy at this point was becoming very curious about something "How did you get kicked out of two schools in less than two years?" Buffy shrugs as she turns to face her cousin "Well, the first time I burnt down the school gym."

Jeremy smiles "Cool" Elena glares at her brother, as does Jenna.

"Don't get any ideas, " says Jenna is her adult voice, Buffy quickly says sorry.

"Anything else?" Jenna asks the three "A number two pencil? What am I missing?"

"Don't you have a big presentation today?" Elena asks as she sips her coffee.

"I'm meeting with my thesis adviser at...Now. Crap!"

"Then go. We'll be fine." Jenna gives Elena a grateful smile then quickly makes her way out the house. Elena then turns to her brother "You ok?" Jeremy just scoffs at his sister "Don't start." He gives her an annoyed glare before leaving the room.

Buffy turns to her cousin "Are you ok Elena?"

"Yeah I just—You know what doesn't matter, what about you are you ok"

"I'm guessing about as good as you"

Elena nods in understanding "Come on, Bonnie will be here any minute."

When Bonnie arrives they all get in her car, Elena in the passenger seat, Buffy in the back. As they drive Bonnie starts talking about what happened with her grandmother "So Grams is telling me I'm psychic. Our ancestors were from Salem, which isn't all that, I know, crazy, but she's going on and on about it, and I'm like, put this woman in a home already! But then I started thinking, I predicted Obama and I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands." Bonnie leaves out what happened when she had touched Buffy's ring as she still thought it was crazy. She then looks over at Elena and Buffy who were both staring out their windows, seemingly having zoned out while she had been speaking. "Elena! Buffy!" Both girls bring their attention back to Bonnie "Back in the car." Buffy apologises, while Elena sighs, "I did it again, didn't I? I—I'm sorry, Bonnie. You were talking about that..."

"That I'm psychic now." Buffy keeps quiet, Bonnie may think it's a silly idea but knowing Buffy's luck she had most probably ended up in a town where one of her new friends was a witch but for now she could not confirm the theory until she knew more, so she just listened to the other girls' conversation.

Elena snickers before teasing Bonnie "Right. Ok, then predict something. About me."

Bonnie sighs then looks at Elena " I see..." Before Bonnie can finish something crashes into the windshield causing all the girls to gasp as the car swerves.

"What was that?! Oh, My God! Elena are you ok" Buffy looks at her cousin as Bonnie asks if she is ok, Buffy notices the startled look on Elena's face which considering everything was very understandable, Buffy does the same as Bonnie and makes sure Elena is ok. Elena tries to reassure them both "It's ok guys. I'm fine."

Bonnie who is still freaked out tries to explain what happened "It was like a bird or something. It came out of nowhere."

Buffy looks at Bonnie "Bonnie, Breath. Ok, just breath." Bonnie listens to her and calms down; she offers the blonde a small smile of thanks before they both look back at Elena.

Elena just shakes her head "Really I can't be freaked out by cars for the rest of my life."

Bonnie smiles then looks at both of her friends "I predict this year is going to be kick ass. And I predict all the sad and dark times are over and you are both going to be beyond happy." Bonnie smiles one more time then put the car in drive.

Buffy decides to try and change the mood so jokes "Bonnie, I have a prediction, I predict that within the first two months I get expelled again." Bonnie laughs, as does Elena. Elena then looks at the blonde before commenting, "Well as long as you don't blow up any buildings I think you will be fine"

"I don't think I can make that guarantee"

Bonnie laughs and joins in on the conversation "I still can't believe you blew up the gym at your first high school."

"Hey, it was burnt down." Buffy tries to defend herself " And second, that was never proven, ok they said it could have been mice." Buffy puts on her best fake dumb blonde smile trying to act completely clueless. Bonnie and Elena seeing this burst out in laughter again, "What, mice that were smoking?" Bonnie asks causing all of them to continue laughing for the majority of the trip to school.

* * *

At the high school, a handsome young man wearing a black leather jacket and shades walks towards the school entrance, people stare as he walks past wondering who the new guy was.

* * *

At the same time Elena, Bonnie, and Buffy were walking towards the principle's office so Buffy could get a lecture about what is right and what is wrong. Buffy rolls her eyes at the thought; it was the same treatment as last time.

Bonnie looks around the hall, a look of disappointment crossing her features "Major lack of male real estate. Look at the shower curtain on Kelly beach. She looks a hot—can I still say 'tranny mess'?"

"No, that's over." Elena responds

Bonnie sighs, looking at Buffy for help but Buffy simply shakes her head in full agreement with her cousin. "Ahh, find a man, coin a phrase. It's a busy year." Elena turns her head to see Matt staring at her, she waves but he simply walks off. "Was that Matt?" Buffy asks Elena nods.

"He hates me." Elena tells the two  
Bonnie shakes her head "That's not hate that's 'we had an argument and I refuse to be the one who apologises first'."

Suddenly, a blonde girl in a blue shirt comes up to them and hugs Elena "Elena. Oh, my God. How are you? Oh, it's so good to see you." She turns to Bonnie and asks, "How is she? Is she good?"

Elena butts in "Caroline, I'm right here. And I'm fine. Thank you."

Caroline makes a face "Really?"

"Yes. Much better."

Caroline hugs her again "Oh, you poor thing."

Elena now strained speaks "Ok, Caroline."

Caroline then turns to Buffy "And I don't know you." Before Buffy can respond Elena answers for her "Caroline, this is my cousin Buffy, she just moved into the house with me Jenna and Jeremy. Her mom passed a few weeks ago so she had to come here from California."

Caroline stares at the small blonde then throws her arms around Buffy "Oh, you poor girl I am so, so sorry." Caroline stands back and smiles at the girl "It's so good to meet you and well I am glad you're here, I can already tell we are going to be great friends, so if you need anything I'm your girl." Buffy slightly uncomfortable shakes it off and smiles at the other blonde "Thanks, Caroline; it's nice to meet you too."

Caroline turns slightly smiling at all three girls "Ok, see you guys later?"  
"Ok! Bye." Elena says as Caroline walks off.

Buffy faces both Bonnie and Elena "You were right, she does have a lot of personality."  
Bonnie giggles and Elena smiles before saying "No comment."  
Bonnie then protest "I'm not gonna say anything" The three then continue to walk towards the principles office.

* * *

As she enters the office Buffy can't help but remember the first day at Sunnydale when she met Principle Fluty. Hopefully, this meeting would go better than the last. "Hey, I'm Buffy Summers." The principle turns to face her and gestures for her to come in and sit.

Buffy walks further into the office and takes a seat as the principle pulls out her file, which seemed to have doubled in size since the last time she had seen it. This was not good. He stares at the file then at the small blonde girl in front of him, trying to figure out how someone like her could cause so much damage in such a short time. "Hello Buffy, I'm Principle Peterson so I asked you to come here just to set some ground rules. I would like to pretend that what is in this file is all in the past and that everything will be fine. But it is my job to watch out for problems in my school." Buffy nods, 'this was not going well' was all she could think. "However, after everything you have been through these past few months, I'm going to give you a chance. Some of the other teachers may disagree due to your history of violence but I think that you are a good person and deserve a fresh start." Buffy smiles slightly "Anyway, I'm not going to say that we will be keeping an eye on you or that you should watch or step. Just try not to get into any trouble. Now why don't you head to the office and grab your schedule, class is about to start so take this" he hands her a late pass, Buffy smiles and begins to gather her things. As she heads for the door the Principle draws her attention "and Buffy..." Buffy turns back towards the man "I'm sorry for your loss".

Buffy smiles slightly "Thank you, Principal Peterson. For everything" The principle nods wishing Buffy good luck with her day as she leaves the room.

* * *

While Buffy heads off the find Bonnie and Elena the two of them stop outside the office, where they spot someone inside "Hold up." Says Bonnie "Who's this?" She asks gesturing to the young man standing in the office.

Elena shrugs "All I see is back."

"It's a hot back." Elena chuckles at Bonnie then turns and sees Jeremy who is clearly stoned, head into the men's room "I'll be right back. Can you wait here for Buffy?" Bonnie nods still mesmerised by the guy's back, as Elena follows Jeremy, Bonnie leans against the lockers her gaze still stuck on the guy "Please be hot."

In the office the young man is speaking to the member of staff, she looks up at him "Your records are incomplete. You're missing immunisation records, and we do insist on transcripts." The man removes his sunglasses and looks into the woman's eyes.

"Please look again." He asks "I'm sure everything you need is there."

The woman looks down at the paperwork before speaking "Well, you're right. So it is."

As he leaves the room, Bonnie who was still staring at him and starts to follow him as he walks, while Caroline who stands at her locker, was eyeing him appreciatively.

* * *

Buffy at this point turns the corner rummaging through her bag and crashes right into the man in the black leather jacket.

"Uh, pardon me." Says the man as he stares at the small blonde, Buffy looks up slightly speechless then shakes her head.

"Umm... No, I'm sorry it was my fault, I'm kind of a clutz. I'm starting to think my eyes don't know up from down anymore."

The guy smiles at her, chuckling slightly. As he moves to let her go on her way she moves as well blocking him, then when she tries to go the other way it happens again. He moves to the side allowing her to pass "Thank you." she says as she walks over to Bonnie who was still standing there staring at the guy who was watching Buffy.

As she walks Buffy glances over her shoulder at the handsome stranger one last time before focusing on Bonnie "Bonnie? Bonnie, are you ok?" Bonnie was shaken back to reality and faces Buffy "Yeah, I'm fine. So you ready for class?"

"Actually, I still have to go to the office to get my schedule so you and Elena go on, wait where is Elena?" The moment the words left Buffy's mouth Elena appears coming out of the men's room, Buffy and Bonnie both raise their eyebrows at the girl "I'll explain later." Elena says with a huff.

* * *

After Bonnie and Elena had headed off to class, Buffy heads to the office. After she had gotten her schedule she quickly speeds off to her History class, the bell had only rung a minute ago however, everyone was already sitting when Buffy opened the door.

As she enters the room everyone turns to look at her making Buffy slightly uncomfortable, she walks up to the teacher handing him the note from the principal and her schedule he simply nods taking the note and tells her to sit down.  
As Buffy moves to sits down she spots Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, Matt and the guy she had crashed into earlier. She sits next to Bonnie and then turns her head when the teacher addresses her. The only thing that Buffy could think in that moment was that this was not going to be good. "So you're Buffy Summers? You know there was a lot of argument about whether or not to let you into this school, considering what happened at the last two." Everyone was now watching the exchange between Buffy and the teacher, Mr Tanner with interest. "Your history of burning down buildings and putting members of staff and other students in the hospital does not exactly give a good first impression."

Buffy glares at the teacher, trying to keep her anger in check, while everyone merely stares at the blonde,b shocked that someone so small could cause that much trouble.

Buffy stays silent, resisting the urge to punch the teacher in the face as he continues "Getting kicked out of two schools in less than two years has got to be some kind of record. Oh well, I give it three months, then that two will become three. So Miss Summers, do you have anything to say?"  
The students all stare at Buffy who was glaring at Tanner. This was what Buffy was hoping to avoid, she bites her tongue hoping to stay quiet but she could not control herself so in a jokey manner answers "Yeah, actually I was thinking it would be more like two months but then again the principal at my old school always did say I was going to end up in jail sooner or later, so maybe we're both wrong." The students around Buffy start laughing while Tanner glares; he turns away from the students and begins the lesson.

"Once our home state of Virginia joined Confederacy in 1861, it created a tremendous amount of tension within the state people in Virginia's north-west region had different ideals that those from the traditional deep south. Then Virginia divided in 1863 with the north-west region joining the union..."  
Buffy zones out as Mr Tanner continues with the lesson, she was thinking about her mom when she felt someone watching her. She turns her head slightly to see the guy she had crashed into earlier looking at her, as she turns to look at him he smiles at her, she does the same before looking back at the front of the class.

As she does she catches Matt looking at Elena, while she avoided looking in his direction. Bonnie who had noticed the handsome guy watching Buffy grabs her phone and quickly writes out a text to Elena to tell her what was happening. After reading the message Elena turns her head slightly to see the guy watching Buffy and then looks at Bonnie, giving her a nod. Bonnie smirks as her fingers fly across the screen.

Buffy feels her phone buzz in her pocket and takes it out to see a message from Bonnie 'HAWT-E STARING U.' Before Buffy can even process the message her phone buzzes again, this time, it was a message from Elena 'B CUTTIE TOTALLY STARING JUST LOOK'. Buffy smiles slightly shaking her head, she sighs before turning back to the front of the class and trying to pay attention to Mr Tanner.

* * *

After school, Buffy and Elena headed to the cemetery, as Elena went to see her parents Buffy went to see her mother. The graves were on different ends of the cemetery so both girls just agreed to meet at the Grill at 8 as Elena was planning to introduce Buffy to everyone.

When Buffy reached her mother's grave she places some fresh flowers on top of the headstone then crouches in front of the grave, her fingers hovering over her mother's name, tracing over the letters.

A little while later Buffy frowns as she sees a strange fog starting to surround her. She stands grabbing her things, she looks around the cemetery and pauses as she sees the silhouette of a man about 15 feet away from her. Buffy gets into a defensive stance, preparing for an attack. A crow than flies at her face, she moves out of the way having forgotten that her mother's grave is right by a steep hill, she catches her foot on a log causing her to fall and roll down the hill. As she rolls she smashes her head into a large boulder.

When she finally stops rolling she slowly stands up dusting the dirt off her clothes "Son of a bitch." she exclaims as she sees the tear in her jeans. Buffy looks around the area where she had fallen, it seemed to be a small hidden area of the woods next to the lake.

She huffs in frustration before turning to look for a way home, as she does she sees the guy from school standing behind her.

"You ok?" He asks her, Buffy still breathing heavily from the fall stares at him in shock, where did he come from was all she could think.

"How did you—what are you a cat? No one is that quiet." Buffy pauses "Wait, were you the one following me?" she asks him, preparing herself for a fight just in case.

He shakes his head "No, I, uh, I'm not a cat...I just – I saw you fall."

Buffy looks at him sceptically, she still wasn't convinced "Yeah-huh, and what you just happen to be chilling in a cemetery? You don't look like the chilling in a graveyard type. No eyeliner for one."

"I'm visiting. I have family here." Buffy's eyes widen, suddenly an overwhelming feeling of guilt fills her.

She panics "Oh, god I'm sorry. It's just there was this fog and the Crow and it just went bad, very bad. God, I sound like a crazy person. Sorry, I also babble like a crazy person. But that's normal." Buffy chuckles as he smiles at her and takes a breath "I'm Buffy."

"I'm Stefan."

"We have history together right or better known to me as nap hour."

Stefan chuckles before nodding "And English and French"

"Sorry, I tend to zone out during those classes or sleep." Stefan laughs, he then reaches a hand out and removes a twig from Buffy's hair.  
"Thanks." she says smiling at him, the two continue to look at each other until Buffy notices the large ring on his finger

"That's a rather interesting ring you got there. Let me guess no choice in the matter?"

"Oh, it's a family ring, yeah. So yeah, I'm kinda stuck with it. It's weird, huh?"

"No. No. I can personally guarantee that I have seen weirder." Stefan smiles at her, Buffy does the same then drops to the ground behind her to pick up her stuff. "Did you hurt yourself?" She hears Stefan ask her, before Buffy responds she feels something wet drop on her hand, she looks down at her hand and spots the blood, it was then that the throbbing pain on her forehead starts, she brings her hand to her forehead pushing the hair out of the way, when she withdraws her hand she sees the blood "Damn, looks like I did." she says as she stands still facing away from him "You should go, take care of that."

As Buffy quickly cleans the rest of the dirt off her jeans she speaks "No it's alright trust me, I have had a lot worse."

When she turns around a moment later Stefan was gone. Buffy frowns, slightly weirded out, normally only vampires could move without her hearing it and that was only on rare occasions. Stefan, however, was not a vampire, he could walk in the sun for one and he would have tried to kill her by now. Buffy sighs and tries to climb back up the hill to get home and change before she had to meet Elena at the Grill.

* * *

At the grill Bonnie and Caroline were waiting for Elena and Buffy to show, as they walk towards their table Caroline informs Bonnie on everything she had discovered about Stefan. "His name is Stefan Salvatore. He lives with his uncle up at the old Salvatore boarding house. He hasn't lived here since he was a kid. Military family, so they moved around a lot. He's a Gemini, and his favourite colour is blue."

Bonnie was stunned "You got all of that in one day?"

"Oh, please, I got all that between third and fourth period. We're planning a June wedding" Caroline as she sits down at their table she waits for Bonnie to sit before she carries on "Ok now, for everything I learnt between fifth and sixth period. Which is about the mysterious cousin."

Bonnie sighs "Caroline—"

"No. Just let me tell you. She's from L.A. Was a cheerleader then everything turns around, she starts getting into fights. Even put a couple of the jocks at her high school in the hospital. Which is weird right?" Before Bonnie can speak Caroline carries on "Then next thing you know she sets fire to the school gym, get kicked out and her mom ships them down to Sunnydale. Could not get much about her time there but I do know that she came here cause her mum died and that, that ring she wears on a chain around her neck is important to her, but I don't know why."

Bonnie stares at her friend with wide eyes "How did you find out all that?"

Caroline smirks "I have a friend who works in the admissions office." Bonnie sighs "Look, Caroline, Buffy is trying to start over and like Elena, she has been through a lot in the last few months, after everything she has been through just give her a chance." Caroline smiles slightly and nods, she then notices Elena walk into the grill before walking over to their table.

* * *

Buffy was up in her bedroom, she had changed out of her ruined clothes and slipped on some black jeans and a long red sleeve silk shirt. She was now cleaning the blood off her face, the head wound had not been very deep so it had already closed and was almost completely healed. She grabs her makeup bag and starts to try and cover up the mark. Once she was done she looks over at her clock, noticing she was running late. Buffy grabs her jacket and heads down the stairs, she yells goodbye to Jenna and opens the door.

As she does she freezes; standing on the other side of the door was Stefan.

"Sorry, I was about to knock." He tells her "I wanted to apologise for my disappearing act earlier. I know it was, strange."

"Don't worry 'bout it. I get it you are kind of squeamish around blood. I have seen a grown man faint at the sight of the smallest cut, so really don't worry about it."

They both laugh before he responds "Uh, pretty much. So are you ok?"

Buffy smiles "Yeah, barely a scratch plus I heal fast, so I'll live. Oh, question, how did you know where I live?"

"It's a small town and you're the only other new person here. I asked the first person I saw. Um, I found this." Stefan holds up a green book "I saw your cousin's name on it." Buffy takes the book thanking him and leaves it on the table by the door.

"Also I thought you might like this back" Stefan then holds up her mother's charm bracelet, making Buffy breathe a heavy sigh of relief.

"It's my moms. It must have fallen off when I fell. I-Thank you."

Stefan smiles at her "You're welcome." They stare at each other for a moment before Stefan sees Buffy holding her jacket "Sorry, are you going somewhere?"

"Ohh yeah, I'm meeting Elena, she wants to introduce me to the rest of her friends. Do you wanna come? It might be nice to not be the only person who doesn't know anybody." Stefan smiles at her and nods she smiles back; the two then walk away from the house and head to the Grill.

* * *

When the two enter the Grill Buffy sees Caroline talking to a guy she didn't know while Bonnie and Matt were talking and Elena had just come out of the bathroom. Buffy then realises that everyone was staring at her and Stefan, Buffy smiles at Stefan who smiles back. 'Well this is going to be fun' she thinks sarcastically.

* * *

A few moments later Buffy was sitting next to Stefan at a table with Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena.

Caroline was busy questioning Stefan about his life when the guy she was with early stops next to their table on his way to see Matt. He looks at Buffy and smiles "Hey I'm Tyler, you're Buffy right, the new girl?" Buffy nods and shakes his hand.

"Yeah, that would be me."

Everyone at the table was staring at Tyler waiting for him to speak "Look I'm just curious, did you really do all those things Tanner said earlier, cause well no offence but you're tiny and you don't look like you could hurt a fly."

Buffy sighs she didn't want to lie, mostly because she wasn't very good at it "Yeah. I did. I put a jock at my school in L.A. in the hospital for a week, smashed a member of the swim team headfirst into his steering wheel while I was in Sunnydale and a few other things." Tyler smirks "Cool" When he sees Matt calling for him he starts to walk off but then quickly asks one more question "So did you really burn down a building one time?" Buffy looks away and tilts her head to the side closing her eyes in embarrassment "Actually it wasn't just one time."

Tyler smirks again "Nice." He says before walking over to Matt.

"Well, that was odd, anyway back to my questions." Says Caroline drawing the other fours' attention back to her.

"So, you were born in Mystic Falls?" Caroline asks Stefan.

He nods "Mm-hmm. And moved when I was still young."

"Parents?" Bonnie asks

"My parents passed away." Elena and Buffy both look with sympathy at Stefan.

It was Buffy that spoke, "I'm sorry." Stefan nods at Buffy then turns to Elena when he hears her ask a question.

"Any siblings?"

"None that I talk to. I live with my uncle."

"So, Stefan," Caroline interrupts "Do you know about the party tomorrow."

Buffy and Stefan both look at Bonnie who explains "It's a back to school thing at the falls."

Stefan turns his attention to Buffy "Will you be there?"

Bonnie answers before Buffy even has the chance "Of course she will."

Elena nudges Buffy to get her to her agree, the blonde merely shakes her head in amusement before she smiles at Stefan who was still smiling at her.

* * *

Later that night at the Salvatore boarding house Stefan was putting on his shirt when Zach walks in holding a newspaper "You promised" he says to Stefan as he hands him the newspaper. Stefan reads it confused "This was an animal attack."

Zach shakes his head "Don't give me that. I know the game. You tear them up enough, they always suspect an animal attack. You said you had it under control."

"And I do."

"Please, Uncle Stefan. Mystic Falls is a different place now. It's been quiet for years, but there are people who still remember. And you being here, it's just going to stir things up."

"It's not my intention."

"Then what is? Why did you come back? After all, this time, why now?"

"I don't have to explain myself."

"I know that you can't change what you are. But you don't belong here anymore."

"Where do I belong?"

"I can't tell you what to do. But coming back here was a mistake."

Stefan watches as Zach leaves the room, once he was gone Stefan slowly walks over to one of the cupboards.

As he opens the cupboard it reveals the hundreds of journals that he had written over the years.

He picks up one and opens it. On the front page was a picture of two brunette women one who looked exactly like Elena while the other looked very much like Buffy, the only difference being the hair, while Buffy's hair was a honey blonde this girls was as dark as night. At the bottom of the picture, there were two names and a year 'Mary and Katherine 1864'.


	9. The party at the Falls

The next day everyone was in history class listening to Mr Tanner "The battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war in our very own Mystic Falls. How many casualties resulted in this battle?" Mr Tanner looks around the room, frustrated that not one of the students knew the answer to his question.

"Ms Bennett?"  
Bonnie looks up from her notepad "Um...A lot? I'm not sure like a whole lot."  
"Cute becomes dumb in an instant Ms Bennett." Responds Mr Tanner " ." He says as he turns to look at Matt "Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?"  
Matt just grins "It's ok, Mr Tanner, I'm cool with it." The class laughs at Matt's response while Tanner turns to his next victim.  
"Hmm. Elena? Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events?"  
"I'm sorry." says Elena "I—I don't know."

"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena, but the personal excuses ended with summer break. Maybe one of the newcomers will know the answer. Ms Summers?"

Buffy glares at Tanner for what he had just done to Elena, the urge to hit him was becoming stronger every day; she merely glares at him as she listens "I know that like Ms Gilbert you are going through some personal things but surely, you learnt some history from your other schools, when you weren't destroying school property"

"There were 346 casualties." Says a voice, Buffy turns to see it was Stefan "Unless you're counting local civilians."  
Tanner looks surprised "That's correct. Mister..."  
"Salvatore."  
"Salvatore. Any relation to the original settlers here in Mystic Falls?"  
"Distant."

"Well, very good. Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle."

"Actually, there were 27, sir. Confederate soldiers, they fired on the church, believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great loss. The founder's archives are, uh, stored in City Hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts. Mr Tanner." They entire class starts to chuckle, Buffy turns to look at Tanner who was looking very embarrassed and slightly pissed off. Buffy snickers finding it hilarious Stefan had put Tanner in his place.

* * *

That night, Stefan walks towards the Party, he stops for a minute and looks around using his enhanced hearing to listens to other peoples' conversations. However, when he hears Buffy's voice he focuses on the conversation she was having with Bonnie and Elena.

"Admit it, Buffy!" Yells both Elena and Bonnie  
"No!" Buffy yells back but the two girls both raise their eyebrows at the blonde "Ok fine, so he's a little pretty. But so are Puppies you're not making me admit that now are you."  
Bonnie rolls her eyes "Because that's obvious already." She pauses " Anyway back to our point, he has that romance novel stare"

Elena then butts in mocking Buffy "Stefan looked deep into her eyes piercing her very soul."  
Buffy laughs "You guys suck"

Stefan smiles as he listens to the girls' conversation. Finally, he starts to make his way towards Buffy when Caroline blocks his way "Hey! You made it!" She says very enthusiastically "I did." Stefan responds still with his focus on Buffy.  
Caroline flirts with him "Well, let's get you a drink."  
"Well, I'm—"  
"Come on." she says as she grabs his arm pulling him away from where he stood.

* * *

Bonnie looks around the party and realises Stefan wasn't there yet "So where is he?" She asks Buffy who just shrugs. Elena smiles and looks at Bonnie "You tell us, you're the psychic one."

Bonnie tilts her head "Right, I forgot. Ok, so give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate"

"Wait, you need a crystal ball." Elena jokes causing Buffy to laugh, Elena looks at Buffy for help who presents Bonnie with her beer.  
When Bonnie touches Buffy's hand her eyes shoot open, Buffy doesn't notice as her phone rings "Sorry I got to take this" Buffy quickly walks off while Elena stares at Bonnie.  
She unlike Buffy had noticed Bonnie's expression. "Bonnie what is it what's wrong"

"That was weird."  
"What?"  
"When I touched Buffy I saw a sword and then I saw a crow."  
"Wait, what"  
"The sword was being pulled from some weird looking statue then next thing I know, there was a crow and fog and a man. It's like when I touched Buffy's ring I had all these flashes an—you know what I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it." Bonnie runs off saying she is going to get a refill while Elena looks after her slightly confused.

* * *

Buffy who had walked off, answers her phone having trouble hearing due to the chatter around her "Hello"  
 _"Hey, Buffy"_ came Willow's chipper voice.  
"Hey, Will." Buffy says happily only to get very confused as Willow starts babbling at extreme speeds "Will, look I can't hear you, it's kinda loud here"  
 _"Where are you?"  
_ "I'm at a party"  
 _"Oh, well, I was just asking how you're doing?"  
_ "Umm, the same it hurts every day but you know..."

 _"Yeah. Oh, dear Buffy, I got to go Xander here, hey do you remember where Giles keep the spare key to get to the library weapons?"  
_ "Uhh, yeah in his office behind the dusty old books on the top shelf. Wait, why do you need weapons?

 _"Thanks, Buffy I'm glad you're doing better look I gotta go I'll call you tomorrow."_

"Wait, Will! Answer the question why do you need weapons? You guys promised me you would be careful. Willow!"

 _"Bye Buffy."_ Willow says before she abruptly hangs up the phone. Buffy stares at her phone in shock, what the hell were they thinking? She quickly types out a text to Giles letting him know what's going on with Willow then sighs.

She puts her phone back in her pocket and turns around intending to go find Elena and Bonnie but when she does turn Stefan is standing in front of her "Hi" he says smiling at her, she chuckles "Hi"

"I did it again, didn't I."

"Yeah. You know you should make noise when you walk. You stomp or yodel."

Stefan smiles at her odd statement "I'm sorry. I will stomp or yodel next time, promise."

"So you...here. Like here here. Or are you ghost? Cause then you're really not here." Buffy pauses "Sorry I have a terrible tendency to babble."

Stefan chuckles "I'm here. Not a ghost." He says smiling at her, which causes her to smile back. "Do you wanna go for a walk?" He asks her, she nods and as they walk away from the party Buffy sees Elena talking to Matt.

* * *

"So you're kinda the talk of the town." Buffy tells Stefan as they walk along the bridge.  
"Am I?"  
"Mm-hmm. Mysterious new guy, oh, yeah. Everyone's big with talkage."  
"See from what I hear you're just as mysterious, even more so. With the strange violent history. Twinged in sadness."

Buffy arches a brow at that and turns to him "What makes you think that I'm sad?"  
"Well, we meet in a graveyard. Plus you have that look in your eyes, the one that says you've been through too much. Your cousins have it too."  
"Right. You don't wanna know it's not exactly party chit-chat or whatever people talk about at Parties."  
"Well, I've never really been very good at, uh, chit-chat."

Buffy looks at the ground as they walk "A couple months ago right after I got kicked out of my old school my mom and I did a bit of travelling to try and reconnect. The only time we weren't together is when she came back here for her sister's funeral. I was helping out a couple of friends in L.A. so I couldn't come. Anyway turns out she had been having health problems over the year and had, had surgery, which should have fixed it. But about a month ago umm, we had gotten back to Sunnydale the week before I had gone to see a friend, when I came home I found her on the couch. Turns out she died from a brain aneurysm." Buffy sighs sadly and looks at Stefan "So that's my story."

Buffy realises Stefan had stopped moving, as she turns to face him he looks into her eyes "You won't be sad forever, Buffy." Buffy smiles and they keep walking.

"Ok I have to ask." says Stefan interrupting her train of thought "Is 'Buffy' short for Elizabeth because it is slightly... odd."  
Buffy laughs "No umm, it's just Buffy, I think my mom was stuck in the 80's."

"Well, either way, it suits you." Stefan and Buffy smile at each other.  
After a moment Buffy forces herself to look away from him; she looks out over the bridge at the sky. Stefan watches her and feels his vampire form start to show, he panics "I'm going to get us a drink."  
Buffy turns to see him hurry off slightly confused at his sudden rush "Okay."

Buffy's phone rings again, it was Willow _"Buffy! Thank God!"_ Willow exclaims as Buffy answers, making the blonde wince slightly at the loudness of her voice.  
"Willow what's wrong."  
 _"How do you kill zombies?"  
_ "Wait, what, you guys are fighting Zombies?"  
 _"Yeah so how do we kill them?"_

Stefan is on his way back when he hears the end of her conversation

"I don't know I've never dealt with them mayb—"  
 _"Don't worry Giles just showed up he will know, thanks anyway call you later"_ Willow hangs up and Buffy huffs in frustration, she hangs up the phone and walks back towards the party while worrying about her friends back in Sunnydale.

Stefan makes his way to follow her when Caroline blocks his path.  
"Hey! There you are. Have you been down to the falls yet? Because they are really cool at night. And I can show you. If you want."  
"I think you've had too much to drink." Stefan tells her.  
"Well, of course, I have. So—"  
"Caroline. You and Me, it's not gonna happen. Sorry." Stefan walks over to Buffy who was now standing by the Gazebo, leaving a stunned Caroline in his wake.

Buffy sees Stefan come towards her "I was wondering who abducted you but know I know. The blonde version on Cordelia."

Stefan smiles "Is she like that with, uh, all the guys?"

"Not sure, I'm new here too remember. But the girl I compared her too was pretty much just like that. Maybe she'll back off eventually."

"Hmm."

"So Stefan I told you my story, you tell me yours. It's only fair." Stefan smiles but before he can say anything Elena and Jeremy come running out of the woods "Somebody Help!" Yells Elena as Jeremy carries a girl in his arms. Matt sees them and runs over "Vicki? Vicki, what the hell?! Somebody, call an ambulance!" Tyler who was now next to Vicki's body gets people to move out of the way. Buffy walks over slowly to see what happened and hears Elena "It's her neck. Something bit her. She's losing a lot of blood."

Buffy freezes. No. This could not be happening there had been no signs of vampires in this town. She moves closer to help Elena slow the bleeding. As she helps she doesn't notice Stefan's reaction, a look of horror and realisation was covering his face as he backed away from the scene. The only person who did notice this odd reaction was Matt but he was too focused on his sister to think about it.

* * *

Stefan runs back to the boarding house, as he storms into the house Zach sees him "What's going on?"

"Someone else was attacked tonight, Zach, and it wasn't me." Stefan tells him before heading up to his room. As Stefan enters his room a crow flies in from the open balcony doors; a man suddenly appears on the balcony behind Stefan.

"Damon." Stefan addresses the man.  
"Hello, Brother." Says Damon as he smirks at Stefan.

* * *

"Crow's a bit much don't you think?"

"Wait till you see what I can do with the fog."

"When'd you get here?"

"Well, I couldn't miss your first day at school. Your hair's different. I like it"

"It's been 15 years, Damon."

"Thank God. I couldn't take another day of the nineties. That horrible grunge look? Did not suit you. Remember, Stefan, it's important to stay away from fads."  
"Why are you here?" demands, Stefan.  
Damon shrugs "I missed my little brother."  
"You hate small towns. It's boring. There's nothing for you to do."  
"I've managed to keep myself busy."  
"You know, you left that girl alive tonight. That's very clumsy of you."  
"Ah. That can be a problem...For you."  
"Why are you here now?"

"I could ask you the same question. However, I'm fairly certain your answer involves a small blonde and her brunette cousin. Buffy and Elena."

* * *

Meanwhile at the Falls Elena and Buffy were watching as Matt and Vicki get into the ambulance when Bonnie comes over "We're gonna go mainline coffee, wait for news."

Elena nods then looks at her brother "I gotta take Jeremy home."

Buffy looks around and quietly heads off to the woods to look for signs of a vampire, neither girl noticing.

Bonnie who looks slightly freaked out looks at Elena "Elena, There's no way I'm psychic. I know that. But whatever I saw, or I think I saw, I have this feeling..."

"Bonnie, what?"

"That it's just the beginning." Elena sighs she then grabs Jeremy and texts, Buffy, asking if she wants a ride but she gets a message back telling her that she will be fine and will see her at home.

* * *

After texting Elena Buffy heads to where Elena and Jeremy had found Vicki. The blonde sighs she was hoping that the attack was just an animal but knowing her luck it would be something supernatural. She wonders through the forest for a while. No vampires in sight. When she reaches the edge of town however she runs into about four Vahrall demons, she fights them off stealing one of the demon's swords and after a flying kick she cuts off all their heads. But, not before one of them dislocates her shoulder. 'Crap' thinks Buffy. After their bodies were dealt with, she runs back to the house hoping Jenna won't notice before she can put in back into place.

* * *

Back at the boarding house, Damon was walking around Stefan's room "She took my breath away. Elena. She's a dead ringer for Katherine. And then what do you know, the blonde Buffy looks exactly like Mary, well except for the hair of course. But I'm thinking, I prefer the blonde look. You probably don't feel it cause of your diet but that girl has power pooling out of her. I just can't figure out why though. But then again she did move here from the Hellmouth, probably some consequence of living there for 2 years" Damon turns and looks Stefan in the eye "Is it working, Stefan. Being in their world? Does it make you feel alive?"

"Buffy is not Mary. Same with Elena." Says Stefan as he glares at his older brother.

"Well, let's hope not. We both know how that ended. Answer me this when was the last time you had something stronger that a squirrel?"

"I know what you're doing Damon. It's not going to work."

Damon pushes Stefan "Yeah? Come on. Don't you crave a little?"

"Stop it."

"Let's do it. Together. I saw a couple of girls out there or just, let's just cut to the chase, go straight for Buffy and Elena! There are two of them, we both get one."

"Stop it!" Stefan yells shoving Damon away from him. But Damon doesn't back down.

"Imagine what it'll taste like! I can." Stefan looks away blood rushing to his eyes revealing his vampire appearance "I said stop!" He growls and jumps at his brother, they both go backwards falling out of the window; landing on the ground outside the house.

Damon was already up and standing by the hedge while Stefan continued to struggle "I was impressed. I give it a six. Messy style, but I was pleasantly surprised." Stefan stands as Damon continues "Very good with the whole face—" Damon then imitates Stefan making fang gestures with his fingers "Thing. It was good."

Stefan walks closer to his brother "You know, it's all fun and games, Damon, huh? But wherever you go, people die."

"That's a given." Damon states as if it is the most obvious thing in the world.

"Not here. I won't allow it."

"I take that as an invitation."

"Damon, please. After all these years, can't we just give it a rest?"

"I promised you an eternity of misery, so I'm just keeping my word."

"Just stay away from Buffy. And leave her family alone." Damon tilts his head and looks at Stefan's hand "Where's your ring? Oh, yeah, sun's coming up in a couple hours, and, poof, ashes to ashes." Damon chuckles at his brother "Relax." He walks closer and holds out the ring "It's right here." Stefan takes it and places it back on his finger. "We can't have your little girlfriend get suspicious, she is from Sunnydale so there is a small chance she knows about vampires. Well, the demonic ones at least."

Damon smiles then grabs Stefan by the throat and tosses him into the wall 15 feet away. He stands over his brother's body "You should know better than to think you're stronger than me. You lost that fight when you stopped feeding on people. I wouldn't try it again." There is a rustling from the house causing Damon to smile "I think we woke Zach up. Hmm." He walks back towards the house "Sorry, Zach"

* * *

Buffy sits in her room; after a massive amount of effort she had managed to get her jacket off and was now trying to put her shoulder back into place, she takes a deep breath and pulls, her shoulder snaps and she lets out a little yell of pain. There is suddenly a knock at her door, she slowly stands using the bed frame to support her, assuming it would be Elena she opens the door only to pause as there at her bedroom door stood Stefan.

"Uhh, hi how did you -"

"Elena let me in, told me you were in your room. Look I'm sorry I know it's late. I just needed to know that you were ok."

"You know ever since I got here that all anyone has wondered which is different for me, normally people expect me to bounce back"

"So what do you tell them now."

"I tell them that everything is fine and that I feel better."

"So you mean it?"

"Does anyone ever? No one likes to hear the truth." Buffy pauses "I can't just let you stand there so come in here, we can talk." Stefan smiles at her and nods he follows her into her room and closes the door behind him.


	10. Meeting the other Salvatore

Buffy wakes up with a smile on her face, her shoulder was still slightly painful but it was bearable.  
Once she was dressed she heads out her room to see Elena and Jenna talking "Hair up or down?" Jenna asks Elena

Jenna holds her hair up "Sexy Stewardess" Elena says, when Jenna puts her hair down Buffy gives the next opinion "Your mother." Jenna's eyes widen in horror and she quickly looks in the mirror.

Elena looks over at Buffy, desperately trying not to laugh as Jenna continues to stare at herself in the mirror, before finally tying her hair back up "Up it is then."

Jenna finally peels herself away from the mirror long enough to notice that both girls were smiling "Well you're both feisty today" Elena smiles saying she feels good for the first time in a long time Buffy nods agreeing with her.  
"Where's Jeremy?" Elena asks as she looks in Jeremy's empty room.

"He said something about getting to school early to finish a birdhouse." Jenna sighs realising how ridiculous that sounded, "There is no birdhouse is there?" Both girls shake their heads. Jenna looks at her watch realising that she was running late, she quickly waves at the girls before she legs it out the house.

Elena chuckles in amusement before she turns to Buffy and smirks "So how did things with Stefan go? Come on spill."

Buffy laughs "It was good we talked, I mean really talked which is something I haven't done in a while. How 'bout you I saw you talking to Matt at the party?"

Elena sighs, "Well I told him that I need some time. I think after everything that has happened over the last few months, I need to be alone for a while. I think it will be good for me." Buffy smiles at her cousin, they both then head off for school.

* * *

In history class Buffy and Stefan were smiling at each other, completely ignoring Tanner as he continued with his lesson "Originally discovered nearly 5 centuries ago, It hasn't been over Mystic Falls in over 145 years. Now, the comet will be its brightest right after dusk during tomorrow's celebration." Tanner pauses as he notices two students ignoring him "Are we bothering you, Mr Salvatore? Ms Summers?" Buffy looks up at Tanner shaking her head.

* * *

After the bell rings Buffy leaves quickly to head to biology when Stefan comes up behind her "I brought it. Told you." Stefan shows her the book.

"Wuthering Heights by Ellis Bell." Buffy reads "You know, I still find it odd she didn't use her real name."

Stefan smiles as he explains, "All the Bronte sisters used pseudonyms. It was the time. Female writers weren't very accepted at the time."

"Where did you find it? I'm not all with the knowledge on book stuff but my guess is that this is something that should be hard to find. It's old and dusty, which often equals valuable."

Stefan hesitates slightly "Uh, it was passed down. Through the family. Now I have a question you don't seem like the type to read Ellis Bell, so why?"

"Umm, my friend Willow in Sunnydale loves it and has been begging me to read it since I meet her. I thought reading it, would help me feel more like my friends are here with me now." Stefan smiles at her answer and continues to walk her to class.

* * *

Stefan was sitting on a bench outside when something catching his attention. Matt who was walking with Elena was telling her about "She said it was a vampire. Yeah, she wakes up last night and mutters "Vampire" and then passes out." Stefan's eyes widen at Matt's statement. He knew he had to do something and quick.

* * *

Stefan later heads to the hospital, to try and fix Damon's mistake. When Vicki starts screaming Stefan waits for Matt to leave the room then quickly zooms in "It was an animal that attacked you. It came out of the night and jumped you. You blacked out. It's all you remember." Stefan tells her as he looks directly into her eyes.

"It's all I remember." she says, completely hypnotised.  
Stefan repeats his statement "An animal attacked you. You blacked out. It's all you remember." Vicki repeats what he tells her then closes her eyes and goes to sleep. Stefan quickly makes his way out of the room, as he was leaving he realises Matt had seen him. Matt follows Stefan, trying to get away Stefan goes into one of the hospital rooms not realising it was the blood donation room. He quickly walks over to one of the windows and jumps out before running away.

* * *

Buffy was sitting outside the grill at a table with Elena, Bonnie and Caroline. Bonnie was currently talking about what happened with her Grams "Well, I was talking to Grams, and she said the comet is a sign of impending doom. The last time it passed over Mystic Falls, there was lots of death. So much blood and carnage, it created a bed of paranormal activity."

Buffy smiles "Well I lived in Sunnydale for two years that town had the highest number of mysterious deaths and unexplained occurrences, so a comet, not that scary."

Elena smiles and Caroline turns to Bonnie "Yeah, and then you poured Grams another shot and she told you about the aliens." Elena rolls her eyes at Caroline and then turns to Buffy "So then what?"

Buffy looks at Elena as she picks up her drink taking a sip "So then a big load of nothing."

Caroline arches a brow at the blonde "You and Stefan talked all night? There was no sloppy first kiss or touchy feely of any kind?"

Buffy just shakes her head at the other blonde "Nadda. We didn't go there. We didn't even go near there. That place was on the other side of the planet."

"Not even a handshake. I mean, Buffy come on, we are your friends. Which means you have a duty to share the smut."

Buffy sighs as she puts her drink back on the table "We just talked for hours."

"Ok, what is the problem, Buffy. Just jump his bones already!" Bonnie raises her eyebrow at Caroline's statement "Ok, it's easy boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex."

"Yeah, tried that once did not end well. Just a lot of pain and suffering and next thing I know the guy I'm dating, he dies. I just don't know if I'm ready."  
All three girls look sympathetically at Buffy, but it's Bonnie who speaks "Buffy, it's ok to be scared but didn't you tell Elena that you wanted to try and move on?"

Buffy thinks for a moment, she then abruptly stands and starts gathering her things "Where are you going" Elena asks.  
Buffy looks at the girls and smiles "You guys are right. It is easy. If I sit here long enough not only will my butt fall asleep but... I'll end up talking myself out of it instead of doing what I said and moving on. I'll see you guys later." Buffy waves goodbye and then heads off to go talk to Stefan.

* * *

Buffy arrives at the large boarding house and pulls on the rope by the door, which rings a small bell. When there is no answer she knocks on the door only for it to open slightly as she does, "Stefan?" Buffy steps into the house leaving the door open "Stefan?" she calls again as she walks further into the house. Buffy looks around stunned by the size of the house, suddenly she hears a noise behind her, she turns slightly and sees the door which seemed to be open wider than before, she clenches her fist and begins reaching for the stake in her bag as she approaches the door. Just as she steps closer to the door a crow flies into the house heading right for her, she turns trying to get out of the way however as she does she almost crashes into a man with blue eyes and black hair. Buffy's eyes widen and she quickly lets go of the stake and takes her hand out of her bag.

The man continues to smile at her and tilts his head as he watches her. "God what is it with people in this town not making noise when they walk, it's slightly creepy." Buffy says to herself, slightly annoyed by the fact. She arches an eyebrow at the man, there was something about him that was giving her bad vibes.

Buffy shakes her head "I—I'm sorry for barging in. The door was..." she turns to look at the door, which was now closed. 'Not good' Buffy thought. "...open."

The rather handsome guy finally speaks as she turns to face him "You must be Buffy. I'm Damon, Stefan's brother."  
"Oh, Hi umm, sorry, He didn't mention having a brother."

"Well, Stefan's not one to brag. Please, come. I'm sure Stefan will be along any second." He places a hand on her shoulder and guides her into the living room.

"Damn." Buffy says as she looks around the large extravagant room, "This is your living room? My old house could fit in here, like twice."

Damon smiles as he looks around the room, "Living room, parlour, auction room. It's a little kitschy for my taste. I see why my brother's so smitten." Buffy turns to look at Damon as he continues, "It's about time. For a while there, I never thought he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."

Buffy looks at Damon confused, she understood a relationship almost destroying you but Stefan hadn't said anything about his exes to her yet. But then again she hadn't told him anything about her ex yet either.  
"Katherine, his girlfriend?" Damon says turning to face Buffy who shakes her head "Oh, you two haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet.  
Buffy looks away slightly uncomfortable "Nope."

"Oops. Well, I'm sure it'll come up now. Or maybe he didn't want to tell you because he didn't want you to think he was on the rebound. We all know how those relationships end."

Buffy looks at Damon "You do realise that relationships are not bombs right. They're not doomed to go kaboom." Buffy knew doomed relationships, more than she would have liked, but she had also seen good ones, like Willow and Oz.

"I'm a fatalist." Buffy was about to respond when she hears a slight movement behind her, that a normal person most probably wouldn't, she turns her head to see Stefan glaring at his brother. Damon who was slightly shocked that Buffy was able to hear Stefan, addresses his brother "Hello, Stefan."

Stefan ignores his brother "Buffy. I didn't know you were coming over."

Buffy takes a step towards him "I know. Silly me, forgot to call, I just-"

Damon interrupts her "Oh, don't be silly. You're welcome anytime." He comes to stand next to her then looks at his brother "Isn't she, Stefan?" Stefan glares at his brother who was rather enjoying himself "You know, I should break out the family photo albums or some home movies. But... I have to warn you. He wasn't always such a looker." Buffy smiles at Damon, laughing softly before she turns back to Stefan "Thank you for stopping by Buffy. Nice to see you." Buffy sees Stefan glaring at his brother and decides it's best to leave "Yeah, I should probably go." She turns to Damon "It was nice to meet you, Damon."

Damon smiles at Buffy, taking her hand "Great meeting you, too, Buffy." He brings her hand to his lips, Buffy smiles slightly at the odd gesture and then walks up to Stefan who merely stands there like a statue "Stefan? Stefan" Stefan does not say anything, he just moves to the side letting her pass, she frowns before she walks over to the door and leaves, as she does she can't help but think how odd Stefan's behaviour was.

"Great gal." Damon says to his brother after the door closes behind Buffy "Whoo. She's got spunk." He glares at Stefan "You, on the other hand, look pooped. Did you over-exert yourself today? Let me guess- Hospital."

Stefan walks past Damon, refusing to look at him "Someone had to clean up your mess."  
"Well, were you successful? Did the powers of persuasion work? Remember if you don't feed properly. None of those little tricks work right."  
Stefan ignores Damon and turns to face him "How long was Buffy here?"

"Were you worried, Stefan. Scared what happened with Mary and Katherine will happen again. Don't want us to repeat the past do you, but isn't that why you play your game, 'I'm a high school human'. Or are you scared I will tell her what we are. I mean she is from Sunnydale who knows what she was told when she was there."

Stefan continues to glare at his older brother "This isn't a game, Damon."

"Oh, come on. Of course, it is." Damon takes a step closer to Stefan "We both know the closest you'll ever get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it."

"What kind of game are you playing... Damon?" Stefan asks as he faces Damon.

Damon simply shrugs "Guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

* * *

Buffy was in the kitchen speaking to Jenna and Elena "Oh yeah 2 major issues. Rebound and family issues."

Jenna comes over as Buffy finishes her sandwich "Well at least it's an ex-girlfriend, wait till you date a guy with mommy issues or cheating issues. Or amphetamine issues."

Elena laughs as she eats ice cream while Buffy pouts before sitting next to her cousin. Then Jeremy comes in "Jeremy." Jenna calls angrily "Where were you?" Jenna leaves the kitchen and follows Jeremy Elena just shakes her head while Buffy steals some of her cousin's ice cream. Buffy and Elena listen as Jenna and Jeremy argue then laugh when Jenna throws her apple at Jeremy's back. The two continue to argue until Jeremy heads upstairs.


	11. The Comet

The next day Bonnie, Elena and Buffy were giving out flyers for the night of the comet. "Tonight, the night of the comet. Would you like a program?" Says Bonnie as she gives out a couple of flyers; Elena did the same then they both turn to face Buffy. "He didn't call, huh?" Bonnie asks Buffy.  
Buffy shakes her head "Nadda. Not a peep, I mean it's not like we even exchanged any of that stuff, and it's not like he's going to send a note via bird. But still, not a call nor text, or bird message."  
"That's an important milestone in any relationship." Elena tells her.

Buffy shrugs, when she had been with Angel he had always just shown up when there was a threat, and that had worked fine with them. Buffy had never really done the texting part, except with a couple guys she dated when she lived in L.A.

Buffy shakes her head "The timing is wrong, anyway. I'm a big mess. Bigger than the messiest mess." She tells the two.

Bonnie looks at the blonde "You're not a mess. Even if you are, when exactly will the timing not be wrong?"  
"How do I know if I'm actually ready?"  
"No one ever does." Elena tells her cousin.  
"Hey, I tried. I did the hockey pokey, put my left foot in. I just also happened to have run the other way. I did try." Buffy argues.  
Bonnie turns to face Buffy "Is that what you're calling it?"  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Everything you're saying is reasons to why you can't."  
Buffy sighs before continuing to give out flyers.

* * *

Later that night Elena, Bonnie, Buffy and Caroline were walking in the town square with their candles. Matt lights Elena's candle for her. While Bonnie lights Buffy's, Buffy walks away to light other people's candles, when she lights the one of the person standing in front of her she realises it's Stefan. "Thank you." He says.

Buffy looks up at him tucking her shoulder length blonde hair behind her ear as he smiles at her "Hi" she says back she then takes a couple steps forward getting away from her crowd of friends.  
Stefan follows her, he moves behind her and whispers into her ear "You know, that comet... it's been travelling across space for thousands of years. All alone."

Buffy looks up at the comet "Yeah, Bonnie told us it's evil and all that jazz."  
"I think it's just a ball of... snow and ice, trapped on a path that it can't escape. And once every 145 years, it gets to come home. I'm sorry about yesterday. I wasn't myself."

Buffy laughs slightly "You seem to spend a lot of time apologising."  
Stefan moves to stand next to her before turning to face her "Well, I have a lot to apologise for. Yesterday, that wasn't about you, ok?"  
Buffy looks at him "You didn't tell me that you had a brother."  
"We're not close. It's, uh... it's complicated."  
"Always. He told me about your ex. Katherine?"

A worried look covers Stefan's face "What did he say?"  
"Oh you know, epic love all that plus...that she broke your heart."  
"That was a long time ago."

"When you lose someone, it stays with you, always reminding you of how easily you can be hurt." Buffy feels tears start to fill her eyes but she holds them in. Stefan moves to stand in front of her "Buffy..."

"Look, Stefan, it's fine, I get it, complicated family. Check. And trust me I get having a complicated ex more than you can know, so check. My checklist is full of problems and issues, especially when it comes to the dating category... Don't worry about it. We met, and we talked, it was epic, but... like everything else in my life when the sun came up, the sucky reality set in." The two stare into each other's eyes for a minute before Buffy looks down at the ground "So..." Buffy says, she then walks away.

* * *

A short time later Stefan runs into Matt who seems to be protective of Buffy as she was Elena's cousin and had been through a lot. It is while they are talking that Stefan hears Damon talking to Vicki, he quickly excuses himself and runs up to the roof where Damon was standing next to Vicki with a hand over her mouth "Not bad." He tells Stefan "Have you been eating bunnies?"

"Let her go." Stefan tells his brother.

"Really. Ok." Damon starts to let Vicki fall but catches her before she falls off the roof. He then tosses Vicki to the ground "Relax. I don't need her to be dead, but ... you might." Damon crouches in front of the crying girl "What attacked you the other night?"

Vicki looks at Damon "I don't know. An animal."

"Are you sure about that? Think. Think about it. Think really hard. What attacked you?" Vicki thinks for a moment then stares at Damon in fear "A vampire."

"Who did this to you?" Damon yells at her.

"You did!"

"Wrong!"

Stefan realising what Damon was going to do begs his brother "Don't"

"It was Stefan." Damon says to Vicki staring straight into her eyes.

"Don't." Damon ignores him and grabs Vicki making her stand; looking into her eyes he speaks "Stefan Salvatore did this to you." Vicki repeats the statement "He's a vampire. A vicious, murderous monster."

Stefan panics "Please, Damon. Please don't do this."

"If you couldn't fix it before, I don't know what you can do now." Damon looks below the roof and sees Buffy talking to Matt and turns to Stefan "Ohh looks like your girlfriend is curious about what attacked dear sweet Vicki, listen."

Stefan tries to focus than he hears Buffy's voice:

 _B: Hey Matt_  
 _M: Hey Buffy, have you seen Vicki?_  
 _B: Umm no sorry. How is she doing since the attack?_  
 _M: Alright, I guess, she says it was an animal but- sorry she just said some really weird things earlier so don't worry about it._  
 _B: Matt, what did she say?_  
 _M: She said it was a vampire. I know it's completely crazy, plus she was jacked up on pain meds, most probably hallucinations, look I gotta go find her if you see her –"_  
 _B: I will let her know you're looking for her_  
 _M: Thanks, Buffy [Matt walks off]_  
 _B: Son of a bitch._

Damon looks at Stefan and smirks "Looks like your girl knows more than she's telling. Oh well, that's a mystery for another day know back to business." Damon removes the bandage from around Vicki's neck revealing the bloody wound and throws her at Stefan. "Your choice of lifestyle has made you weak. A couple of vampire parlour tricks is nothing compared to the power that you could have, that you now need. But you can change that. Human blood gives you that."

Blood rushes to Stefan's eyes as he smells the blood but he resists, he tosses the crying girl to the floor, away from him; he grunts in agony, as Damon continues to speak. "You have two choices. You can feed and make her forget. Or you can let her run, screaming 'Vampire' through the town square."  
Stefan was still breathing heavily as he struggles to speak "That's what this is about? You want to expose me?"  
"No!" Damon yells "I want you to remember who you are!"

"Why? So what, so I'll feed? So I'll kill? So I'll remember what it's like to be brothers again? You know what, let her go. Let her tell everyone that vampires have returned to Mystic Falls. Let them chain me up, and let them drive a stake through my heart because at least I'll be free of you."

"Huh." Damon chuckles "Wow." He reaches down lifting Vicki up and whispers in her ear as he does her breathing calms down and she stops crying. She then looks at the brothers confused "What happened? Where am I? Oh, I ripped my stitches open."

Stefan stares at the girl "Are you ok?"

"I took some pills man. I'm good." Vicki then stands up and heads towards the door of the roof.

Stefan turns his attention to Damon who smiles "It's good to be home. Think I might stay a while. This town could use a bit of a wake-up call, don't you think?"

"What are you up to, Damon?"

"That's for me to know and for you to...dot dot dot. Give Buffy my best."

* * *

When Buffy arrives home after a quick patrol, as she heads towards her room she sees Jenna in Jeremy's room rummaging through his things. Buffy leans in the doorway "What brought this on?"

Jenna doesn't turn to look at her as she answers "Your ass-hat of a history teacher shamed me good yesterday."

Buffy nods "As Elena would say, you got Tannered. I had that on my first day."

"Discover the impossible Ms Summers. Got it. Thanks. Like I didn't know I was screwing up."

"Aunt Jenna you're not screwing up."

"Yes, I am. You know why? Because I'm not my sisters. Miranda and Joyce always made it look easy everything they did, High School, Marriage, Even Joyce made divorce look easy and then them having you guys. I can't do it. I'm gonna say or do the wrong thing, and he's gonna get worse, and it's gonna be my fault. It's impossible."

Buffy leans forward looking at Jenna who was now sat opposite her "Look you're scared that's it. It's normal. Anyway, if you were as bad as you think you are then you would have run off to Spain like my dad did. You're scared it's an impossible situation. Trust me I get it." Buffy then realises that she is scared too "I have to go do something." She tells Jenna "But are you going to be ok?" Jenna smiles and nods at Buffy causing Buffy to smile back, Buffy then leaves and heads towards the boarding house.

* * *

When Buffy arrives she rings the doorbell, Stefan answers the door obviously surprised to see her "Hi" he says  
"Hey"  
"Would you like to come in?" Stefan asks her, moving to the side to let her in.

Buffy smiles and walks backwards "The comet/ice ball thing-y is actually this way." She walks away and stands on the porch watching the sky, she hears Stefan follow her. Slowly she looks over Stefan as he comes to stand next to her "Sorry for barging in. I was a mega pain earlier so again sorry. Not one for calling ahead."

Stefan shakes his head "No, no. I'm glad you're here. The way we left things... I didn't like it."

"See, the thing is, I got home planning to do what I always do, do some Tai Chi, call Willow, tell her everything that's happening here. It's what I've been doing for months, Willow listens as I vent, then I do the same for her. I tell her everything I'm feeling. But then I realised tonight, that I would be telling these things to the wrong person. Things that I should be telling you."

"What would you tell her?"

"Well, first I would kinda of have to explain that I have not been kicked out of school yet." Stefan laughs "But then I would say, I have somehow turned into an old woman who refuses to take risks. Someone who watches from a corner keeping away from the drama, cause it's just not the right time." Buffy pauses "But Willow knows me, I always just head first, worry later." Buffy takes a deep breath before continuing "But really I'm just making up excuses. It's something that I do when I'm scared. And that's what I am...I'm scared like a character in a horror movie. I'm scared that if I let myself actually feel something for even a moment that everything is just going to fall apart like it did the last time and I barely survived that time and I don't know if I can go through it again and come out on the other side still in one piece."

Stefan looks at her "Do you want to know what I would say?" Buffy nods "I met a girl. We talked. It was epic. But then the sun came up and reality set in." Buffy begins to smile as he continues, "Well, this is the reality. Right here." They look into each other's eyes and both slowly lean in, Stefan kisses her softly and then they pull back, Buffy looks up at him and smiles and leans up and kisses him again.


	12. The Dinner Party

Buffy, Bonnie and Elena climb out of Bonnie's car as they pull up at the school. "I'm not saying don't date the guy. I'm just saying take it slow." Bonnie says to Buffy as she closes her car door. Buffy looks at Bonnie confused "You said and I quote 'Man up Buffy and don't be a wimp. Go for it'."

Bonnie frowns "I didn't say that."

Buffy rolls her eyes "Tomato, tamato. Whatever, the point is the same, so what gives?"

"Look I'm just saying take it slow."

Elena was now curious about Bonnie's sudden change in opinion "Why the about-face?" she asks.

"It's not an about-face." Bonnie argues "Look you've only been here a couple of weeks you haven't meet everyone yet it's the perfect time for you to play the field."

Buffy laughs "Oh, because I'm so a player. I'm, as Xander would say...the Buffster. I strike the fear into the field. Seriously, what are you not saying?"

Before Bonnie could answer Buffy's phone rings. Buffy glances down at her phone to see who was calling; it was Giles. Buffy had called him about her vampire suspicion; he said he would do some research "Sorry I've really got to take this, I will see you guys in class?" Bonnie and Elena nod as Buffy runs off. After Buffy is out of sight Elena turns to face Bonnie "Bonnie what aren't you telling me or Buffy?"

Bonnie shakes her head "It's stupid."

"Bonnie..." Elena grabs her arm making her stop walking "Spit it out."

"I accidentally touched Stefan and got a really bad feeling."

"Is that it?" Bonnie starts to walk away, Elena grabs her hand "Bonnie."

"It was bad-bad!"

"Is this the whole witch mojo thing again?"

"You know what, I'm just concerned. This is me expressing concern about my new friend's new boyfriend. After what happened with Buffy's ex, I just worry about her getting hurt again."

"Bonnie, Buffy loves you for it but she is happy. Apparently, she has not been happy really since Angel died and if Stefan makes her happy don't we owe it to her to give him a chance. I have an idea, just hear me out let's invite Stefan over to mine and Buffy's house tonight and then you and I can grill him and give him the whole 'you hurt her and you will regret it speech"

Bonnie starts to shake her head "No—I don't think that's a good idea."

"Bonnie come on do it for Buffy" Bonnie looks at Elena conflicted.

Bonnie finally nods "Fine. Ok fine. I'll do it. For Buffy." Elena smiles victoriously, as the two head off to class.

* * *

Buffy sighs as she hangs up the phone after speaking to Giles, apparently, there had been no records of any type of demonic creature in Mystic Falls, there was the odd vampire or demon every once in a while, which explained why Vicki said she saw a vampire. The only valuable piece of information Giles gave her was about the small demon bar run by Willy's cousin just outside Mystic Falls, which meant that she could go there and try and get some information on the vampire that attacked Vicki, however, according to Giles, it was likely that it was gone by now and moved on to another town, but it couldn't hurt just to check. Giles had also told her that the new slayer finally showed up, her name is Faith, and she seemed to have a lot of baggage but was doing her job, which was the most important thing. Giles had promised to call her if they needed help.  
After that, he had excused himself in order to go and do research, which Buffy did not understand.

She was about to head to class but pauses as she notices Stefan walking towards her and smiles, Stefan notices Bonnie and Elena walk by them and smiles, Bonnie abruptly leaves while Elena sighs. Stefan looks at Elena "She doesn't like me very much does she?"

"She doesn't know you, she just worries about Buffy. Why don't you come over to our house tonight, Bonnie will be there and we can all have dinner and she can get to know you a little bit more?" Stefan looks at Buffy who smirks, causing him to laugh, he looks at Elena "Thank you, Elena, that sounds great." Elena smiles at both of them then heads off to class.

Buffy and Stefan start walking together "You do realise, this could be a complete disaster right?" Buffy says.

Stefan walks in front of her and turns to face her "I'm sure it will be fine, what's the worst that could happen?"

Buffy gives him a sceptical look "Do you really want me to answer that?" Stefan laughs then Buffy notices the ball headed for Stefan's head she quickly grabs it before it hits him. Tyler and Matt stared at her in shock. As does Stefan, who then takes the ball off her and throws the ball in a perfect spiral back at Tyler, who is knocked back by the impact. Buffy chuckles.

As the two of them walk down the corridor to class Buffy turns to Stefan "That throw was insane I didn't know you played football."

Stefan smiles "I used to. It was a long time ago. By the way, you have some pretty fast reflexes."

Buffy giggles hoping to change the subject "Yeah, a little bit. So why don't you try out for the team? Be a part of the jock crowd." She jokes.

Stefan shrugs "Yeah, I don't think so."

They stop outside Buffy's locker "So you don't like football?"

"No, I love football. I think it's a great sport. But in this case, I don't think football likes me. You saw Tyler over there I'm guessing he doesn't like me very much."

"He doesn't know you. Plus he's kind of a dick from what I hear. But Matt and the others are nice. Maybe it's time you get with the male bonding."

"Says the girl who spends her alone time doing Tai Chi, in a cemetery."

Buffy smiles "Hey where else am I supposed to do it, the only other place is my backyard, plus the graveyard has more space. You know, there is more to me than you know, when I lived in L.A I was quite the social butterfly. Plus Caroline begged me last night to come to the cheerleader's practice and teach them some flips and stuff. Unfortunately, she found out I used to be a gymnast. Who knows maybe a bit of the old Buffy will introduce herself to you."

Stefan smiles at her "Well I look very forward to meeting her."

* * *

Later in History, the class was discussing world war II "World War II ended in..?" Tanner asks the class "Anyone got anything?"

While Bonnie was mesmerised by her notebook, writing the same numbers over and over again, Tanner starts picking on students "Miss Juan?" The girl shrugs Tanner sighs "1945."  
Buffy turns to Stefan and whispers "Pssp. Elena says their team sucks. They could use you."  
Stefan whispers back "Can't. I'm a loner."  
"Miss. Summers?" Buffy hears her name causing her to turn to face Tanner "Pearl Harbour?"  
Buffy stares at Tanner "Ummm"  
"December 7th, 1941." Says Stefan from the seat slightly across from hers, making Buffy smile. Tanner arches a brow at the young man "Thank you, Miss Summers." The whole class starts to laugh.

Stefan smiles in return "Anytime."  
"Very well." Says Tanner as he asks the next question "The fall of the Berlin Wall."  
"1989. I'm good with dates, sir."  
"Are you? How good? Keep it to the year." Stefan nods waiting for Tanner "Civil rights act."  
"1964."  
"John F. Kennedy assassination."  
"1963."  
"Martin Luther King."  
" '68."  
"Lincoln."  
"1865."  
"Roe vs. Wade."  
"1973"  
"Brown vs. Board."  
"1954."  
"The battle of Gettysburg."  
"1863."  
"Korean War."  
"1950 to 1953."

"Ha! It ended in '52." Tanner yells, chuckling but then Stefan speaks again.  
"Actually, Sir. It was '53." Stefan insists the students start to gasp as Buffy watches the conversation with interest.  
"Look it up, somebody." Tanner yells at the class "Quickly"

One of the students at the back speaks confirming that Stefan was right, Tanner looks pissed while the other students start clapping.

* * *

When the bell rings Buffy goes up to Stefan "How did you know all of that?"  
"Years and years of crossword puzzles. Stefan tells Buffy "It's a loner thing."

* * *

Later Buffy was lying on the ground on the football field next to Bonnie and Elena. Buffy sighs as the other girls stretch, she was only here because Caroline practically begged her. "Have you seen Caroline?" Bonnie asks Elena "I texted her like a hundred times."

Buffy sits up "That's what I wanna know, she begged me to come show you guys some new flips and stuff and now she is not even here." Elena and Bonnie sigh.

After a little while everyone is getting agitated "Seriously, Where is Caroline?" Bonnie says.

Elena shrugs "I don't know. It's not like her."

"Try her again." Bonnie says as she reaches for her phone, at that moment a car pulls up next to the cheerleader, the three friends stand "Oh, my God." Buffy hears Bonnie say. "That must be the mystery guy from the grill."

Buffy looks properly at the guy That's no mystery guy." Bonnie and Elena turn to Buffy then Elena asks "You know him."

Buffy nods "That's Damon Salvatore."

"Salvatore, as in Stefan?" Buffy hears Bonnie ask, Buffy nods.

Caroline walks over to the three of them and looks at Buffy "I got the other brother hope you don't mind. Sorry, I'm late, girls. I, uh, was busy. All right, let's start with the double pike herkey hurdler, then Buffy will show us some gymnastics that we can put into the routine."

All the girls nod, Buffy glares at Damon who just smiles at her before driving off. Buffy rolls her eyes and goes to wait by the bleachers. As Buffy waits, she turns and sees Stefan running onto the football field in full gear. The sight makes Buffy smile, as she watches him play she looks back at the cheerleaders and sees Elena struggling to keep up.

After Caroline dismisses Elena, she walks over to her cousin "You okay" Buffy asks her, Elena shrugs then looks at the guys play and smiles "He's good for you." Elena tells her causing Buffy to blush slightly.

"Buffy! Elena! Come on!" They both turn to see Caroline waving at them. The cheerleaders all step back and wait for Buffy to do the move Elena told Caroline about. Buffy sighs not realising that the jocks are taking a break from their practice and were now watching the cheerleaders.

Buffy takes several steps back then runs forward first doing a double layout full out followed by a triple pike than a triple tuck and finally ending with a side aerial. Everyone stares stunned at the small blonde girl, Buffy looks up as everyone starts clapping and sees all the cheerleaders gaping at her, while the jocks all have shocked looks on their faces. Buffy looks over at everyone staring at her she blushes slightly and then sees Stefan smiling at her, she smiles back before turning back to Caroline who was asking her to demonstrate it again.

* * *

Later Stefan was getting ready for dinner. As he pulled on his shirt he stops as there sitting at his desk was his brother. "How were tryouts?" Damon asks "Did you make the team?" Stefan glared at him, staying silent "Very Emerson, the way you reveal your soul with so many..." Stefan takes the journal out of Damon's hands "...adjectives."

"What are you doing here?" Stefan asks clearly irritated.

"I've come to apologise." Damon says as he leans forwards in the chair "I've been doing some thinking, some soul searching, and...I want us to start over. We need to put the past behind us." Damon stands "You're my little brother, and if you want to live, a normal, happy human life, then I want that for you. Maybe I can do it, too. I can learn to be a non-living, living person. Maybe there's hope for both of us." Damon tries to keep a straight face but he just couldn't, he bursts out laughing as he walks around Stefan slapping his back.

"You know it doesn't have to be this way, Damon."

"Of course, it doesn't. I saw Buffy and Elena today, B.T.W. that means "By the way." They were at cheerleader practice. Buffy looked very perky in those shorts of her."

Stefan moves towards him "Simmer down. I didn't go near her. Either of them. I've got my own cheerleader now. Ohh, that reminds me. I gotta run. I have a date. Sweaty palms. Wish me luck" He leaves the room but before Stefan can move Damon pops his head back in "Just thought you should know your girl is keeping secrets. See I've been trying to get in her head. Well her dreams. And anyway it seems I am only able to observe not interact, which if you ask me is very strange. But don't you worry I will get in there eventually, it must be some residual effect of being around the Hellmouth, your mind block becomes stronger. Or something like that. Ohh gotta go." He leaves the room leaving behind a very angry and confused Stefan.

* * *

Back at the Gilbert house, Elena, Bonnie and Buffy were setting up the food for dinner "Well you explain it." Bonnie says to the two cousins, Buffy and Elena look at each other before shrugging "Last night, I'm watching "Nine-0", a commercial breaks come on, and I'm like, "I bet it's that phone commercial!" and sure enough, it's that guy and the girl with the beach, he flies to Paris and he flies back. They take a picture."

Elena laughs "Oh, come on. That commercial's on a constant loop."

"Fine. Well, how about this? Today, I'm obsessed with numbers. Three numbers. I keep seeing 8, 14 and 22. How weird is that?"

Buffy turns to Bonnie a serious look on her face "Maybe we should play the lottery. I could use a new pair of shoes. Or a zillion."  
Elena laughs while Bonnie glares at the both of them "Have you talked to your Grams?" Elena asks  
"She's just gonna say it's because I'm a witch."

Buffy's head shoots up at the statement remembering what happened with Amy's mom. She listens as Bonnie continues, "I don't want to be a witch. Do you want to be a witch?"

Elena makes a face "I don't want to be a witch." Elena then empties the cartoon of pasta into a bowl. "You know putting it in a nice bowl isn't fooling anybody." Buffy nods in agreement, but then again anything was better than having her cook for them all.

"Serving spoons?" Buffy asks Elena.

"Middle drawer on your left." Bonnie tells her, Buffy opens the drawer and inside are the serving spoons. Elena looks at Bonnie as Buffy grabs the spoons and places them on the counter "Ok, so you've been in this kitchen like a thousand times."  
Bonnie rolls her eyes "Yeah, that's it."

As the doorbell rings, Buffy goes to answer the door.

* * *

The dinner was awkward at first, so as they were all eating Elena tries to reduce some of the tension and turns to Stefan who was sat next to Buffy "Did Tanner give you a hard time today?"

Stefan sighs "Well, he let me on the team, so I must have done something right."

Buffy turns to Bonnie "Bonnie, you should have seen it, Tyler threw the ball, a weak throw might I add, and then-"  
"Yeah, I heard."  
Buffy looks at Elena for help who nods and turns to Bonnie "Why don't you tell Stefan about your family?"

Bonnie glares "Um, divorced. No, mom. Live with my dad."  
Elena shakes her head "No, about the witches. Bonnie's family has a lineage of witches. It's really cool."

Bonnie disagrees "Cool isn't the word I'd use."

Stefan, however, found it interesting "Well, it's certainly interesting. I'm not too versed, but I do know that there's a history of Celtic druids, that migrated here in the 1800s."

"My family came by way of Salem."

"Really? Salem witches?"

"Yeah."  
Stefan looks at Buffy "I'd say that's pretty cool."  
Bonnie glances at him curiously "Really? Why?"  
"Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and non-conformity"  
Bonnie smiles "Yeah, they are." Buffy and Elena chuckle as the doorbell rings.  
Elena sits up from her seat "I wonder who that could be."

Bonnie and Buffy start to clean up the table, while Elena answers the door only to find Damon and Caroline standing on the other side of the door.  
"Surprise! Bonnie said you were doing dinner, so we brought desert."

Damon steps out from behind Caroline "Hope you don't mind. I'm Damon by the way."

"Elena and no it's fine." Elena says as Stefan walks up behind her and glares at Damon. "What are you doing here?"  
Damon smiles "Waiting for Elena to invite me in."  
"Oh yeah co—" Elena begins to invite Damon in but Stefan interrupts

"No. No, he can't, uh...he can't stay. Can you Damon?" Elena and Caroline look confused and Caroline tries to demand Damon in but Stefan keeps going "We're just... finishing up."

Elena shakes her head "It's fine. Just come on in." Just as Damon steps into the house Buffy appears "Hey everything ok?" She asks as she walks towards them, Damon walks up to Buffy "Lovely to see you again, Buffy."

"Uh...you too. When did he show up?" Buffy asks Stefan who was still frozen by the door. "Stefan?" Stefan looks at Buffy and smiled, assuring her he was fine.

She nods and the two of them follow Elena into the living room where everyone else was sitting.  
"I cannot believe that Mr Tanner let you on the team. Tyler must be seething. But good for you. Go for it." Buffy stares as Caroline speaks, wondering how on earth someone could talk so much for such long periods of time.

Damon sits up from his seat and looks at his brother "That's what I always tell him. You have to engage. You can't just sit there and wait for life to come to you. You have to go get it."

Caroline nods "Yeah, Elena wasn't so lucky today. It's only because you missed summer camp. God, I don't know how you're ever going to learn the routines."  
Bonnie interjects "I'll work with her. She'll get it."  
Caroline was clearly not listening "I guess we can put her in the back. Oh, Buffy?"

Suddenly Buffy was dragged out of her private little world "Yes Caroline?"

"I'm gonna say it again, you have to join the cheerleading team. I mean those moves you showed us earlier were just amazing, I mean how were you able to do that? I've only ever seen Olympic Medallists use those moves." Damon looks at the blonde confused, Caroline notices and quickly grabs her phone and plugs it into the TV showing them a clip of Buffy doing complicated gymnastics. Damon looks impressed and then Caroline does something else "Ohh if you think that's good wait till you see this." Caroline says as she pulls up another video.

"Oh my God." Buffy says in embarrassment, the video showed Buffy back when she was a cheerleader in L.A, it wasn't until a second later that she realised what game this was and what was about to happen.

"Caroline, I think you should turn it off, everyone gets the idea, you can turn it off."

Buffy says in a panic; Caroline ignores her "See Buffy this is proof, cheerleading is in your blood" Suddenly there is shouting coming from the video making everyone turn their attention back to the screen. On the screen, Buffy was standing with a couple of the other cheerleaders and as they walk off several football players walk over to Buffy, one of them grabs her by the arm, as she struggles everything begins to escalate.

Damon and Stefan watch Buffy with interest before turning their attention back to the screen. On the TV, three guys surround Buffy, while everyone else at the stadium runs, the largest guy of the three punches Buffy in the face, then takes her cheek in his palm. Elena inhales a sharp breath as she watches, Bonnie does the same. Before anyone in the room can even blink the Buffy on the screen head butts the biggest guy causing him to fall, she then uses the hands holding her to flip herself over the next guy. She kicks the back of his knees causing him to fall, she grabs the man's left arm yanking it back and snaps the bone, causing him to cry in pain. The last of the three pulls out a knife, he catches Buffy's arm leaving a rather large wound. Buffy swings her leg out knocking the knife out of his hand, she then drops to a crouch and swings her leg around catching the man's feet causing him to fall. Buffy flips herself back to her feet and runs off screen.

Caroline finally stops the video and everyone turns to face Buffy with shocked looks on their faces, finally, after several moments of awkward silence Caroline speaks "Buffy how the hell did you do that!"

"Uhh, well you see umm. That... is... complicated." Buffy manages to get out "Look when Mr. Tanner said that I had a violent past he wasn't kidding, but the guys there, killed two other students so I'm justified for beating them to a pulp." Damon smirks, he clearly liked the girl and found her somewhat a mystery. Stefan although impressed, looks at Buffy with a worried expression.

Sensing the tension in the room Damon turns to Buffy "So you were a cheerleader no offence but you don't seem like the type, same with you Elena"

Caroline interrupts "Oh, it's just 'cause her parents died. Yeah, I mean, She's just totally going through a blah phase. She used to be way more fun. And Buffy, I bet you will totally start cheering again you know, after you get over your mom's death and what happened to Angel... And I say that with complete sensitivity."

Buffy Bonnie and Elena all glare at Caroline, at that moment Damon's voice catches Buffy's attention "Who's Angel?" Before Buffy could say anything Caroline turns to face Damon "Oh that's the guy Buffy was dating in Sunnydale, well at least she was till he died."

"Caroline!" Elena hissed, knowing that Buffy had yet to tell Stefan about Angel.

Caroline merely shrugs while Damon turns to Buffy, a look of sympathy on his face "I'm sorry Buffy, Elena. I know what it's like to lose your parents. In fact, Stefan and I have watched almost every single person we've ever cared about die."

Stefan glares at his brother "We don't need to get into that right now, Damon."

"Ah, you know what, you're right, Stef. I'm sorry. The last thing I want to do is bring up the girls." Buffy frowns in confusion before she excuses herself and heads to the kitchen to clean up.

* * *

Damon follows holding up a glass "Thanks" she tells him but as she reaches for it, he drops it, however before it can hit the ground he catches it. She laughs "impressive."

"I like you. You know how to laugh. And you make Stefan smile, which is something I haven't seen in a very long time."

"Earlier, what did you mean when you said 'girls'. Cause I'm pretty sure Stefan wasn't in a girl band or anything like that...Was it about Katherine?" Buffy asks as she bends to put the dishes in the dishwasher.  
"Mm-hmm. Partly."  
Buffy stands straight and looks over at Damon seriously "How did she die?"  
"In a fire. Tragic fire."  
"Recently?"  
"Well, it seems like it was yesterday."  
"What was she like?"  
"Now that is a complicated question. You see the only way to talk about her, is to talk about Mary as well."  
"Mary?"

"Yes, very beautiful much like you in that department. But a much longer story, which I will let Stefan tell you. But Katherine was beautiful. But like I said it's complicated, they both were. Katherine could be very selfish, and at times not very kind, while Mary could manipulate you into believing and doing, whatever she wanted, she was very smart. But they were both sexy and seduction."

"Mary died too?"

"Yes, also in a fire right before Katherine."

A sad look crosses Damon's face, making everything click for Buffy "So which one of you dated Katherine first and which one dated Mary first? You know must brothers share toys, not women." Buffy points out as she leans forward, handing Damon a plate, he chuckles at her question "Nicely deduced. We're one of a kind Stefan and me. When it comes to what happened though ask Stefan. I'm sure his answer differs from mine." Buffy sighs and walks towards the counter as Damon closes the dishwasher. "I would not go back to being a cheerleader if I was you."

"Why do you say that? I'm like the absolute description of a cheerleader." Buffy says, her voice full of sarcasm, as she folds the napkins.

"Well first of all after watching that video, I can say you are too much of a bad ass to be a cheerleader." Buffy laughs nervously as he continues "Plus I saw you out there, just being around them made you miserable."

"You saw that? And here I thought I was being discrete."

"Not so much."

Buffy sighs and looks at Damon "When I was in L.A I loved it, next thing you know I'm getting kicked out of school and me and my mom are packing up and moving to Sunnydale. After everything that happened, I wasn't the same person. I tried to do the whole cheerleading thing there as well but, I had just changed too much. Then I get kicked out of that school and come here and just the idea of being a cheerleader now is ridiculous."

"Well just tell Caroline no. Problem solved ta-da. Now did you say that you have been kicked out of two different schools, in less than two years?" Damon smiles at Buffy while she laughs "Unfortunately yes, it seems like I am the kind of person that attracts trouble." Buffy stops laughing for a second and looks at Damon "I'm sorry"

Damon looks at her confused "About Katherine and Mary. You lost them, too." Damon looks at Buffy stunned then smiles slightly.

At that moment Bonnie enters the room "Need some help?"

"Sure, why not?" Damon says looking at Bonnie.

A few minutes later the doorbell rings, all three heads turn to face the door. Elena quickly walks in looking directly at Buffy "Buffy, there's some guy here to see you. Says he's an old friend." Buffy stares confused and looks at Damon and Bonnie who were watching her, she slowly stands to pick up her drink as she heads out the kitchen. Damon and Bonnie follow her, as Buffy comes up to Elena she sees Stefan standing by the stairs, "Everyone I know is already here or in California, so who the hell is it." Stefan smiles at her and shrugs. The others watch her as she steps into the hall; she freezes when she hears a voice she hoped never to hear again "Hello Cutie."

Buffy's eyes widen, before filling in fury "Spike."


	13. The Bonfire

"Did you miss me, love?" Spike smirks at the blonde slayer. Buffy glares angrily at Spike not even realising that the glass she was holding had broken under her grasp.

Damon watches with interest, as the small blonde does not even flinch as the glass shatters in her hand.

Stefan puts a hand on Buffy's shoulder "Buffy, are you ok?" Buffy looks at Stefan and smiles "Yeah, I'm fine. Look I need to talk to Spike, so you guys go back to do what you were doing before, I will be right back." She steps out the front door and grabs Spike by the arm dragging him away from the door.

Once the door closes behind them Caroline and Stefan head back to the living room, while Bonnie and Elena head towards the kitchen. Damon who very curious as to who the mystery guy was, tries to listen to them when he hears Stefan asking about Caroline scarf. Damon huffs in frustration.

"That's a really nice scarf." He hears Stefan say to Caroline.

"Mmm. Thank you, it's new."

"Can I see it? I mean, would you mind taking it off?"

"Oh, I can't"

"Why not? You ok?

"Um...All I know is that I can't take it off."

Damon at this point wanders into the room, interrupting them "What are you two kids talking about?"

Stefan looks at his brother as he takes his seat next to Caroline "I was just commenting on her scarf."

Damon looks at Caroline "Um hey, you know Elena and Bonnie are finishing up the dishes. Why don't you go see if you can help?"

Caroline tilts her head and smiles at Damon "Does it look like I do dishes?"

She giggles, as Damon starts to get annoyed "For me?"

"Hmm. I don't think so."

Damon was now getting feed up. he looks at Caroline and compels her "Go see if the girls need help in the kitchen."

"You know what? I'm gonna go see if Elena needs some help in the kitchen."

"Great." Damon smiles, as Caroline grabs her cup and leaves the room, then turns his attention back to Stefan as Stefan begins to speak. "They are people, Damon. She's not a puppet. She doesn't exist for your amusement; for you to feed on whenever you want to."

Damon merely glares at his brother "Sure she does. They all do. They're whatever I want them to be. They're mine for the taking."

"All right, you've had your fun. You used Caroline, you got to me and Buffy, good for you. Now it's time for you to go."

"That's not a problem because... I've been invited in, and I'll come back tomorrow night and the following night and I'll do with your little blonde, whatever I want to do. Because that is what is normal to me." Damon gives his brother an evil smile, then gets up and leaves the house not caring about Caroline.

When he steps out the door he hears voices coming from the side of the house. One of the voices was British, the other's was Buffy's and from the tone of her voice, she was clearly extremely pissed. Damon heads towards the voices, when he catches sight of the small blonde he hides in the shadows and listens to the two of them.

* * *

Buffy drags Spike around to the side of the house, out of sight. She slams Spike against the wall of the house, pinning his arms behind him. "Bloody hell woman." she hears Spike grunt in pain and smirks, before turning him around to face her.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Me? What am I doing here? Shouldn't you still be on the bleeding Hellmouth?"

"Spike." Buffy hisses "Tell me what you're doing here before I get testy" She lets go of him but not taking her eyes off him, as he smoothes out his leather coat.

"Look, I'm only here to pick up a little ingredient for a spell, heard I could find it here. And with you being here, figured you could help a bloke out. It's called Vervain." Buffy stares at Spike in disbelief, he wanted her help had he gone completely insane.

"Why in the hell would you think I...would help you?"

"Oh yeah, cause I've got your little witch friend and that bloody moron boy locked up somewhere in SunnyD and well the only way they live, is if red does the spell on Dru so she will come back to me."

"Are you kidding me! You kidnapped my friends because your girlfriend dumped you?"

"Well, duh. Look pet, all Red has to do is cast a little love spell. Then I will let her and the boy g—" Before Spike can finish Buffy punches him in the face knocking him on his ass. She climbs on top of him pinning his arms down and presses her knee against his throat "Where are they?" She hisses.

"Bloody hell woman, I can't breathe."

"Spike, you don't need to breathe." Buffy points out.

"Well, it still hurts." Buffy adds more pressure onto his neck causing him to cry out in pain.

"Look if you kill me you will never find them."

Buffy rolls her eyes "Oh please, you probably have them locked up in the factory."

Spike then lifts his legs up and wraps them around Buffy's neck throwing her off him. He flips himself back up and Buffy does the same, she throws a roundhouse kick at his head; he blocks it then throws his fist at her face, she catches his arm and sends her fist upwards connecting with his jaw. Spike then brings his leg up and kicks her in the stomach causing Buffy to stumble back slightly.

"Drusilla is a nut bag, hell you could probably torture her and she'd like you again." Buffy says, she uses Spike's distraction and runs at him; jumping up she wraps her legs around his neck then does a back flip causing him fall again and her to end up on top of him again, she quickly stands up over him and kicks him in the ribs. Spike grunts in pain and starts coughing as he tries to stand.

As Spike stands up he looks at Buffy "That really put's thing in perspective. Sod the spell, your friends are at the factory. I'm really glad I came here, you know? Cause you're right. I want Dru back, I just got to be the man I was, the man she loved, I'm going to do what I should have done in the first place—I'll find her, wherever she is, tie her up, torture her until she likes me again."

Buffy stares at Spike in disbelief as he smiles to himself. At that moment she feels someone watching her, she turns but sees no one there, she shakes her head and turns back around to face Spike, but he was already gone. "Dammit." Buffy exclaims then sighs, she had to call the gang to let them know where Xander and Willow were, and to find out what the hell happened. She turns and heads back into the house.

* * *

In the shadows, Damon watches the blonde saunter back into the house and smirks, the girl was very peculiar. He could tell she was powerful but couldn't figure out why. She was a complete mystery. One he was getting very excited to solve.

* * *

 _Later that night after Buffy had called Willow, finding out that she and Xander had been messing around behind Oz and Cordelia's backs and how she now planned to try and make it right with Oz. Apparently,_ Cordy, _had been hurt and was now in the hospital. When Buffy told Willow about Stefan she had begged for details, but Buffy still had guests so told her she would call her back later._

 _Now Buffy and Stefan were in her room sitting on the bed, she had been worried that after the video mess Stefan would be running for the hills but he hadn't. "Tonight wasn't so bad. If you don't count the video mishap and the unexpected guest from Sunnydale. Other than that I had fun."_

 _"Mmm, that makes one of us and that has nothing to do with the video or 'Spike'."_

 _Buffy laughs slightly "Come on. Your brother isn't as bad as you make him out to be..."_

 _Stefan puts a finger to Buffy's lips silencing her, he places his hand on her cheek and pulls her closer till his lips meet hers, the kiss heats up quickly Stefan pushes the book she was holding to the floor, as they continue to kiss Buffy rolls them so she was on top, Buffy sits up to remove her jumper leaving her in a tight vest, she then hears clapping from behind her. She turns her head to see Angelus standing behind her. "Hello, Lover." He says he glances at Stefan before turning his attention back to Buffy "You really are doomed to repeat history again, aren't you. This will end badly and so will the next and the one after that. You must understand you are alone. You will repeat the same mistakes until you realise that."_

 _Angelus disappears leaving Buffy confused, she turns back to Stefan only to see_ Damon ,she _jumps off the bed and screams, she runs down the hall to see Angel with a sword in his stomach. "I loved you, how could you?"_

 _Buffy stares in horror at Angel "I had too. I'm sorry."_

 _"You're Sorry?!" Angel yells "I'm suffering in hell because of you! Anyone who comes near you suffers!"_

 _Before Buffy can say anything she was thrown across the room into the wall and then something digs_ _its teeth into her throat._

Buffy shoots up in bed gasping, she climbs out of the bed and somehow ends up punching her fist through the wall. She takes several deep breaths and pulls her hand out of the wall, wincing as she does. She heads to the bathroom grabbing her empty water glass on the way and doesn't notice the Crow standing in the open window.

* * *

The next day Buffy was getting ready, she throws on a green skirt, black vest, boots and her black leather Jacket, she completely ignores the cheerleading uniform that Caroline left her 'just in case' she had a change of heart. She hadn't.

She waits for Elena down stairs, when Elena does finally appear she was not wearing a cheerleading outfit either "So no cheerleading for you?" Buffy says as Elena comes down the stairs

"Nope, I'm a quitter."

Buffy shakes her head "You're not a quitter, you're just not the same person you were when you became one. Trust me I have been through that. Just because you're different doesn't make you a quitter." Elena smiles, then realises what was going to happen to happen when Caroline finds out, her smile falters "Caroline is going to kill me."

Buffy laughs slightly and smirks "Yep. Come on, rather sooner than later." Elena pouts as they head out the door, she knows she was completely screwed.

* * *

In the Salvatore Boarding House, Stefan was writing in his journal 'There must be a shred of humanity left inside my brother. Somewhere. I keep hoping. But how do I make him see it? And how do I protect her?' Stefan turns his head, as he puts the pen down he gets up from his seat and walks over to one of the shelves. He pulls a box off the shelf and places it on the desk, he opens the box and sorts through it till he finds a much smaller box inside.

Elena and Buffy finally got to the pep rally but about five minutes after they arrive Caroline finds them, Buffy quickly gets away while Elena deals with Caroline, she keeps walking till she is far enough away, that she could hear their conversation anymore. Finally, she stops in front of the logs that would later be used for the bonfire. She then notices Stefan coming towards in his Jersey "Look at you. Jock's a good look on you."

Stefan smiles "What happened, you decide not to accept Caroline's offer."  
Buffy shakes her head "A world of no. I'm not the person that I was back then."  
Stefan takes both his hands in hers "You suffered a great loss. You should be looking ahead. Starting over, which is what you wanted to do anyway. Ok?"

Buffy smiles at him as he goes on "I hope you don't think this is too soon or too weird, but..."

Stefan pulls out a small box from his pocket "I, uh, I wanted you to have this." He opens the box to reveal a beautiful necklace, it was a silver chain with a locket shaped as bird wings hanging from it. Buffy looks at the gift stunned and slightly panicked, the last time someone had given her a necklace it had been Angel. Then Angelus words from her dream pop back into her head 'you are doomed to repeat history' a shiver goes down Buffy's spine as she thinks of the dream, she looks back up at Stefan who was staring at her intently "Stefan I—"

Before she could say anything Stefan seems to sense her fear "Hey, look, it's something that I've had forever, and, uh, I've never wanted to give it to anyone until now. I'd very much like it if you'd wear it for me, for good luck for the game." This causes Buffy to smile, she looks at the locket and picks it up "It beautiful, thank you. And if it will help you with the game then I really can't refuse. I mean it's not like you can get any worse, but better not risk it."

Stefan chuckles "You're hilarious." He says sarcastically, as she lifts it out of the small box and smells it "What's the scent. Rose?"

"No, it's, uh—it's a herb. It's nice, huh?"

"Very." Buffy tells him as she smiles at him, she turns around and pulls her hair back allowing Stefan to place the necklace on her, the chain was not as long as the one holding her ring, which had been tucked into her vest. "I wanted to thank you. For pushing me to try out for the team. It feels really good." Stefan says as he fastens the lock on the necklace, when he is done Buffy turns to face him smiling "Well it makes sense you start, I avoid starting. We're a pair." She giggles.

"We're a work in progress." Stefan tells her "We'll figure it out." He leans down slightly to kiss her while she goes up on her tiptoes. He smiles at her one more time before he heads off to where the football players are all gathered. Buffy smiles at him, just as she turns away though she sees Elena who looks like she's just been put through the wringer. "Damn, I'm guessing Caroline was not happy." Elena shakes her head at the blonde, causing her to giggle "Come on. Let's get something to eat." Elena nods and lets Buffy drag her off to grab some food.

* * *

Later at the Bonfire Elena and Buffy were standing with the crowd when Tanner comes into the light "Quiet down, quiet down. Quiet down a little bit. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait ,wait." As Tanner talks Buffy notices Stefan smiling at her and smiles back "Now let's be honest here. In the past, we used to let other teams, come into our town and roll right over us!" The crowd boos "But that is about to change." Now the crowd is cheering "Now we have some great new talent starting tonight on the offensive line, and I'm gonna tell you right now, it has been a long time since I have seen a kid like this with hands like these. Let's give it up for Stefan Salvatore." The crowd cheers again while Buffy and Elena clap.

As the crowd continues to cheer, Buffy notices Tyler walk off and gets worried, it's then she hears a fight break out, she turns to see Jeremy punching Tyler.

Buffy and Elena get there to see Jeremy with glass in his hands and Tyler about to attack again, Buffy grabs him twisting his arm behind his back causing him to hiss in pain "Now Tyler, I would hate to break your arm right before the game." Tyler tries to break free but can't, as he struggles Buffy merely tightens her hold on him surprising him with her strength. "Now Tyler if I let go are you gonna try and hit me, cause then I won't let go." Tyler shakes his head, Buffy looks at him suspiciously before finally, she lets go, he stands, taking a step towards her but Matt pulls him away "Thanks, Buffy."

Buffy nods at Matt then turns her attention back to Stefan Jeremy and Elena. "It's not my blood." Buffy hears Stefan say before wiping his hand on his trousers, Elena looks very confused. Buffy walks over to Stefan "Hey you ok?"

"Yeah. You?" He asks having noticed her dealing with Tyler.

Buffy nods "Nothing I can't handle."

"It's almost kick-off time so, um, I'll, uh, I'll see you after the game."

Elena still confused turns to Buffy "I was so sure that his hand got cut by the glass."

Buffy looks at her confused cousin "Elena nothing and no one would heal that fast, so I'm sure everything is fine." Buffy knew vampires took time to heal, hell Spike had been in a wheelchair for months and when Angel got his ribs slashed, before she knew he was a vampire, he was in pain for days plus the wound was still there when she checked the next day.

"Look, I have to go find Jeremy, can you call Jenna let her know what happened?" Elena asks her, Buffy nods and takes Elena's car keys so she can go get her phone from the car.

* * *

Buffy hangs up the phone after speaking with Jenna and tosses her stuff back inside the car boot and closes it. Suddenly, she senses someone standing behind her "You know it's not nice to sneak up on people." Buffy turns to see Damon smirking at her "What are you doing here?" She asks him.

"I'm hiding from Caroline." He whispers to her.

"And why is that?" She whispers back.

"I needed a break. She talks more than I can listen."

Buffy laughs slightly she had noticed that "Not gonna argue with that."

"Well, she's awfully young."

"Not much younger than you are. Unless you're one of those people that age really well, then that would actually kinda make you a creep."

Damon laughs at her response and continues "I just don't see it going anywhere in the bigger picture. I think she'd drive me crazy."

"Look, Damon, I haven't known Caroline for very long and I'll admit she does have, some, annoying traits, but I consider her a friend and I am very rare on those at the moment."

"Noted. I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable. That's not my intention." Damon says with a smirk on his face.

Buffy watches him carefully "Yeah, it is. Otherwise, you wouldn't be acting like some creepy douche right now, with obvious alternate motives behind every word that leaves your lips.

"You're right. I do have other intentions, but so do you."

Buffy chuckles slightly "Really?"

"Mm-hmm. I see 'em. You want me."

Buffy looks at him in disbelief "I'm sorry what?"

"I get to you. You find yourself drawn to me. You think about me even when you don't want to think about me. I bet you even dreamed about me."

Buffy glares at him and speaks with a flat voice "Not really."

Damon goes on as if she hadn't even spoken and looks deep into her eyes "And right now...you want to kiss me." He starts to lean in smiling at her, but she shoves him away causing him to fall "What the hell?" Damon looks at her, stunned slightly and surprised that she was able to knock him away " I don't know what your problem is or what game you're trying to play with Stefan here, But I don't want to be part of it." She walks over so she is standing right over him "I don't know what happened in the past, but understand one thing I am not Katherine and I'm not Mary." She starts to walk away from Damon who was still on the floor when she calls back "And Damon if you try that again, we're gonna have a problem." She leaves the threat in the air and walks off.

* * *

Stefan was in the alley behind the football field when he hears Damon "It's all so, 'rah, rag, go, team, yeah!'"

Stefan rolls his eyes and turns away "Not tonight. I'm done with you."

Suddenly Damon is in front of him "Nice trick with Buffy. Let me guess – Vervain in the necklace? Doesn't explain why I couldn't get into her dreams but anyway I admit, I was a bit surprised. It's been a while since anyone could resist my compulsion. Where'd you get it?"

"Does it matter?" Stefan walks away but Damon keeps going.

"Guess I could just seduce her the old-fashioned way. I do like a challenge and your girl is strong. Elena's nice and all, but I like my women with fire. Or I could skip all that and just...eat her."

Stefan stops walking and turns to face his brother "No. You're not gonna hurt her, Damon."

"No?"

"Because deep down inside, there is a part of you, that feels for her. I was worried that you had no humanity left inside of you, that you may have actually become the monster that you pretend to be."

"Who's pretending?"

"Then kill me."

"Well, I'm-I'm tempted."

"No, you're not. You've had lifetimes to do it, and yet, here I am. I'm still alive. And there you are. You're still haunting me. After 145 years. Katherine is dead and because of that, you lost Mary. And you hate me because you loved her, and you torture me because you still do. And that, my brother, is your humanity."

Damon sighs then looks behind Stefan at Mr. Tanner who had just come outside "Salvatore! What the hell? We've got a game to play!"

Stefan looks at Damon, who was watching Tanner "If that's my humanity... then what's this?" Damon runs over to Tanner and bites into his neck.

"No!" Stefan screams. Damon kept going, draining Tanner. When he was done he lets the body fall to the ground and then glares at his brother, blood dripping from his mouth. "Anyone, any time, any place."

* * *

After Tanner's body had been found Elena was trying to keep Bonnie calm, while Buffy was with Stefan. Buffy at this point knew that there was a vampire in town and one who was very good at covering their tracks "What kind of thing could be doing all of this?" She asks Stefan who was helping her put on her jacket, as she tried to pretend she had no idea.

"I don't know." Stefan places his hands on her cheeks and smoothed out her hair.

Buffy wraps one of her hands around his "Are you sure you're ok? Elena said she was sure you got hit with the glass."

Stefan nods "I'm fine. We're fine. And that's what matters."

Buffy looks up and nods she places her forehead against his staying there for a moment, then he pulls her in for a hug.

* * *

Stefan returns home later and is writing in his journal again 'I thought there was hope. That deep inside, something in Damon was still human; normal. But I was wrong there's nothing human left in Damon. No good, no kindness. No love. Only a monster who must be stopped.'

* * *

At the same time, Damon watches as Buffy climbs in through her window into her bedroom. He waits until she had fallen asleep until he enters the house. He knows her hearing was very good so moves silently into her room. He stands over her sleeping form watching her, he carefully moves the hair out of her face and runs his fingers along the side of her face.


	14. Founder's Party

_Buffy opens her eyes as she lies in bed, when she hears the door downstairs slam shut she shoots up in bed gasping in fear, once she had calmed her breathing she slowly climbs out of the bed before she cautiously walks over to her door. "Hello?" she calls into the quiet hallway; she looks over the banister to the lower level "Jeremy? Elena?" She sees a shadow walk into the living room. Buffy goes down the stairs, following the shadow into the living room "Hello?" she calls again. Buffy tries to turn on the lights but as she presses the switch nothing happens. "This is Logan Fell coming to you live. From the Streets of Mystic Falls" Buffy turns seeing the voice coming from the TV "With breaking news of another deadly animal attack. The wild animal terrorising the citizens of Mystic Falls has claimed another victim, just 12 hours after local high school student Elena Gilbert was killed, her cousin Buffy Anne Summers, was found dead." A picture of the two cousins comes up on the screen "Police are certain that forensic evidence will confirm that this is the same animal responsible for recent attacks."_

 _Buffy looks at the screen in horror then hears a voice from behind her "You know what's coming next." She turns her head around to see Damon standing next to Elena's now dead body, which was on the floor. Buffy runs for the front door hoping to escape, but when she opens the door Damon is there, Buffy screams slamming the door and turns around only to see Damon blocking her way to the back exit. She looks away for a moment as she screams and when she looks back Damon is gone, she walks forward but then Damon appears behind her and sinks his teeth into Buffy's throat._

Stefan wakes up with a gasp and immediately sits up in his bed, only to see Damon sitting at his desk "Bad dream?" Damon smirks "Do you know how easy it was to get into your head just now? You really need some human blood. It might even the playing field. Football reference. Too soon?" Stefan quickly gets up from his bed and runs over to one of the tables where his letter opener was, he picks it up tossing it at Damon. It stabs him in the chest. Damon just looks down at the letter opener with a disappointed look and stands from the chair, he then pulls the piece of metal out of his chest "All right, I deserved that. But I just wanted to let you know, they caught the culprit. The animal responsible for killing coach Tanner and all those people."

Stefan glared at Damon confused "What are you talking about?"

"It was a mountain lion. Really big one. It attacked a hunter this morning. It's all over the news. 'Deadly beast captured. All's well in Mystic Falls'."

"Why would you cover your tracks?"

"I've decided to stay a while. I'm just having way too much fun here with you and Buffy."

"Can't touch her now."

"Well, the vervain keeps me out of her head. Although she is a tricky one to get to anyway. Maybe her head is not my target." Damon smirks "Believe it or not Stefan some girls don't need my persuasion. Some girls just can't resist my good looks, my style and my charm and my unflinching ability to listen to Taylor Swift."

He walks toward Stefan then stabs him in the stomach with the letter opener. Stefan groans in pain and falls to his knees. Damon walks past him looking at his shirt "This is John Varvatos, dude. Dick move." Damon leaves the room as Stefan slowly pulls the metal from his stomach, he places it on the table then lifts his shirt to see the wound healing rapidly.

* * *

Buffy, Elena, and Jenna were all in the kitchen, Jenna was standing talking to the TV "Scum Ball. Scumbucket."

"Who are you talking to?" Elena asks as she walks past Jenna to her seat at the table, while Buffy was sitting on the kitchen counter watching the TV.

"Him." Jenna nods her head at the TV.

"The news guy?" Elena asks confused.

"Also know as Logan "Scum" Fell. Did your mom ever tell you why I moved away from Mystic Falls?"

Elena laughs "Oh, no way. You and him? He's cute."

"He is not cute. There's nothing cute about him"

Buffy looks at Jenna "Did you say Fell." Jenna nods "Does that mean my dad and him are related?"

A look of shame comes over Jenna's face as she drops her head to her hand "Who do you think introduced me to the slime ball. Their cousins via marriage, I think." Buffy laughs and jumps off the counter and sits next to Elena at the table as Jenna turns off the TV.

"What are you doing with that?" Jenna asks as Buffy picks up the very old watch, examining in. Elena looks at Jenna "I went yesterday and got it from the safe deposit box. Mom had told Mrs. Lockwood, she would loan it to the founder's council for their heritage display."

Jenna reaches into the box "Is that Grandma Beth's wedding ring?"

"Originally it was great, great grandma Mary's wedding ring."

As Elena speaks Buffy notices Jeremy walk into the room. He walks over to her and takes the watch out of her hand "How much do you think this stuff is worth? You know, like on eBay?" Buffy elbows Jeremy in the stomach causing him to drop the watch; she quickly catches it and passes it back to Elena. Jeremy glares at his cousin "What the hell? Why?"

Buffy just smiles at him "I was bored." Elena snickers while Jenna tries to pretend she was not laughing.

"That stuff is mom and dads. You can't just give it away." Jeremy tells Elena as he heads towards the fridge.

"I'm not giving it away. It's called a loan, Jeremy." Elena says as she continues to clean to objects.

As the doorbell rings, Buffy quickly leaves the room, wanting to get away from the argument between the brother and sister. When she opens the door there is Stefan "Hi." He says smiling, Buffy chuckles and takes his hand pulling him into the house, she closes the door behind him and pulls him over to the staircase. Buffy tiptoes up and kisses him, she pulls back and smiles "Hi."

* * *

Stefan, and Buffy were sitting on her bed kissing as things start to heat up Buffy lays on her back with Stefan hovering above her, they continue to kiss but then Stefan sees himself in the mirror, blood was rushing to his eyes. He quickly gets back up and sits on the edge of the bed facing away from Buffy. Buffy, who was still lying on her back chuckles slightly then leans on her elbows looking at Stefan "Are you ok?"

Stefan takes a deep breath "I good. Sorry."

"Maybe we should put this moment in a box for later" Buffy suggests.  
Stefan turns back around to face her and smiles "Yeah, you're probably right. That was getting a bit..."  
"Yeah." Buffy interrupts.

He nods in agreement "Yeah." Stefan gets up and goes to sit by the window while Buffy swings her legs around to a sitting position. "Do you own a suit? And not like a weird costume or anything, but like a Barney Stinson suit. So you could perhaps Suit up?"  
Stefan laughs at her babbling "Yes I can 'suit up'."  
Buffy grins "And you look good in one? Yes?"  
Stefan shakes his head in amusement "I can pull on off."

Buffy smiles "How about tomorrow night? Elena is making me come to the founder's party. Will you come with me, make sure I don't get bored?"

Stefan laughs slightly and smiles "They still do that?"  
Buffy tilts her head in interest "Have you been before?"  
As Stefan takes off his shoes he speaks "No, the Salvatore's don't get invited anymore."

Buffy nods "Well, Elena filled me in and this year, there's this whole heritage project that apparently meant a lot to my aunt Miranda, Elena said she was very involved with the founder's council. And it turns out when my mum lived here it was her favourite party. Look, I know it sounds boring that was what I thought but—"

Stefan interrupts Buffy's babbling, "I would be honoured to accompany you, Miss Summers."

"The pleasure is all mine. But I am not calling you Mr Salvatore that's majorly weird." Stefan laughs and walks over to Buffy, and kisses the top of her head.

* * *

Later Elena and Bonnie were sitting at the kitchen table, while Buffy was getting the tissue paper so that they could start their nails. "Delicate flower vs. Naughty vixen." Buffy hears Bonnie asks Elena "Hmm tough call. Buffy?"

Buffy, turns to look at both colours "Can we mix them?" she asks Bonnie as she heads back to the table and sits down.

Bonnie nods "Look at you, getting all pretty for your date. You seem happy-ish. You both do." Bonnie gesture at the both of them.

Elena was too focused on her nails while Buffy looks at Bonnie "Happy-ish. Tonight's going to be a good night. Hopefully." Buffy sighs as she picks up the nail polish, Elena looks up from her nails and looks at Bonnie "But don't let that stop you from telling us whatever it is you wanted to tell us, as soon as you walked in the door."

Bonnie avoids looking at her friends "What if I tell you guys in the morning? I don't want to ruin the night."

Buffy sighs and pulls the nail polish that Bonnie was holding out of her hands "Bonnie, out with it."

Bonnie hesitates for a split-second then nods "Ok, but it has to go in the vault because Caroline will kill me if it gets back to Damon that she squealed." Buffy and Elena look at each then back at Bonnie both giving her a swift nod of the head.

"Apparently, Stefan has a very interesting back story."

Buffy is now worried "Uh-huh."

"Do you know what happened, with his ex-girlfriends Mary and Katherine?"

Bonnie and Elena look at Buffy, waiting for her response "I know they basically shared them both like boys share their toys. My guess dating the same girl twice is bound to come with issues."

"Yeah, well it turns out that first they both dated Katherine but she chose Damon. And that drove Stefan mad, so he did horrible things to try and break them up. He manipulated Katherine. He filled her head with all these lies until finally. It worked, and she turned against Damon. Then when Damon met Mary and was finally happy again Stefan came in and it happened all over again."

Elena and Bonnie both watch Buffy intently to see how she would react "That sounds like one person's side of the story..."

"Meaning Damon's." Elena finishes her sentence for her.

Bonnie looks at Buffy "I just wanted you to know."

Buffy sighs "Anyway, his past relationships are none of my business. I can't exactly judge him for not telling me, I still haven't told him about Angel."

Bonnie keeps his focus on her nail as speaks again "Yeah. You haven't told him about Angel but if he's calculating, manipulative liar. That is your business."

Buffy looks at the two of them "I've know calculating manipulative liars, Stefan does not fit into that category."

"Yeah? How can you be sure?"

Buffy looks at Elena for help but she shrugs not knowing what to do, Buffy sighs not sure what to do, she had thought after Angelus it would be easier for her to tell is someone was manipulating her.

* * *

Stefan was in his room at the boarding house getting ready for the party, he walks over to his desk holding a glass of bourbon. He sits down picking up his shoes when Damon enters the room "Do they still wear ties at this thing?" Damon asks him as he walks over to grab his shirt.

Stefan looks at his brother "Why are you even going?"

Damon who was still going through the wardrobe glances at his brother "It's only fitting. We were at the very first one, remember?"

Stefan glares at Damon "I think it's better if we don't draw attention to ourselves."

Damon looks at Stefan through the mirror "So you should stay here. I'll see to it Buffy has a good time." Damon smirks but Stefan ignores him picking up his glass and taking a drink. Damon notices "My goodness, I've driven you to drink."

Stefan places the glass back on the table and continues to put on his shoes "Can't seem to rid myself of you. What else am I supposed to do, besides go about living my life?"

Damon mocks him "Go about living my life." He turns to Stefan "See, therein lies your eternal struggle. Your dead dude. Get over it." Stefan continues to glare at him not speaking "What do you think?" Damon asks showing Stefan a tie.

* * *

Meanwhile at the Gilbert house Buffy Elena and Bonnie are all in the bathroom, Buffy was helping Bonnie curl her hair while Elena was putting on her mascara. When the phone rings Elena runs into her bedroom and answers it, a minute later she passes Buffy and Bonnie as they are heading back to Elena's room "What's wrong?" the two ask, Elena doesn't answer just barges into Jeremy's room. Buffy and Bonnie look at each other and shrug, they head back into the bedroom where Bonnie helps Buffy with her hair.

* * *

Back at the Salvatore boarding house, Damon was admiring himself in the mirror "It's cool not growing old. I like being the eternal stud." Damon says as he fixes the collar of his shirt. Then turns to face his brother when he hears Stefan speak "Yes, being a 150-year-old teenager has been the height of my happiness." Stefan huffs before taking another drink from his glass.

As Damon puts on his jacket he chuckles "You cracked a funny, Stefan." He watches Stefan finish the glass of bourbon "I should have a drink to celebrate." Damon announces then after grabbing a glass walks over to the bottle of bourbon. Damon notices the picture of Mary and Katherine next to the bottle of bourbon as he picks it up he smiles slightly "1864. You and Katherine were the perfect couple. It was hell watching you dance with her. But then Mary showed up and things were just brighter."

Stefan doesn't look as his brother as he responds, "My happiness was short- lived, as you well know."

Damon nods "You know Katherine and I were supposed to meet after the party but after Mary showed up I was mesmerised and completely forgot. After Mary left, though, I saw you and Katherine you were such a gentleman gave her a kiss on the cheek. Then later that night you meet Mary and things got even more complicated than they already were. Oh, well." Damon smirks at his brother and raises his now full glass and winks at his brother "Here's to Buffy coming to her senses like Mary did." Stefan glared at his brother and watches as Damon is about to drink from his glass but he pours the liquid onto the ground dropping the glass. "I admire your effort, Stefan. Pouring yourself a drink then spiking the bottle with Vervain. I'm not some drunken sorority chick. You can't roofie me. But I can't help but feel a little used. I thought we were having a moment." Damon glares at his younger brother and huffs "I have to go to the party angry. Who knows what I'll do?" Damon leaves the room and Stefan watches angrily as he does. He then heads down to talk to Zach about what he plans to do next.

* * *

Buffy stares at herself in the mirror she was wearing a sateen dress that was fitted and flared at the same time ( /images/SiwSAE), she was also wearing the necklace that Stefan had given her as well as the chain with her ring on it. Elena and Bonnie had already left and now she was waiting for Stefan.

When the doorbell rang she says goodbye to Jeremy and grabs her bag before opening the door, then the two of them head off to party.

* * *

As they approach the entrance to the party the Mayor spots them "Hello, you're Joyce's daughter aren't you?" Buffy nods as the Mayor walks over to them "Guys, come on in. Buffy, I hope you have fun, your mother used to love this party so please go enjoy yourself." Buffy smiles as both she and Stefan step into the house.

Damon watches Buffy and Stefan walk into the room and sees Stefan lean over and kiss her cheek, for some reason causing Damon to frown.

* * *

Buffy looks around the party and turns to Stefan "You know we never had things like this in Sunnydale, it's pretty cool"

Stefan smiles at her "What about when you lived in L.A.?"

Buffy shakes her head "Not really, I mean there were parties but nothing like this."

* * *

A few hours later Stefan walks into the room where all the borrowed heirlooms from the different founding families were on display, to see Buffy looking at some of the displays. He notices what she was looking at, it was charm bracelet very similar to the one she wears and next to it is was Buffy's mother's name, Joyce Summers. Stefan steps closer to her and wraps an arm around her waist "Your mum?"

Buffy nods "There's a lot of history here. The history she never really talked about when she was alive." Stefan reaches down and takes her hand in his, wrapping their fingers together. The two walk over to Elena who is talking to Damon and Caroline. Damon turns to see Stefan and Buffy and smiles "Perfect timing I was just about to tell Elena here the story about the original Salvatore brothers. Our ancestors. Tragic story, actually."

Stefan steps forward "We don't need to bore them with stories of the past."

Buffy looks at Stefan with a confused look then speaks "It's not boring, Stefan. I mean actually, history is slightly boring but it's bout your family. Come on can't be that bad."

Damon smirks while Caroline just rolls her eyes "Well, I'm bored. I want to dance. And Damon won't dance with me." Caroline drops her gaze to Buffy "Could I just borrow your date?"

Stefan smiles "I don't really dance."

Damon interjects "Oh, sure he does. You should see him. Waltz, the jitterbug, the moonwalk. He does it all."

Caroline looks at Buffy "You wouldn't mind would you, Buffy?"

Buffy smiles and looks at Stefan "It's up to Stefan."

Caroline grins and reaches out grabbing Stefan's arm "Well sorry, but I'm not going to take no for an answer."

Stefan leaves with Caroline while Elena excuses herself after seeing a panicky Bonnie coming towards her, leaving Buffy alone with Damon.

"I want to apologise to you for being such a world-class jerk the other night when I tried to kiss you. There's no excuse." Buffy tilts her head raising an eyebrow at Damon as he goes on "My therapist says I'm...acting out, trying to punish Stefan."

Buffy chuckles slightly "For what?" she asks.

"It's all in the past. I don't even want to bring it up. Let's just say that the men in the Salvatore family have been cursed with sibling rivalry. And it all started with the original Salvatore brothers."

Buffy looks at Damon sceptically then sighs "So tell me the story of the Salvatore's then."

Damon smiles "The Salvatore name was practically royalty in this town. Until the war. There was a battle here—"

"The battle of willow creek." Buffy interrupts

"Right"

"There was something, didn't Confederate soldiers fire on a church with civilians inside."

Damon nods "That's correct but what the history book left out was the people that were killed. They weren't there by accident. They were believed to be union sympathisers. So some of the founders on the Confederacy side back then wanted them rounded up and burned alive." Buffy follows Damon as he walks over to one of the exhibits, which happened to look like a church and continues to listen "Stefan and Damon had someone they loved very much in that church. And when they went to rescue them, they were shot. Murdered in cold blood."

Buffy looks up at Damon "Who was in the church that they wanted to save?"

"A woman, I guess. Doesn't it always come down to the love of a woman?" Damon smiles at her.

Buffy watches him for a moment before speaking "Look, Damon, whatever issues you and Stefan have, I'm sorry but I won't get in the middle of this weird ass complicated sandwich. I won't. Look, I just hope you two can work it out."

Buffy smiles at him, Damon smiles back "I hope so, too." Damon stares intently Buffy then notices the ring around her neck. "A Claddagh ring." Damon gestures at the chain causing Buffy to grab the ring "They are very rare to come by." He tells her "Where did you get it?"

Buffy sighs sadly "That is a very long and complicated story. Too much for now." Damon nods still rather curious but decides to find out later.

The two walk outside where they find Stefan and Caroline talking "What'd we miss?" Damon asks Stefan who turns around to face Buffy and Damon

"We were just chatting. Drink Damon?" Stefan holds out a glass of champagne towards his brother

"No, thanks, I'll pass." The two glare at each other.

Buffy senses the tension and turns to Stefan "Stefan, do you have another dance in you?"

Stefan turns to Buffy and smiles "Absolutely" Buffy smiles and takes Stefan's hand pulling him onto the dance floor.

"I hope Damon didn't drive you too crazy." Stefan says as they dance.

Buffy laughs slightly "No, actually, less with the creepy douche and more with the apologies. He even explained why he acts the way he does. And it all goes back to Katherine and Mary."  
Stefan nods "Mmmm." He then twirls Buffy  
Buffy looks at him "So colour me curious, what happened?  
Stefan sighs "It's not something I like to talk about."

"I get it. Trust me I do. I just want you to know that you can. I'm a big listener, big with the listening."

Stefan just nods "I know. Thank you."

Buffy hesitates for a moment "Honestly, Stefan...when it comes to you I know very little, like a tiny bubble amount of information. And I'd actually like to know more."

Stefan stares at her, his anger building "Damon said something, didn't he? He likes to play games and cause trouble, Buffy."

Buffy shakes her head "This isn't about Damon, it's about me trying to get to know you. Look you're the mystery guy and that's great for most girls who aren't me. I spent two years with that type before. So I know that with mystery comes secrets and this thing with Mary and Katherine." The two stop dancing.

"Let it go." Stefan says abruptly "I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, then, tell me something. You know your favourite colour, what music you like, just say something about yourself. Anything. Otherwise, I'm left with nothing but what other people tell me. And I can't be put in that position again."

"Don't you see what Damon has done here? He's trying to get you to turn against me."

"Well, then I guess it's working." Buffy looks at Stefan one more time before walking off. Stefan watches the blonde storm away from him before he glances over at Damon who was smirking at him.

* * *

Bonnie and Buffy sit down together at a nearby couch as Buffy fills her in on what happened with Stefan. Bonnie looks at her friend, feeling guilty "This is my fault, I planted doubt. I'm a doubt planter."

Buffy shakes her head "It's not your fault I just—I feel like an idiot. I made myself very clear about avoiding getting caught in this sandwich and then puff, I'm the butter." She pauses as a realisation hits her "I turned into Cordelia. Oh god." She says the horror evident in her tone of voice "It not like I have any right to judge I mean he's not the only one keeping secrets. I just don't know what happened. I'm sorry for venting."

Bonnie smiles slightly "Hey feel free to vent anytime."

"Thank you, Bonnie." Buffy looks over and sees Jenna getting very close to knocking Logan Fell on his ass. Buffy sighs and looks back at Bonnie "I think I have to go save Jenna." Bonnie looks over and nods in agreement.

* * *

Elena who was upstairs in the bathroom with Caroline notices something on Caroline's neck "What is that?"

"Hmm?" Caroline responds confused. Elena reaches a hand out to touch the scarf but Caroline shrugs her off "Don't!"

Elena is persistent she lifts the scarf up revealing a large bite mark on Caroline's neck "Oh, my God. Caroline, what happened?"

Caroline shrugs her off again "Nothing, ok?!"  
"That is not nothing. Did somebody hurt you?"  
"No, ok, nothing. It just...My mom would kill me."

Elena notices another bite mark on Caroline's shoulder "Did Damon hurt you?"

Again Caroline shrugs Elena off "No! Of course not! Just leave me alone, ok, Elena?! God!" Caroline storms out of the bathroom.

* * *

Elena storms down the stairs, she looks around the party until she spots Damon outside. She immediately rushes over to him and before he can say anything she shoves him "There is something seriously wrong with you. You stay away from Caroline or I will go straight to her mother, the Sheriff. Did you get it? Stay away from her." She warns before storming away. Damon frowns as a look of fury covers his face.

Stefan who had been listening to the conversation spots Elena go around the back of the house and runs after her, he steps in front of her looking into her eyes trying to compel her "Elena, whatever you do you are not going to tell Buffy about the marks you saw. You know Damon hurt Caroline but you did not see any bite marks. Do you understand?"

Elena nods mesmerised "I understand." Stefan then quickly runs off to find Damon. Elena flashes back to reality, all she can think about is the bruises she found on Caroline.

* * *

Damon drags Caroline outside "Don't!" she cries as he grabs her arms "She took it off and I got flustered, ok?! I didn't know what to say but I swear, ok, I did not tell her. I just told her that you didn't mean to hurt me." Damon stares at the girl furiously, now that Elena has seen the bite marks she will tell Buffy, who already knew about vampires, which meant that there was a very high chance of him being exposed. He circles Caroline and then come up behind her wrapping his arms around her waist "You make me crazy, you know that? It's ok. I forgive you."

He kisses the side of her head as she leans into him "I swear I didn't say—"

"Shh, Shh, Shh." He tells her "It's ok. Unfortunately... I am so over you now." Damon stops kissing her neck and throws his head back then digs his teeth into her throat.

* * *

Buffy, after saving Jenna goes to look for Stefan to apologise, when she sees two figures in the dark. She can't tell who they are as they have their backs turned to her but she does see one of them bite the shorter one. Vampire, Buffy realises, she runs towards them and grabs the back of the male vampire's neck lifting him off the ground forcing him to let go of the girl, she then tosses him 20 feet away. The girl falls to the ground and Buffy turns to see it's Caroline. "Caroline!" Buffy quickly bends down next to the girl her eyes widen at the gaping wound on Caroline's neck "Oh God." She breaths as she leans down and lifts Caroline's head into her lap trying to check for a pulse. Buffy looks back in the direction that she tossed the vampire and realises that he was gone. "Son of a bitch." Buffy exclaims in frustration before she then turns her attention back to Caroline as she starts to move. "Caroline, are you ok? Come on." Buffy helps the girl not noticing her picking up a necklace from the ground as she stands. Elena sees the two "Caroline? Buffy? There you guys are. I've been looking everywhere for you." Caroline was still looking at Buffy "I'm fine." She says, her voice shaking.

Elena looks over at Buffy "What happened?"

Before Buffy has a chance to answer the question both her and Elena turn back to Caroline as she begins panicking, saying that she was fine over and over again, before beginning to sob, both girls wrap their arms around the girl as she cries.

* * *

Stefan who had seen Buffy toss Damon 20 feet away from Caroline like it was nothing was still in shock as he tosses Damon into the cellar "I knew I couldn't spike your drink...so I spiked hers." Stefan informs Damon as Damon weakly crawls on the floor in the cellar still weak from ingesting Vervain. Damon groans in pain again before passing out.


	15. Suspicions

Stefan walks down to the cellar and stops in front of the door watching Damon "Where's my ring?" Damon asks obviously still weak.  
Stefan watches his brother "You won't be needing it anymore.

Damon groans in pain "How long have I been here?"

"Three days."

"What are you doing?"

Stefan explains "During the dark ages when a vampire's actions threatened to expose or bring harm upon the entire race, they would face judgment. They sought to re-educate them rather than to punish them."

Damon replies weakly "You know what will happen if I don't... feed on blood."

Stefan nods "You'll grow weaker and weaker. And eventually, you won't be able to move or speak. In a week your skin will desiccate, and you'll mummify. A living corpse, unable to hurt anyone. Ever."

"So what, you're just going to leave me in the basement, forever?"

"I've injected you with enough vervain to keep you weak. Once your circulation stops, I'll move you to the family crypt, and then in 50 years, we can re-evaluate."

Damon lets out a strained chuckle "I'm stronger that you think."

Stefan agrees "You always have been. But you're not stronger than the vervain. And we both know it. I'm sorry. Didn't have to be this way." Stefan gives his brother one more look before turning around and leaving the cellar ignoring Damon's cries of pain as he does.

* * *

Buffy was in the yard doing Tai Chi when she hears Elena come downstairs. Buffy lowers herself from a handstand and stretches her arms before heading into the kitchen where Jenna and Elena were talking. Elena sees Buffy come in and waves "Are you guys aware of what's going on upstairs?"

Buffy nods and looks at Jenna who responds "Uh-huh."

"And you have no objections?" Elena asks sceptically, as Buffy reaches for the coffee pot.

Jenna smiles "He could be craftier about it; at least make an effort to sneak her in and out."

Buffy jumps up to sit on the counter, while Elena grabs a bowl for her food as Jenna continues "Oh, and, uh, just so you know, I won't be home for dinner."

Elena smiles "Oh, so you're actually going to do it."  
Buffy laughs and then teases her aunt "You're gonna go out with Logan."  
Jenna smiles at Buffy "I'm going to show up and torture him, yes."

Elena and Buffy chuckle at Jenna. "And have you heard from Stefan?" Jenna asks the blonde who was sipping from her cup.

Buffy shakes her head "Nope. Nadda. Zilch. Other than the vaguest message I have ever heard." Buffy imitates Stefan's voice "Hi, um, Buffy, I, um, I have something I have to do. I'll, uh, explain in a few days."  
Elena turns to look at her cousin "Haven't you called him?"

Buffy just frowns and shakes her head "Nope. I decided that I'm not going to call."

Jenna looks at her niece "Are you ok with any of it?"

Buffy jumps off the counter "No. I'm not ok with it. But I'm not gonna crawl into bed and cry about it, there's no point. I've been that girl, the girl whose life falls apart because of guy. I refuse to do it again."

"Ok then." Jenna says, Buffy smiles and then heads upstairs to shower quickly before school.

* * *

"He's awake. He's weak, but it's probably best to stay out of the basement." Stefan warns Zach "He's Damon, not sure how dangerous he still might be."

Zach nods he is about to comment however he pauses as he spots the bag in Stefan's hands "You're going to school?"

Stefan nods "Came here to live a life. It's about time I get back to that. And Buffy, if she's still speaking to me."

"Why haven't you called her?" Zach asks with a frown.

"What am I supposed to do, feed her another lie? I hate lying to her, Zach. I'm not good at it. She already thinks I'm hiding something."

"What choice do you have? You came back here because you want to live as normal a life as you could. You knew this was going to be part of it."

Stefan turns to leave but then Zach speaks up again "Stefan, you saw her throw Damon 20 feet away from Caroline like it was nothing, are you sure she is not a vampire?"

Stefan turns around "I'm sure. She's human. But she has power, which she most probably got when she was living on the Hellmouth, but I'll figure it out. There are a lot of things I may not know about her but I am certain she is not a vampire." Stefan looks at Zach one more time before turning around and leaving the house, heading for school.

* * *

Buffy was standing with Elena and Bonnie by her locker when they spot Caroline chatting with the other cheerleaders about the carwash fundraiser, Buffy stares in disbelief as the girl who had been traumatised and broken just a few nights ago was acting as though nothing had ever happened.

"Unbelievable." Elena mutters in astonishment "It's like nothing happened"

Buffy looks at Elena "She's in denial. I've seen it happen in Sunnydale." Bonnie nods; the girls continue to watch as Caroline laughs with the other girls.

"Hey." a voice says from behind them, Buffy turns only to spot Stefan coming towards them. Bonnie looks at Buffy and Stefan then at Elena "Hey, uh, Elena don't we have to, be somewhere right now."

Elena looks at Bonnie "Uh, yeah, we have that thing. Bye Buffy." The two quickly take off leaving Buffy and Stefan alone.

"I'm so sorry I haven't called," Stefan says once Bonnie and Elena were out of hearing range.

"Don't worry about it. I think I'll live."

"I was dealing with Damon."

Buffy nods "Elena told me that Damon's been hurting Caroline. So did you? Deal with Damon? Cause if not, my fist is about to meet with his face then his ribs for what he did to Caroline."

"Yes. Yeah. I did" Stefan assures her.

"For four-day?" Buffy asks sceptically.

"You have every right to be upset with me, but can I explain it all to you, please?"

Buffy sighs, hesitantly she nods "When?"

"I gotta be home after school, but the grill around 4:00?"

Buffy thinks for a moment "Ok, I can do 4:00"

"Thanks."

Before Buffy can say anything else Caroline walks over to the two of them and smiles at Stefan "Stefan? Where's Damon? He has some serious apologising to do."

Stefan turns to look at Caroline "He's gone, Caroline."

"When's he coming back?"

"He's not coming back. I'm sorry." Stefan walks off and Buffy watches at he goes with an odd look on her face. What did Stefan mean by gone? Buffy pushes her thoughts away as she turns to Caroline and sees the girl's broken expression. Buffy puts a hand on Caroline's shoulder "This is a good thing, Caroline."

Caroline nods slightly "I know that."

* * *

Later Buffy was at The Grill waiting for Stefan when she spots Matt, she walks over to him "Hey, Matt, um, have you seen Stefan?"

"Nope." Matt tells her, causing Buffy to sigh "Hey if you want to kill some time, um, you can rack." Buffy chuckles "Come on. I haven't played you before, I wanna see if you know any tricks. I'll let you break." Matt smiles at her causing Buffy to smile back "You clearly know your audience."

* * *

Zach was in the kitchen trying to ignore Damon's cries of agony coming from the cellar. After several minutes Zach finally gives into temptation he stands and slowly starts to make his way towards the cellar.

As he gets closer he calls out to Damon "I'm full of vervain. I've been putting it in my coffee for 16 years. My blood will only make you worse." When Zach doesn't hear a response he shifts slightly closer to the door "Damon?"

"So it was your vervain. Good for you. Good for you." Damon replies weakly, "Family only runs so deep."

"We're not family, Damon." Zach tells him as Damon continues to cough "Only in the most dysfunctional sense. In fact, I avoided having a living, breathing, loving family because of you."

"I don't guess I could talk you into bringing me a rabbit or something? I'd settle for Stefan's diet at this point."

"You know I can't do that."

"You succeeded, Zach. I'm shutting down. You're like your grandfather. He didn't like it when I came to visit, either."

"But you don't visit, Damon. You appear, unannounced, reminding me that this isn't my house; that you're just permitting me to live here. Hell, that you're permitting me to live."

"Someone has to mow the lawn."

Zach scoffs "I came to say goodbye, Damon." Zach turns his back on the cell but a second later Damon has a hand wrapped around his throat "Unlock it." Damon demands as he tightens his hold on Zach's neck "Unlock the door, Zach."

A second later Stefan appears and grabs Damon arm forcing him to let go. Damon grunts in pain and falls to the ground while Stefan helps Zach up. Stefan turns back to look at Damon "Keep it up, Damon. The more energy you expend, the faster you'll go."

* * *

"Elena said, that Vicki, was all nonchalant in the bathroom. Like it was no big deal that they're hooking up." Buffy tells Matt as she lines up her next shot, as she takes her shot she looks up at Matt "I am so glad my room is not next to Jeremy's. Yuck"

"Yeah, I'm not gonna lie. Elena's brother and my sister. It's weird." Buffy nods in agreement with Matt's statement. Matt then looks down at the table and realises Buffy was winning by a landslide "Damn, you're really good at this."

Buffy smirks causing Matt to laugh, she then pulls out her phone to check the time "How late is he?" Matt asks as he lines up his shot.

"Hitting the hour mark." Buffy tells him "You know normally I'm the one who shows up late, this kinda makes me feel bad for doing that. Hope nothings wrong, though. Look, I'm not gonna vent out my problems."

Matt sighs "Buffy, I'm your friend, now go on and vent."

Buffy huffs the looks at Matt "Fine. What do you think of Stefan? Is he a good guy?"

"Why? What's he done?"

"Not any one thing. He's just so secretive all the time. I think there's something that he doesn't want me to know, which makes me want to know all the more."

"Like what? Like that he's a serial killer and he keeps a clown suit in his trunk?" Matt jokes.

Buffy just shakes her head "No, and don't give me clown nightmares, please. It's just..."

"Just what?"

Buffy sighs "When I was with Angel, there was a lot I didn't know about his past, things that he thought if I knew that it would change how I saw him. I just can't go through it again, the secrets, the not knowing. I don't want to repeat history."

Matt looks up at Buffy sadly, Elena had told him what happened to Buffy's ex and he could not help but feel for her. "What do we really know about him?" Buffy asks him.

"He's great at football. A little bit of a loner. And he might... might be a nice guy."

"So do you think I'm just being paranoid?"

"After everything with Angel, it's understandable. But, I think you should talk to him."

Stefan who had entered The Grill as Buffy was talking about not repeating history, walks over to Matt and Buffy and makes his presence known. "Talk to who?" Buffy and Matt turn to face Stefan "I'm so sorry that I'm late."

"What happened?" Buffy asks him.

Stefan takes a step towards her "I got held up."

Buffy frowns as the vague answer, it was just causing her suspicions to go into overdrive "Is everything ok?"

"There was this thing with my uncle."

"And you couldn't call and tell me that you were going to be an hour late? It takes 30 seconds. 'Running late be there soon, bye.' See not that hard."

Matt at this point was becoming slightly uncomfortable "Ok. You two have fun." Matt squeezes Buffy's shoulder then walks off.

Buffy smiles at him as he leaves then turn her attention back to Stefan "I'm really sorry. It was unavoidable?"

"What was unavoidable?" Buffy asks still curious, Stefan looks down at the ground, clearly not going to answer. Buffy chuckles slightly "Ok." Buffy puts down the pool cue and tries to walk past him, Stefan tries to stop her "Oh, uh, Buffy, please..."

"No, Stefan, don't you get it? I went through a two-year relationship of vague answers which actually didn't give me any answers. What is so bad that you're scared to tell me? Trust me whatever it is...I can handle it."

Before Stefan could say anything a man came up from behind Buffy "I know you." He says to Stefan, staring at him as though he was staring at a ghost "My God?"

Stefan looks at the man confused "I'm sorry?"

"I know you. How can it be?"

"I think you have the wrong person, sir."

"You haven't aged a day."

"I'm sorry. Excuse me." Stefan turns to Buffy who was now even more suspicious as wild thoughts popped into her head "Hey, can we—can I take you home and we can talk about it? Is that ok?"

The two of them walk away from the older man and Buffy looks at Stefan "Wait, what was that?"

Stefan shrugs "I—I don't know. Uh, nothing."

Buffy watches Stefan carefully then shakes her head "Right, nothing. Look, Stefan, I gotta go. There is something I have to do." Buffy then walks away from Stefan and out of the grill.

* * *

Once Buffy get's home she quickly runs up to her room and closes the door behind her. She grabs her phone and calls Giles.

Giles answers after the second ring _"Hello."_

"Hey, Giles it's me."

 _"Buffy, how lovely to hear from you."_ Buffy sighs, which Giles seems to notice _"What's wrong Buffy?"_

"Giles is it possible for...for a vampire to find a way to walk in the sun."

On the other end of the phone, Giles who was slightly stunned by the questions takes off his glasses to clean them as he thinks. "Well, there is the Gem of Amara which allows the vampire who wears it, to not only walk in the sunlight. But to become impervious to stakes, fire, crosses it makes them indestructible. But Buffy it's only a myth. It doesn't exist"

Buffy sighs in relief, a weapon like that existing would be very bad for her, for a moment she contemplates the idea that maybe her suspicions about Stefan were wrong, however, then an idea hits her "Giles is there any way to test if someone is a demon, just in human form."

 _"Buffy where is all this coming from? Has something happened?"_

"No, Giles at the moment it's just a theory, so please is there a way?"

In Sunnydale, Giles walks around his office looking for a certain book when he finds it he turns to the page with the elixir that Buffy needs. "Buffy there is a way. There is an elixir that will force the demon to show it's true form. The demon will have to ingest it for it to work."

Buffy quickly moves over to her desk to grab a pen and paper and writes down the list of ingredients that she will need. When Giles is done she looks at the paper realising she has everything she needs either in her weapons chest or in the kitchen. "Thank you, Giles, for everything."

 _"You're welcome Buffy."_

* * *

As Buffy hangs up the phone Giles leans back in his chair, a moment later Xander runs into the run looking panicked. Xander runs over to Giles "Giles I just...just...I, umm. Crap. We have a problem. There is something I have to show you."

Giles follows Xander further into the woods, Xander had still not told him what had happened. A second later there is a rustling in the woods "He's here." Giles looks at Xander confused as the teenager pulls him behind a bush, and points at the open clearing. A few moments later a shirtless man walks into the clearing, clearly in a lot of pain. The man's face was dripping with blood as he wondered around like a feral animal. Suddenly the man turns his head into the light giving Giles a clear few of his face. The man was Angel. Giles' jaw drops in disbelief "Bloody hell."

* * *

A little while later back in Mystic Falls Buffy was looking through her weapons chest for the emergency supplies Giles had given her a few days before she left Sunnydale. Apparently, Giles had given her a few magical items, which would help trap demons if necessary. Buffy was now very grateful for the extra precaution. Buffy grabs some holy water and the Psylis Eucalipsis powder and adds it into the phial of elixir before giving it a shake, at that moment Jeremy walks into the room. "Hey, what are you doing?"

Buffy quickly closes the chest, hiding the phial behind her back as she turns to face her cousin "Umm, just cleaning."

Jeremy raises an eyebrow at her and chuckles slightly "Well, you should go get something to eat."

Buffy smiles "I could eat."

She then heads down to the kitchen, as she walks down the stairs she hears something clatter in the kitchen "Jenna? Elena?" Buffy calls as she moves closer to the kitchen. However, when she opens the kitchen door she freezes as there chopping vegetables at her kitchen counter was Stefan.

"Stefan?" Buffy starts to panic slightly but she quickly buries her emotions. She knew she had to act like everything was fine until she could get him to drink elixir. "What are you doing here?" Buffy asks moving closer, still keeping the phial of elixir behind her back.

Stefan smiles at her "Dinner. Elena said you liked near enough anything so I'm making chicken parmesan. I happen to be a good cook, the Italian roots demand it. I can even make my own homemade mozzarella. Only tonight, it is, unfortunately, store-bought. Sorry."

Buffy raises an eyebrow "I don't know what you're trying to accomplish."

"You want to know me, right?" Buffy nods "Well, I figure if you're going to dump me, you should at least, um, know who you're dumping."

Buffy tucks to phial into her back pocket, planning on slipping it into Stefan's drink later and takes her seat opposite him as he talks. "So let's start with Katherine and Mary."

"Stefan..."

"They were both beautiful. Katherine had this perfect olive skin and she had this laugh. It was ridiculous. I mean, her laugh made you laugh. Mary, she had the whole Snow White thing, her skin was like snow, while her hair was very dark but her eyes they were this forest green. You could literally get lost staring into her eyes."

Buffy smiles slightly as Stefan goes on "Katherine was also very impatient and entitled and selfish, and, um, and impulsive. While Mary she was patient but she was too smart, she could get into your head, manipulate you into thinking that whatever she said was right."

Stefan continues to cut the mozzarella as Buffy watches "We met Katherine first. Enter Damon. He claims that he was with her first. I don't know. After Mary showed up things got worst, Mary was her best friend. We did not meet her until about a week later I was with Katherine at a party when Damon met her. Damon became mesmerised by her. I was the same when I met her. Look, Buffy, when it comes to what happened with Mary and Katherine I do know that I did... I did some things that...I'm not proud of. My biggest regret is not making it right before they both died. I miss them, but...I'm not crippled by the loss."

Buffy goes to the fridge to get some lemonade while Stefan fills her in on things he likes "I'm an avid reader. A huge Fitzgerald fan. "The Great Gatsby", his masterpiece. But I'm no snob. I love some good Grisham. I think "Seinfeld" is the best American Television show for the past 50 years, but "I love Lucy" is all time. The loving cup episode was the best, I think."

Buffy giggles slightly, then while Stefan isn't looking she pours the elixir into his glass and walks over to him. "Huge Scorsese fan. I can watch "Taxi Driver" over and over again." Buffy hands him his drink and watches as he drinks when nothing happens she sighs in relief. "Here let me." Buffy says stepping up to the chopping board and listens as Stefan goes on "As far as music, it's pretty much across the board. Um, Dylan, Hendrix, Patsy, Willie. Oh, Kanye. You know, I even like that one Miley song."

Buffy scoffs "Easy. I thought you were giving me reasons to like you. Not go running."

"I didn't say anything."

Buffy laughs "Hey, this is for the garlic bread, right? Because I can eat that stuff for a lifetime but only if you binge with me."

"Are you kidding? I love garlic." As he says it, Buffy feels, even more, relief. Buffy quickly cuts the food. Being the slayer meant she was very good with knives, so she never cuts herself anymore when she was cooking. Stefan who had been by the fridge walks over to her, stopping right in front of her. He leans down to kiss her but when he pulls back Buffy gets on her tip toes placing a soft kiss on his lips. When she pulls back Stefan smiles and places a hand on her cheek the leans down for another kiss.

* * *

Stefan watches his brother rotting away in the cell. He stays there for a few more moment before he begins to walk off but stops when he hears Damon "I bet you're feeling pretty good about yourself, aren't you?"

Stefan turns back to the cell and looks at his brother "Not particularly."

"You won." Damon tells him weakly "You got the bad guy. Now nothing could come between you and Buffy except the truth. The lies will catch up to you, Stefan. As long as you keep lying to yourself about what you are. Plus who knows what secrets she is keeping, I mean she threw me 20 feet away from her so I'm guessing it's a biggy. Maybe her secret will be the one that comes between the two of you."

Stefan ignores Damon's last comment about Buffy and glares at his brother "The beauty of you in there and me out here...is that I can walk away." With that Stefan leaves the cellar leaving Damon alone.

* * *

Buffy was standing with Caroline listening to the same speech the cheerleader had just given to Elena "No friend discounts. No freebies. No pay ya laters. We are not running a charity here."

Buffy nods still not enjoying the fact that Caroline had roped her into helping with the car wash "Guess not."

At that moment Stefan appears "Hi"

Buffy turns to him and smiles "Hey!"

Caroline glares at Stefan "The event is called sexy suds, you know." Caroline walks off leaving the couple alone. Stefan looks down at Buffy "Did we just get scolded?"

Buffy nods "And judged, yep. Feels like spending a day with Cordelia."

"Wow."

"I'm sorry but you're going to have to take that off." Buffy gestures to Stefan's jumper.

Stefan smiles "I think you have to go first."

Buffy smiles and rolls her eyes "Ok" She removes her cardigan only to get it caught up in her hair "So not sexy." Buffy says as she continues to struggle.

Stefan helps her get the cardigan off then moves the hair out of her face "I disagree." He then leans down to kiss her.

* * *

While Buffy and Stefan are cleaning one of the cars Buffy realises that Stefan was still wearing his ring "You're getting soap in that. Then it's going to get all icky and gross."

Stefan lifts his hand and examines the ring "Oh, it's fine."

"Damon has one, too right? Is there a story behind it?"

"Yeah, it's the family crest from the Italian Renaissance."

Buffy walks over to Stefan lifting his hand to examine the stone for herself. "What's the stone? It's pretty."

"It's called Lapus Lazuli."

"Oh. You should really take it off. You know before it goes all crusty and gross. I could put it in my bag."

Stefan laughs slightly "No, it's—it's fine, really. Thanks, though."

It's then that he notices the ring on the chain around her neck. He lifts the chain slightly to examine the ring. Buffy holds her breath as Stefan looks at the ring Angel had given her before he died "A Claddagh ring"

Buffy nods, but doesn't look at Stefan "Um, I'm gonna get some towels." Buffy quickly walks off while Stefan watches her leave becoming more curious about the ring that she always seemed to wear.

* * *

Buffy walks over to Elena who was dealing with the money "Hey, we're out of towels and those shimmy things."

Elena nods "I'll go let Caroline know. Mind the money." Buffy nods as Elena goes to find Caroline.

* * *

A little while later Buffy was dealing with a customer when she looks up and realises that it was the man from the grill "I saw you last night. You were talking to a friend of mine, at the grill?"

The man seems to be trying to recall the memory "Well, I—I thought it was somebody I knew."

"Stefan Salvatore."

"Nah, it can't be. It's just my mind playing tricks on me."

"Where do you think you'd seen him before?"

"When I first moved here, I stayed at the Salvatore boarding house."

"Oh."

"Stefan was just passing through to visit his uncle. I mean, none of us knew he was even here until the attack."

Buffy looks at the man getting more curious by the minute "The attack?"

"His uncle got killed. Mauled by an animal in the woods."

Buffy was now slowly starting to panic inside, but kept up the clueless facade "His uncle, Zach?"

"Mm-mmm. Joseph."

"I'm sorry, sir. I don't think I'm familiar with the story."

"Oh, how could you? I mean, this happened years ago." At that moment one of the cheerleaders walks up to the two of them and speaks to the man "Grandpa, you gotta go. Mom wants you home. Ok?" She then turns to Buffy "He wasn't bugging you, was he? He's a little alzy-heimer."

"No, not at all." Buffy tells the girl then quickly goes after the man, she places a hand on his shoulder causing him to stop "Hey, sir, I'm sorry. Um, are you sure that the man that you saw, that you knew, his name was Stefan Salvatore?"

"Yes. I remember his ring and his brother—"

"Damon?"

"Yeah. Stefan and Damon Salvatore."

"When was this?" Buffy asked, praying that this was all a misunderstanding.

"It was early June 1953. Yeah. June 1953."

* * *

After the older man leaves, Buffy sees Stefan looking for her but avoids him. After everything she had just found out she wanted to find some physical proof before she had to deal with the situation. When she heard that the news station had access to old news stories she quickly ran down to the station. She found an abandoned office and climbed in through the window before sitting by the computer.

Once she was seated she quickly types 'Joseph Salvatore + Animal attack' into the search engine, a moment later there was a match, as she clicked the file a video opened up.

 _"This is Michael Fell reporting to you from the Salvatore Boarding House, where a brutal animal attack has ended in tragedy. Ok, they're bringing out the bodies. See if you can get in on the nephew?"_

Suddenly the video zooms in, to focus on a young man in the background. Buffy enhances the image the best she can, and at that moment she had her proof. The way Stefan always disappeared when there was blood in the room, how he could leave and appear in a room without her enhanced senses picking it up straight away. Elena telling her Stefan had cut his hand on the glass, and then there being no sigh of injury. All the mysterious animal attacks. And now with everything that the old man had told her and the video from 1953. Buffy was sure of one thing. Stefan was not human. Buffy's breathing picks up. This could not be happening again. She needed answers and there was only one place she was going to get them.

* * *

When Buffy gets back to the house she quickly changes into some black leather trousers and her black tank top along with some combat boots and her leather jacket. Buffy then goes over to her wardrobe and pulls out the weapons chest, she takes out her crossbow and her stake, which she puts into the sleeve of her jacket, lastly, she grabs a large knife which she slips in her boot. She quietly sneaks out of the house jumping into her mother's car, which had been shipped to Mystic Falls as Joyce had left it to Buffy in her will; Buffy had her gotten her license during the time in L.A. She then drives towards the boarding house.

* * *

Stefan comes back to the boarding house and sees a dead crow on the floor in the hall.

He instantly freezes "Zach!" he screams, worried that Damon had gotten to him. He runs down to the cellar only to find Zach dead on the floor "Oh, no, Zach."

Stefan clutches Zach body to him for a while before fury overpowers him, he leaves Zach and heads into another room reaching into a wooden box pulling out a stake. He runs up the stairs heading towards the door but when he opens the door an arrow flies at his head, he moves out of the way just in time and turns to see Buffy. Buffy was standing on the porch holding a crossbow, looking very pissed off, she glares at Stefan "Hello, Stefan."


	16. A History Lesson

**Mystic Falls, Virginia 1864**

Stefan steps onto the porch outside his home as a carriage come towards him.  
As the carriage stops the driver gets off his seat and places at step in front of the carriage door, as he opens the door; the driver offers his hand to the first woman as she exists.  
Stefan's eyes widen as he spots the next woman to exit the carriage, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.  
When she sees Stefan she smiles slightly. Stefan slowly walks towards her "You must be Miss Pierce." The woman smiles brightly and holds out her hand towards Stefan "Please, call me Katherine."

* * *

 **Mystic Falls – Present Day**

"Hello, Stefan." Buffy says still holding the crossbow. Stefan stares in shock "What are you?" She hisses.  
"You know."  
"No. I don't. You see you're different from the others, which means you're a different breed so technically I could be wrong about what you are."  
"You wouldn't be here if you thought you were wrong."  
"It's not possible, there is no description of what you are in any book, it's all about the traditional demonic ones."

Stefan tries to step towards her but she shoots at his head again, when it goes wide a small smirk crosses Buffy's lips "That was a warning. Truthfully, I don't miss."  
"Everything you know...about the supernatural and everything you believe about it. Is about to change. Are you sure you want that?"  
"Tell me." Buffy says with raw determination in her voice.  
"I'm a vampire. I'm just not like the ones that reside on the Hellmouth."

Buffy watches Stefan for a few moments, she knew what she had to do but she just couldn't. She needed to know more about his kind.  
As Buffy watches him she begins to lose her nerve she quickly turns and heads towards her car.

"No, please." She hears Stefan call but she keeps going, but a moment later he is right in front of her leaving Buffy stunned "Buffy please, my kind is different. There are things that you have to know and understand." He tries to grab Buffy but she throws him 20 feet in the other direction, as he starts to stand Buffy points the crossbow at him and shoots an arrow through his hand trapping him against the wall. Stefan grunts in pain and watches as Buffy takes off in her car.

* * *

When Buffy gets back to the house she runs upstairs to her room closing the door behind her, she runs over to her wardrobe grabbing the weapons chest. As she opens it she hears a noise behind her.  
"Buffy."

Buffy grabs the knife from her boot, before spinning around to face Stefan, as she stands in a defensive stance glaring at him.  
"I would never hurt you." Stefan tells her "You're safe with me."  
"Those animal attacks, those people who died..."  
"No. That was Damon."  
"Damon?"  
"Yes. I don't drink human blood. That's not how I choose to survive, but Damon does."

Buffy looks at Stefan in disbelief and scoffs at him "You don't drink human blood. You know I've heard that before. It didn't end well."  
Stefan looks at her begging her to understand "Buffy I promise you I will explain everything to you. But I beg you, Buffy. Do not tell anyone."  
"Are you seriously asking me that?"  
"Buffy you knowing about this is dangerous. For so many reasons. There is a reason no one knows about my kind, it's because anyone who finds out is killed. You can hate me, but I need you to trust me."  
"Not gonna happen. Just go. Look I won't tell anyone for now but if you don't go... I will use this." She gestures to the large blade in her hand "So, please just go. If you mean me no harm then you'll go."  
Stefan looks at her sadly "I never wanted this."

A second later Stefan disappears out the window Buffy quickly shuts it locking it behind him. She sits down on the window seal breathing heavily and only one thought could come to her head 'this can't be happening again'.

* * *

Later that night Buffy was pacing in her room, she was too wired to sleep. Suddenly the need to hit something overwhelms her, she reaches into the weapons chest taking out her axe. She climbs out the window and starts to head for the demon bar Giles had told her about. Not once did she realise Stefan was following her.

* * *

Stefan watches Buffy walk into the bar confused.  
As a Kailiff Demon comes out the bar very drunk Stefan finally realises that was, in fact, in no ordinary bar.

He quickly starts to worry about Buffy, she may be very strong for some reason but who knows what these demons would do to her.  
A second later Buffy comes out the bar dragging a man behind her, Stefan listens in on the conversation from his seat in the tree.

"Miss. Summers please, don't hurt me." The man begs "I didn't do nothing, please ..."  
"How did you know my name?"  
"Everyone knows who you are in our world, ever since the Master and Angelus. Just please, I beg you I will give you whatever you want."

Buffy sighs gripping the axe in her hands "I need information. Vampire. Different from your kind."  
A look of fear crosses the vampire's face and he shuts his mouth refusing to answer. Buffy sighs in frustration and turns away from the vampire.  
The vampire quickly takes the opportunity to attack however as he jumps at her, Buffy moves out of the way sending a kick to his face before flipping over his head and swinging the axe at his head.

Stefan watches shocked.  
He follows Buffy home and stays outside her house the rest of the night.  
Stefan spends most of the night trying to figure out who Buffy Summers really is.

* * *

The next day Buffy was sitting with Stefan at a table outside The Grill. "You said you would explain everything. That's why I asked you to meet me here. In Sunnydale vampires are rather simple; holy water, crosses, garlic, fire, stakes. Clearly, garlic is not an issue with you, same with crosses and Holy water and hell even daylight. So what's the reality of your kind?"  
Before Stefan can respond the waitress walks over "Here are your drinks."  
Buffy thanks the waitress as she takes the drink then turns to Stefan "Explain how you walk in the sun."  
"We have rings that protect us."  
"What about mirrors?"  
"Only with demonic vampires."  
"Okay. You said you don't kill to survive."  
"Animal blood keeps me alive. But not as strong as Damon. He can be very powerful."  
Buffy scoffs "Yet you let him get involved with Caroline. Was he the one feeding on her at the founder's party?"  
"Yes, he was. But forcing Damon not to do something is much more dangerous believe me."  
"He was hurting her." Buffy interjects.

"He was feeding on her. He was able to take away her memories of being bitten using a form of mind compulsion. She never knew what was happening to her. If he wanted to kill her, he would have."  
"And what that makes it ok? Anyway, he almost did kill her. At the party. If I hadn't tossed him away he would have drained her."  
Stefan looks at her for a moment "Buffy, none of this is ok." Stefan hesitates for a second before continuing "Buffy, how did you stop him?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Na-huh. You don't get to ask questions. Not until I know everything. Are there any others, aside from you and Damon?"  
Stefan sighs "Not in Mystic Falls. Not anymore."  
"Not anymore? Enough with the vague answers Stefan. I won't ask again."

"There was a time when this town was...very much aware of vampires. And it didn't end well for anybody. That's why it's important that you don't tell anyone."  
"Why are there none of the demonic kind here?"  
"My kind and the demonic ones have a huge rivalry, but my kind is stronger so the others tend to avoid us. Buffy... Give me today. I will answer any questions that you have and when it's over, you can decide what you want to do with what you know. It'll be your choice." Buffy watches Stefan intently for a few moments then nods.

* * *

"Stop here." Stefan tells Buffy as she drives them into the woods. Buffy stops the car and both she and Stefan get out.  
As she climbs out of the car Buffy looks around "What are we doing here?" She asks.  
Stefan turns to her "I want to show you something."  
"In the middle of nowhere, have you lost your mind old man?"  
"This didn't use to be nowhere. Used to be my home." Stefan walks around while Buffy follows him with a stunned look on her face.  
"It looks so..."  
"Old?" Stefan interrupts "It's because they are."  
"Stefan, how long ago were you..."

"I've been 17 years old since 1864." Stefan watches Buffy's reaction expecting a look of shock or horror however quickly he frowns as he notices that she hadn't even reacted to that piece of information. "I'm not gonna hold anything back."

Buffy tilts her head and laughs slightly "I'm guessing right about now you're wondering why I did not bat an eye at you being over a hundred years old."  
"Honestly, yes. Why didn't you?"  
"I've met older." Buffy said, keeping her answer vague "So, go on tell me more." Buffy says hoping to get back on topic.  
Stefan nods "Half a century before the boarding house was even built, this was my family's home. Damon and I...we were both born here. The Salvatore brothers best of friends."

* * *

 **Mystic Falls, 1864**

Damon was holding a football as him and Stefan run outside into the garden, Stefan turns to Damon "Wait. Where did you learn this game?"  
"Camp outside Atlanta." Damon answers "One of the officers picked it up at Harvard. Catch." Damon tells his brother as he tosses him the ball.  
"Wait a minute. Wait a minute." But Damon runs at him "What are the rules? What are the rules?" Stefan laughs as Damon tries to tackle him.

"Who needs rules?" Katherine asks as she walks out of the house and into the garden. Both boys stop and stare at her as she walks down the stairs "Mind if I join you? My friend Mary will not be here for a while and I'm finding myself in need of some entertainment."  
The boys walk towards her and Stefan smiles "Uh, well, you could, uh—you could get hurt. My brother likes to play rough."  
Katherine giggles "Somehow, I think that you play rougher." Katherine then snatches the ball from him hands laughing as she runs off.  
Damon turns to his brother "Why are you just standing there? That is a girl who clearly wants to be chased. If you don't do it, I will." A second later Damon runs after Katherine, Stefan watches for a moment before running as well.

* * *

 **Present Day**

Buffy turns to Stefan "So you knew Katherine and Mary in 1864. Damon made it seem like—"  
"Damon was trying to make you think that...I was still heartbroken. He saw that I was happy with you, and he wanted to ruin it."  
"All because you both fell for the same two women 145 years ago. Damon... more or less is the American version of Spike."  
"Spike? That blonde guy that showed up at your house? He was a vampire?"  
Buffy nods "Yes. Look I will tell you my story but first, you gotta finish yours. Why is Damon so pissed about two girls from 145 years ago?"  
"Because Mary and Katherine they weren't just any girls."

* * *

 **Mystic Falls, 1864**

Katherine laughs as Stefan chases her around the garden but before he can catch her she reaches the statue "Ha! I win. What's my prize?"  
Before Stefan can answer a voice from behind them answers for him "What would you like it to be?"  
Stefan and Katherine turn to see Damon, Stefan smiles "They extended your leave?"  
"I was simply having too much fun to return to battle."  
"Your commitment to the Confederacy is inspiring." The two brother hug then turn to Katherine as she begins to speak "Well, this works out wonderfully for me."

"How's that, Miss Katherine?" Damon asks the brunette.  
"Now I'll have both of you here to keep me entertained. At the very least until Mary arrives. Now first and foremost, I'll need someone to escort me to the founder's ball."  
"With pleasure." Damon says at the same time Stefan say "I would be honoured."

Katherine smiles "The smart and kind Salvatore brothers both coming to my rescue. How will I ever choose?"  
At that moment one of the servants heads over "Miss. Katherine I have been told to inform you that Miss. Mary will be arriving early, so will be here in time for the founder's ball." Katherine breaks into a smile thanking the servant before she walks back towards the house.

* * *

 **Present Day**

"She chose me. I escorted her to the ball. At the original Lockwood mansion." Stefan tells Buffy as they walk towards an old bench, Buffy turns to him "The first founder's party that's why your names were on the registry."  
Stefan nods "I didn't care that I had gotten something that my brother wanted. I didn't even care if it hurt him. I only knew that I wanted her."  
"So he was upset."  
"He was, but then Mary walked through the door at the ball."

* * *

 **1864 - Founder's Ball**

Damon watches in misery as Katherine dances with Stefan, finally, he tears his eyes away from them and grabs a glass of whisky before walking off, as he does something catches his eye.

At the entrance a girl stood in a green and silver gown ( /images/AqVPts), her hair was very dark which contrasted her light skin.  
Damon did not even realise he had been walking towards her until she crashed into him.

"Pardon me." Damon says to the girl.  
When the young woman looks up Damon freezes as he stares into her forest green eyes.

"Oh, my. I'm so sorry" The woman says to him revealing her sweet English accent. The girl smiles at Damon "I'm rather clumsy, you could say that I have two left feet."  
Damon laughs slightly "I am sure that's not true" Damon holds out his hand to the beautiful girl "I don't believe I have had the pleasure..."  
"Mary. My Name is Mary."  
Damon brings her hand to his lips "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mary."  
Mary smiles "And you as well, Mr..."  
"Salvatore. Damon Salvatore."

"Salvatore?" Mary asked, her interest peaked. Damon nods. "I'm a friend of Katherine's." Mary tells Damon "So you are one of the brothers she has been telling me so much about."

At the mention of Katherine, a sad look crosses Damon's face "Let me guess you fell for her the moment you saw her. You're not the first, men seem to react that way around Katherine at least for as long as I have known her."

Damon laughs slightly and the two slowly starts to walk towards the ballroom "So how long have you known Katherine."  
"Too many years to count."  
"Is she your sister?"  
Mary giggles "No. Katherine and her family took me in when I came to Atlanta after my father passed."  
"I'm sorry."  
Mary offers him a small smile "It was many years ago."  
"What about your mother?"  
"She died shortly after I was born I was raised by my father. He raised me in such a way so that one day I would take over the family business."

"Really?" Damon asks surprised "Your father must of had a lot of faith in you. Mine sees me a nothing more than an ungrateful child."  
"I'm sure that is not true. And if it makes you feel better my father would have rather had a son. The kind of work he did was considered, to be too great for a woman."

Before Damon can respond his father appears "Damon, who is this lovely girl?"  
"This is Mary, the friend Katherine has been speaking of."

Giuseppe Salvatore turns to the young woman "Oh, Mary we have been expecting you. Why don't we have a talk in my office, I believe we have some business to discuss."  
Mary nods then turns to Damon "Thank you, for keeping me company, Mr Salvatore." Mary then leant up and placed a kiss to Damon's cheek before following his Father. Damon watches her go a smile forming on his face.

* * *

 **Present day**

"So Damon wasn't miserable anymore?" Buffy asks Stefan who was standing across from her while she sits on the bench.  
"After speaking to Mary he barely paid any attention to Katherine. And Katherine being Katherine was not so happy about that."  
"So how did you meet her?"  
"The same night Damon did after I dropped Katherine off at her room.

* * *

 **1864**

After walking Katherine to her room Stefan goes to his father's office. When he enters the room he sees his father standing in front of his desk addressing a woman who had her back to the door, so Stefan was unable to see her.  
Stefan could hear his father speaking.  
"Now, Miss. Prince from what I hear you took over your father's how do we say it, side business. Now I'm curious did your father ever come across a herb, it's rather rare it's called Verv—"

At that moment Giuseppe notices Stefan "Stefan son, please do come in." Mary stands from her seat, as Giuseppe suggests that they finish their talk another time, she nods then turns towards Stefan.  
Stefan stares at the woman mesmerised, he was only brought back to reality when he hears his father address him "Son, this is Mary Prince. She is a friend of Miss Pierce."

Mary steps towards Stefan "It's lovely to meet you, Mr Salvatore."  
Stefan smiles at the girl "It's is wonderful to meet you as well Miss Prince."

"Stefan." His father addresses him "Could you please show Mary the library, she has been looking for some volumes for her work that I believe we have."  
"Of course father, this way Miss Prince." Stefan gestures to the door.

Mary heads towards it then follows Stefan to the library "The library is right through here Miss Prince."  
"Thank you. And please, I prefer Mary."  
Stefan smiles at the girl "Well I will see you at breakfast, Mary."  
Mary smiles at him before heading into the library, Stefan watches the girl mesmerised not once noticing Damon on the other end of the hall.

* * *

 **Present day**

"So I'm guessing Damon got upset again." Buffy says.  
"That's the thing about Damon. He doesn't get mad. He just gets even. What Damon wants Damon usually gets. I didn't know it at the time, but...turns out that night Katherine was supposed to be with him too. Turns out though that neither girl was what they seem."

* * *

 **Mystic Falls, 1864**

Stefan awakes after his night with Katherine, blood covering his neck. As he opens his eyes he spots Katherine standing by the mirror while her handmaiden helped her with her corset.  
"Good morning." Katherine says as she sees Stefan sit up in the bed. "Clear the room, please." She tells the maid before turning to Stefan "You're upset."  
Stefan watches Katherine fearfully as she moves towards him "Your face, it was like a demon."  
"But you're not afraid." Katherine tells him.

Stefan tries to get away as she comes closer "Get away from me. Get away."  
"It doesn't change the way you feel about me. You will not tell anyone."  
Stefan nods still staring into Katherine's eyes as she speaks "We will go on exactly as we have."  
Stefan smiles "Yes. We will go on."

"You will not let anything you may feel for Mary get in the way of what we have."  
"I will not."  
Katherine smiles and giggles "You have no idea of the future I have planned for us, Stefan—You, me and Damon. No rules."

* * *

 **Present**

"She could control my mind and Damon's. She compelled each of us to keep the secret from the other. And to ignore anything we may have felt for Mary. She wanted all us to be together forever. Didn't work out that way, but...Damon and I...looks like we're stuck with each other. Like it or not."  
"Why would she compel you to forget about any feelings you may have had for Mary?" Buffy asks confused.

"Because Katherine didn't like to share. Over the years it turns out that any man drawn to Mary, Katherine would compel. But it never lasted. Mary was a very powerful witch and the pull she had on people and the way she could get in their heads was stronger than any compulsion."

Buffy, nods she was about to move onto her next question however she pauses as she spots the object Stefan had just picked up from the ground "Is that Damon's ring?"  
Stefan looks at Buffy and nods "I took it from him, but I have to give it back."  
Buffy looks at him in disbelief "You cannot be serious. You can't give that to him. You need to keep it hidden or destroy it."  
"Buffy, if I don't give it to him, he'll retaliate in the only way he knows he can hurt me."  
"And how is that?"  
"By hurting you."

Buffy stares at Stefan, her expression softens slowly, but then she shakes her head "As sweet as that is I can take care of myself. My life is not worth the tonnes more people that will die if he gets that ring."  
"Buffy more people will die if I don't give it to him."  
Buffy sighs "And you can't kill him. Because he's your brother." Buffy turns her back to Stefan "Killing someone you love... it creates a whole in your heart leaves you broken. No matter what has happened between you." Stefan listens to her hearing the slight break in her voice as she speaks. "Stefan, I have one last question about your kind. Do they have souls?"  
"Yes. It's the main difference between us and the others, we feel everything, our emotions are heightened. But we also have the option to turn off our humanity, which makes us more like them."

Buffy nods trying to process then turns "Ok, you told me your story. So go ahead ask me mine."  
"What are you?"  
Buffy raises her eyebrows "Capricorn on the Cusp of Aquarius. You?" She answers sarcastically.

"I'm sorry it's just you're human, but you're stronger than any vampire, it doesn't make sense."  
Buffy sighs "I thought a 100-year-old vampire like yourself would have figured it out by now." Buffy looks up staring Stefan straight in the eye "I'm the Slayer." Stefan tilts his head slightly confused, Buffy rolls her eyes "Slayer? Chosen one? She who hangs out a lot in cemeteries." Buffy throws up her arms in frustration "You're kidding me! Ask around. Look it up. Slayer, comma, The."  
Stefan looks at her stunned "You're The Slayer?" Buffy nods "I thought it was a myth."

"Well, you were myth-taken."  
Stefan nods still slightly shocked "When were you called?"  
"Right after I turned 15."

A worried look crosses Stefan face "The video. The one Caroline showed us with you and the three guys, they were vampires. That's why you burnt down the school gym it was full of vampires."  
Buffy nods "Yes. A very old vampire killed my first watcher in front of me then tried to kill everyone at the dance. So I lit the place up with a friend of mine."  
"How did you get expelled from Sunnydale?"  
Buffy looks at the ground as a sad look crosses her face and tears fill her eyes "I was accused of murdering a friend of mine. Her name was Kendra she was a slayer."

Stefan's eyes widened "I thought there was only one and that another is only called when the first..."  
"Dies." Buffy interrupted "Well, I did die. There was a prophecy saying that the Master was going to kill me, but I couldn't let him kill anyone so I went down to the cave where he was to face him. He drank from me then dropped me in a puddle of water where I drowned. I was only gone for like a minute but then Angel and Xander showed up. Xander did C.P.R reviving me. I went after the master and killed him."

Stefan looks at Buffy sadly, his heart breaks just thinking of everything she went through, however, suddenly a thought comes to him "Why didn't Angel do C.P.R?"  
Buffy hesitates "Because he had no breath."

Stefan freezes as he realises what she meant "Angel was a vampire."  
Buffy nods "He wasn't like you. He was the old fashioned kind. But he had a soul."  
"How?" Stefan asks still stunned  
"Gipsies cursed him with a soul almost a hundred years ago."

Stefan takes a step towards her "That's what you meant when you were talking to Matt, you said you didn't want to repeat history. You were suspicious, thought that I might be a demon."  
Buffy nods "Yes. But then I did a test which said you were not a demonic creature. Explain."  
"My kind were made differently from the others. We unlike them have no demon in our blood." Stefan watches her absorb this information then looks at the ring around her neck "Tell me about the ring."

Buffy places a hand on the ring before slowly looking up at Stefan "Angel gave it to me. The same night that he lost his soul. Turning him back into Angelus."  
"The scourge of Europe?"  
Buffy nods and continues "Angelus tormented me and friends, started killing people I care about."  
"How did Angel die Buffy?"

Buffy closes her eyes letting a tear fall before quickly wiping it away. "I killed him." Stefan stares at her shocked "Angelus, he tried to summon a demon known as Acathla, which would suck the world into hell. Once the ritual started the only way to stop it was for Angel to die. So I drove a sword through his heart because I had too."

Buffy looks away from Stefan's sympathetic gaze and changes the subject "How did Mary die?"  
Stefan who was still stunned after hearing everything Buffy had been through shakes his head then looked at Buffy "She was, burnt at the stake. The town became aware of vampires and witches. Mary was killed right before Katherine."

The two stay silent for a while as Stefan walks Buffy to her car, he opens the door for her but before she gets in she turns to him "The mind control, you said Katherine used on you. Do you ever do that to me?"

Stefan shakes his head "No. I know Damon tried but being The Slayer must make you resistant against being compelled. But that doesn't mean they can't get into your head." He points at the necklace, "That necklace, It contains a herb called Vervain. It protects you from anyone getting into your head. I wanted to protect you from Damon but I also wanted to...protect you from me. Buffy, you should never take that necklace off...You may not be able to be compelled but that doesn't mean a vampire can't observe your thoughts and go through your memories. No matter what happens after today, no matter how you feel about me, wear it so you know you're protected."

* * *

When Buffy and Stefan arrive back at the house Elena, Jeremy and Matt were in the living room with Vicki "What's going on?" Buffy asks Matt.  
"She's really messed up."  
Stefan moves over to Vicki who was standing by Elena "Elena, back up." Stefan stands in front of Vicki "Vicki, look at me. Focus. You're gonna be fine. Everything's going be fine." Stefan turns to look at the group "Guys, take her up to bed. Shut the blinds. She's gonna be ok. Come on."

Elena, Jeremy and Matt all take Vicki upstairs while Buffy turns to Stefan "Please tell me what I think is happening is not happening."  
Stefan shakes his head "She's transitioning."  
"You mean.."  
"Yes. A vampire. Damon must have gotten to her. She's new. She hasn't completed the transformation yet. The transformation for my kind is different we need to feed on human blood to complete the transition."

Buffy, who was processing all these details asks one last question "And what if she doesn't?"  
"She'll die."  
Buffy begins pacing around the room unsure of what to do "She may only have a few hours." Stefan tells her.  
"She is upstairs with them all right now."  
"It's ok. She doesn't know what's happening to her yet."  
"So when is she going to know?"  
"Right now, she doesn't remember anything. A part of her is still human, but slowly, the deeper she gets into the transition, the memories will start to come back, and then she'll know she has to make the choice."

"Stefan, she is not the only one who now has to make a choice. I'm The Slayer, I know that vampires can be good I've seen it. But if she does this, she is going to be unpredictable and if she hurts someone I won't have a choice. I don't want to, Jeremy loves her and I—"

A moment later Vicki runs down the stairs and runs out the door with Matt and Elena following her calling her name. Stefan and Buffy come outside then Buffy hears Jeremy "She was fine, and then she just—she just freaked out."

"I'm gonna go look for her call me if you hear anything." Matt tells Jeremy  
"I'm going to" Elena says then runs after Matt and they both get in his car and drive off.  
"I can track her." Stefan tells Buffy  
Buffy nods "Go. I can handle her if she shows up." Stefan walks off to go find Vicki.

* * *

A few hours later Buffy and Jeremy were downstairs in the kitchen while Elena, who had come an hour ago was upstairs calling everyone who might have seen Vicki.  
"Maybe we should check in with Matt." Jeremy suggests as Buffy cleans up the dining table.  
"He'll call when he finds her."  
"Well, what are we supposed to do?"  
"We wait. We're supposed to wait."

Jeremy sighs sadly "I don't know what's wrong with her."  
Before Buffy can think of anything to say the doorbell rings Buffy and Jeremy head for the door and hear Elena making her way downstairs.

When Buffy opens the door and spots, Damon, she instantly tries to close it but he puts his hand on it keeping it open. Buffy turns to Elena and Jeremy "Hey could you guys give us a moment."  
The two nod then head to the kitchen. The moment they are out of sight Buffy opens the door stepping outside and throws Damon off the porch before slamming the door behind her.

A second later he is standing in front of her looking at her oddly "By the anger in your eyes I'm gonna go on a limb and guess. Stefan finally fessed up. But here's what's odd, you're not afraid of me." He tries to step closer to her but Buffy punches him in the face, flips over him and kicks the back of his knees so he falls. She pins his hands behind his back then lifts him up before shoving him against the wall. "What the hell do you want?"  
"Well if you would let me go, I would gladly explain."  
Buffy ignores him and begins to pull on his arm, threatening to pull it from place, Damon grunts in pain "Geez super blonde, I'm just looking for Stefan."  
Buffy releases him and he laughs "Damn you've got fire, I like that. Are you sure you wanna date my brother, I think you're too much fire for his innocent little self."

Buffy rolls her eyes "Cut to the chase Damon. Or I start removing body parts. Who knows maybe I'll rip out your ribcage and wear it as a hat." Buffy hisses at the Vampire.  
Damon smirks "Where's Stefan?"  
Buffy glares at him "He went to look for Vicki."

"Don't look at me with those judgy little eyes, girl's gonna thank me for what I did to her."  
"Did you thank Katherine?"

Damon moves closer to her getting too close for Buffy's comfort so she pushes him away causing him to fall off the porch. As he stands back up he smiles "Got the whole life story, huh?"  
"I got enough."  
"I doubt that."

"Well, I got what I needed to know about your kind. So I think I'm good."  
"Hmm. What about you? Did you finally spill all your little secrets." He points at her necklace "And I'm not just talking about the crazy super strength. Which is rather sexy by the way."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Damon I suggest you stay away from me and my family otherwise this conversation is going to get a lot more violent. And end with me cutting off your head."  
Damon smirks again then starts to turn away "Tell my brother I'm looking for him." Damon walks off and Buffy quickly turns and heads back into the house.

* * *

Buffy is sitting on the porch when Stefan arrives she moves over to him "You're bleeding."  
"No, it's ok. It's ok. I'm ok. I couldn't stop her. I tried."  
Buffy's breathing starts to pick up "She completed the transition didn't she."  
Stefan nods "And then I lost her."  
Buffy's eyes widen "What? Oh, my God. She's new she won't have any control."  
"I'll take care of it. I'll find her and I will show her that she can live like I do I will make sure that she does not hurt anybody, Buffy. I promise you."

"Stefan if she hurts someone then, even though I don't want to I will have to –"  
"I know. But for now, let me try. We just need to come up with a story. To explain everything."  
"More lying. I'm already lying to my friends and family about who I really am now I have to pile more lies in."  
"I'm so sorry."

Buffy looks up at Stefan with sad eyes "I gave you today just like you asked. I understand that you're good and would never try to hurt me. I won't tell anyone who you are. I get wanting to have a normal life but... I can't be with you, Stefan. I can't repeat history. I'm sorry I just can't." Buffy watches as Stefan's heart breaks then she turns and goes inside the house closing the door behind her. Once the door was closed Buffy falls against the door slipping to the ground as tears roll down her face.


	17. Halloween

**Sunnydale, California**

Xander, Giles, and Willow stand in the mansion watching Angel, who was chained to the wall. "What are we supposed to do?" Willow asks the two men, as the three of them watch the rabid Angel.  
Giles sighs as he cleans his glasses "I'm not entirely sure. Buffy told us that he got his soul back right before she killed him, but spending God knows how long, in a hell dimension, who knows what it's done to him."  
"I'd say we kill him." Xander says as he glares at Angel.  
"Xander!" Willow yells then looks over at Giles "What about Buffy? How are we supposed to tell her that he's back."  
A look of worry crosses Willow's face, Buffy was finally moving on from Angel and now he was back.  
"We are not going to tell her. At least until we know who we are dealing with, Angel or a rabid animal." Giles tells the two.

"So what? We are just gonna wait around and see if he kills someone?" Xander exclaims at the older British man "I say we deal with him now. If he goes evil we won't be able to stop him, then Buffy will have to kill him all over again."  
Willow sighs and turns to Giles who was now coming up with a solution "We keep him locked up. Keep him weak. Until we know what we are dealing with, Buffy does not find out. If we tell her now and she has to kill him again, well, I don't think we will get her back this time."  
At that moment Angel looks up at the group, he says one word to the group, his voice no more than a whisper "Buffy."

* * *

 **Mystic Falls, Virginia**

Buffy wakes up in her room entirely exhausted, she had gone out hunting again.  
She climbs out of bed and starts to get ready.

When she exits her room she runs right into Jeremy "Oh, sorry."  
"It's ok."  
"You're up early." Buffy says still a little confused, she had never seen Jeremy awake this early since she moved in.  
Jeremy nods "They're organising the search party for Vicki, so...and before you do what Elena did and say I should be going to school there is no way in hell."  
"Jeremy, I was just gonna say, be careful, okay."  
Jeremy gave Buffy as small smile before heading out the house.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Salvatore house, Stefan is sitting in the chair opposite the small couch in his room watching as Vicki hangs up the phone after calling her brother "I don't understand why I have to stay cooped up here." Vicki complains "Why can't I just go home?"  
Stefan focuses on Vicki "Because you're changing, Vicki, and it's not something you wanna do alone."

Damon who is sat as Stefan's desk going through the newspaper finally speaks "There's nothing' about that Logan guy I killed in here, not a word. Someone's covering it up."  
Vicki turns her head to see Damon playing with the pocket watch "What is that?"  
"This is a very special, very important compass. What was Logan fell doing with it? Aren't you curious?"  
Stefan sighs turning to Damon "Well, if you're so worried that somebody's onto you, why don't you just leave town, Damon?"  
"What and forget all about the mystery that is Buffy Summers, as you won't tell me what she is, I have to stick around, to solve the mystery myself. Anyway, we should all be worried."  
Vicki who was getting bored turns back to Stefan "Hey, um, I'm hungry. Do you have anything to eat?"  
Stefan nods, standing up from his seat he walks over to the desk picking up a green mug and handing it to Vicki "Here."  
Vicki looks at the mug in disgust "What is it?"  
"It's what you're craving." Stefan tells her as he sits down in his seat."

Damon smiles slightly "Heh. Don't lie to the girl. It's so not what you're craving, but it'll do in a pinch, right, Stef?"  
"What is it?" Vicki asks Stefan.  
Damon speaks again before Stefan can answer the question "Yeah, what is it? Is it skunk? Saint Bernard? Bambi?"  
Stefan ignores Damon and looks at Vicki "Go on. Give it a try."  
"She's new." Damon tells Stefan "She needs people blood. She can't sustain on that stuff."  
"Yeah, why can't I have people blood?" Vicki asks as she smiles as Stefan.  
"Because it's wrong to prey on innocent people, Vicki."  
Damon interrupts Stefan's monologue "You don't have to kill to feed. Just find someone really tasty and then erase their memory afterwards. It's so easy."

Vicki giggles while Stefan glares at his brother before turning to her "No, no, no. There's no guarantee. That you can control yourself, ok? It takes years to learn that you could easily kill somebody, and then you have to carry that with you for the rest of your life, which, if I haven't made clear, is eternity."  
Damon just rolls his eyes "Don't listen to him. He walks on a moral plane way out of our eye line. I say snatch, eat, erase."

Stefan tries to draw back Vicki's attention "Hey, look at me. We choose our own path. Our values and our actions, they define who we are."  
"Ok, count Deepak." Damon scuffs and stands from his seat "I am out of here."  
As he leaves Vicki looks at Stefan "Can I have some more?"

* * *

Buffy rings the bell at the Salvatore house and waits. Damon opens the door smiling at her, causing Buffy to glare at him "Is Stefan here?"  
"Yep."  
"Where is he?"  
"And good morning to you, Little Miss 'I'm on a mission', So you wanna tell me why you're so strong, supergirl?"

Buffy ignores the comment "How can you be such an arrogant and glib after everything you've done? Oh wait, I already know the answer to that."  
"Well, how can you be so strong and brave but yet so stupid to call a vampire arrogant and glib?"  
Buffy smirks "Because, jackass, we both know that I am perfectly capable of breaking every bone in your body while fixing my nails. Plus I have had a lot worse conversations with vampires much older and stronger than you." The smirk leaves Damon's face as Buffy continues "So I'm gonna ask you one more time then I'm gonna start getting testy, where-is-Stefan?"

Damon sighs "He's upstairs singing 'The rain in Spain.' Knock yourself out." Damon smiles at Buffy once more before moving past her exiting the house while Buffy heads inside.

"Stefan?" Buffy hears movement from behind her and turns slightly but there is nothing there "Yes." Says a voice from the stairs,  
Buffy turns to see Stefan "Where is Vicki?"  
"She's upstairs." Stefan tells her as he starts coming down the stairs.  
"So what now? Because my younger cousin is out there searching for her with the rest of the town. You know you gotta appreciate the demonic kind, it takes them hours to rise sometimes, hell even a day or two by then they are already buried so I don't have to come up with any story. What am I supposed to tell them?"

"I'm working with her. But it's going to take time. She's a very volatile and impulsive personality. She's a drug user. I mean, all that's gonna play a part in how she responds to this."  
"So what? She's a vampire with issues? So is every other vampire on the planet Stefan, so A plus B equals deadly."  
"She's not deadly." Stefan assures "I'm gonna keep her here with me until I know that she's safe."

Buffy takes a deep breath and is about to respond when Vicki appears at the top of the stairs "How long is that?"  
"We can talk about that later." Stefan tells Vicki.  
Buffy watches Vicki intently "Hey, Vicki. So...look I'm not gonna ask how you are, cause honestly, I think we both know that answer. So how are you, adjusting?"  
"Thanks." Vicki says with a small smile "It could be better."  
"Being dead kinda sucks right?" Buffy jokes causing Vicki to laugh.

* * *

A little while later, Stefan, Vicki, and Buffy were sitting at the dining table. "Coffee is our friend." Stefan tells Vicki, as he wraps his hands around the mug on the table "It's the caffeine. It circulates through our veins, and it warms our body so we're not so cold to touch."  
Vicki sighs "Well, what if I wanna drink human blood?"

"You're gonna have to learn to live with that urge and fight it on a daily basis one day at a time."  
Vicki huffs "Oh, God, don't start with that whole 12 steps thing. The school counsellor has been down that road, and it doesn't work for me."  
"It can work. It's your choice, Vicki."

Vicki thinks for a moment before smiling at Stefan "So you've never tasted human blood?" When Stefan hesitates Buffy watches him closely as she waits for his answer "Not in a long time."  
Vicki shrugs "How long?"  
"Years and years. I'm not proud of my past behaviour."

While Buffy is contemplating everything she has just heard, Vicki sighs "Does this sketchy feeling ever go away? It's like I have a massive hangover. This daylight think is a bitch." Vicki stands from her seat sighing again "I need more blood. Where's your bathroom? I have to pee. Why do I have to pee? I thought I was dead." Vicki stomps out of the room leaving Buffy and Stefan alone.

Stefan turns to Buffy "I'm gonna—I'm gonna get her some more. All right. I'll be quick." Buffy watches as Stefan leaves the room before standing up from her seat "Adjusting my ass." Buffy mutters as she walks towards the living room.

At that moment Vicki appears "False alarm. My body's feeling really funky. It's a good funk, but it's weird."  
Buffy notices Vicki take out her phone "Who are you calling?"  
"Jeremy."  
"Vicki, you can't see Jeremy right now."  
"Oh, come on. Don't you start, I actually like you so don't make that change. I'm gonna see whoever I wanna see."  
Buffy lets out a short breath of disbelief "Really? Even though you could lose control and hurt him maybe even kill him."  
"I would never hurt Jeremy."

Buffy takes a step towards Vicki "I know you think that. But I won't take that risk, I have seen too many people get hurt because of vampires I won't expose Elena and Jeremy to that. So I suggest, for now, you-let-him-go. Otherwise, things are going to go in a very different direction."  
Vicki laughs slightly "Oh, really?" Vicki pushes Buffy against the wall "Listen here Blondie, I'm gonna see Jeremy whenever I want to see Jeremy, I have some new toys to play with and I won't think twice about ripping your little head off. You got it?"

Buffy smirks "Let me answer that question with a headbutt." Buffy headbutts Vicki causing the girl to stumble, Buffy then kicks her in the stomach causing her to fly backwards further into the living room. Vicki who is shocked growls at Buffy and runs at her but Buffy flips over Vicki's head landing behind her. Buffy then grasps the other girl's neck and breaks it, killing her temporarily.

* * *

Later Buffy and Stefan are talking outside on the porch "Look, she threatened me. I did what comes naturally to me."  
Stefan nods "I know, but she's on edge. Imagine every sense in your body operating at super speed. I mean she's uncomfortable in her own skin, and then when you throw in her other issues—"  
Buffy shakes her head "Well then how long until it settles?"  
"There's no rule book."  
Buffy sighs "Well, how long before you learned to control it?"  
"A while, but I didn't have anybody helping me. I had to do it on my own. The thing is it's hard to resist certain people, especially when you're new. It's difficult to separate your feelings. Love, lust, anger, desire—It can all blur into one urge—hunger."  
Buffy's eyes fill with worry "What does that mean?"  
"It means that Jeremy can't see her, not now. She might not be able to resist him, and she could hurt him."  
"Or worse."  
"I'm not gonna let anybody get hurt. I won't let you have to make that choice about what to do if she loses control."

Buffy sighs "I gotta go."  
"Buffy—"  
"Stefan, please. Just don't." Buffy turns away from him and walks off towards her car.

* * *

When Buffy gets home she sees Elena and Jeremy talking in the kitchen "So, um, do you wanna hang out tonight? We could go to the, uh, Halloween thing at school. Could be fun." Elena asks Jeremy  
Jeremy sighs then turns to Elena "Cool. Sure. Sounds, uh—sounds fun. Can't wait."

It's then that Buffy interrupts "Jer, Vicki called Matt. She needs to get better maybe, for now, you should let her go."  
Elena nods while Jeremy just stares at the two "What does that even mean? 'Let her go'? Oh, ok, sure. Since we're such experts on letting people go, right?"  
Elena looks at her brother "Maybe it's for the best Jer."

Jeremy walks closer to the two of them "For months after Mum and Dad died I felt like crap like nothing really even mattered. Now all of a sudden, I get these moments, and things started to feel just a little bit better, and Vicki was in every single one of 'em. So you guys may not see it, but trust me. Keeping me away from her is not for the best."

* * *

Later that night Buffy, Elena and Jeremy are walking to the Halloween party. Elena was dressed at a nurse while Buffy was Red Ridding Hood with weapons in her basket and Jeremy just wear his black hoody. When the three enter Matt sees them and smiles "You went with last years costume too."  
Matt says to Elena who smiles "Yeah. I didn't know that I was coming till an hour ago."  
"Me neither."

The two smile at each other and lift the bloody appendages on their costumes and slap them together. Matt looks over at Buffy and Jeremy "So you're little red riding hood and you're going as...you?" Jeremy doesn't say anything just walks off causing Elena to sigh "He's not talking right now. We got into a fight."  
"Yeah, I got into it with Vic, too, when she got home. I'm trying not to smother her tonight, but part of me didn't wanna let her out of my sight."  
"She's here?" Buffy asks slowly starting to panic but keeping it under wraps.  
Matt looks at Buffy and smiles "Yeah. You can't miss her. She's a vampire."

Buffy exhales a deep breath then looks at the two "I'm just gonna go do something real quick, I will see you guys later." Buffy quickly wanders off to go find Vicki.

* * *

When she finally does find Vicki she was standing with Matt Stefan and Elena but then a second later she was gone " Stefan, she's gone." Buffy calls as she runs after Vicki not noticing Elena following slowly behind her.

* * *

Elena loses Buffy in the crowd and ends up outside where she sees Vicki hurting Jeremy "Vicki! Stop!" Elena runs at the two of them trying to claw Vicki off him but when Vicki turns Elena sees her face. Elena freezes in fear then screams as Vicki bites into her neck.

Buffy who hears Elena's scream, runs outside ripping Vicki off Elena and throws her into the wall. As Vicki stands she runs off disappearing, at that moment Stefan appears. "Go. Get inside." He tells Elena and Jeremy as he spots them "Go!"

The two-run while Stefan and Buffy search for Vicki "Where the hell could she have gone?" Buffy asks but before Stefan can answer there is another scream the two run back to see Jeremy being thrown to the ground while Vicki bites into Elena's neck again. A second later a sharp piece of wood is plunged into Vicki's heart as the body falls Elena sees Buffy standing over the body, holding a broken piece of wood. "Vicki!" Jeremy screams while Stefan takes the wood off Buffy pulling her away from the body. When Jeremy tries to get to Vicki Elena stops him, holding him back. Elena glances at Buffy and Stefan before watching her brother.

"Get him out of here." She tells Stefan. Stefan nods grabbing his phone and calls Damon "I need your help." Stefan says into the phone while Elena bends down to the body then looks at Buffy with tears in her eyes "You killed her."  
Buffy nods "I didn't have a choice. It wasn't her anymore if it hadn't been her it would have been someone else."  
Buffy looks at Vicki sadly then turns to Elena who was now standing in front of her, Elena sighs before wrapping her arms around her cousin.

A few minutes later Damon appears while Buffy consoles a crying Elena. "You should go. Get her out of here." Damon says to Buffy before gesturing at the crying brunette. "I got this."  
Elena at this point was slowly piecing things together, realises something, she turns to Damon "You did this. This is your fault."  
Damon doesn't even look at Elena "You confuse me for someone with remorse." Elena tries to slap Damon but he merely catches her wrist "None of this matters to me, none of it."  
"People die around you. How could it not matter? It matters and you know it." This time Elena does slap him but when he tries to step closer Buffy moves Elena out of the way she steps in front of Damon and connects her fist with his face causing him to fly into the wall 10 feet away. He quickly stands up and steps in front of Buffy "You need to leave. Your cousin's wounds are bleeding and you need to leave."  
Buffy continues to glare at Damon before grabbing Elena's arm and pulling her away.

* * *

Buffy was helping an injured Elena back to the car when Matt runs over to them "Elena! Buffy! Hey, have you seen—whoa? Wh-what happened?" Matt asks when he sees the blood all over Elena's costume and on Buffy's hands. Elena looks at Buffy who was trying not to look at Matt "Nothing. Some idiot with some fake blood got us. So were gonna head home, and clean up."

The two starts to turn but stop when they hear Matt "I—I can't find Vicki. She totally bailed on me."  
Buffy is about to speak up but Elena speaks first covering for the blonde "We don't know where she is."  
Elena notices Buffy's eyes filling with water over the guilt but tries to stay focused on Matt "Is this what I'm in for, a lifetime of worrying about her?"  
"You're a good brother, Matt."  
"Yeah. Maybe she went home."  
"Maybe." Matt watches the two girls carefully before nodding and heading off home. Elena then turns to the blonde and wraps her arms around her "Buffy. Let's get home then we can talk. About everything." Buffy nods and the two head home.

* * *

On the drive home, Buffy had come clean about everything. From L.A to Sunnydale to the Master and Angelus. Lastly, she had explained about Stefan and Damon. Elena had been understanding and had felt horrible for all her cousin who had been through, even more, than she knew. She had, had to keep secrets to protect the people she loved and have no one to talk too. When the two get back to the house Stefan was standing on the porch. When Elena sees him she tenses in fear "Where is he?" she asks.  
"Inside." Elena nods before heading inside leaving Buffy and Stefan alone.

Buffy looks at Stefan tears still filling her eyes "Where is she?" Buffy asks in a quiet whisper as she sits down on the bench. Stefan takes a step towards her and sits next to her "Damon. He's put her somewhere no one will find her." Stefan stays silent for a moment before looking off into the distance as he spoke "I, uh—I wanted to help her. But instead, uh..."

Before he could finish Elena appears at the door looking at Stefan with a sad expression on her face "Can you make him forget?"  
"Elena..."  
"Please. He is a mess. He's just a kid. I don't want him going through this again." Elena looks at Buffy for help who looks at Stefan before going to stand next to her cousin "Stefan, she's right. Please. We don't know if he will make it past this, not after everything."  
"If I did it, there's no guarantee that it would work—because of who I am, because of how I live. I don't have the ability to do it right."  
"I can do it." Says Damon as he walks towards the group. Buffy turns as he comes closer "If this is what you want...I'll do it."

Elena looks at Buffy once more nodding. Buffy turns to Damon "Do it."  
"What do you want him to know?" Damon asks the cousins  
Elena steps forward slightly and speaks to Damon "I want you to tell him that Vicki left town and she's not coming back, that he shouldn't look for her or worry about her. He's gonna miss her, but he knows it's for the best."

Damon looks at Buffy who nods, Damon looks at the two girls before heading upstairs. Elena waits a minute before heading back to the house leaving Buffy and Stefan alone again. Buffy walks over to Stefan and sits next to him "You know there is a part of me that wishes I could forget. Everything. Being the slayer. What happened with Angelus. Meeting you. Finding out what you are and everything since."

"If that's what you want."

"We both not even Damon can get into my head so I don't have a choice. I have to remember. But even if it was possible I can't with everything that's happened...I can't lose the way I feel about you."  
Stefan looks at Buffy the expression on his face began to soften but then Damon appears "It's done. Elena's with him now." Buffy nods she takes one more look at Stefan before heading inside the house.


	18. Lexi

At that Salvatore house, Stefan was asleep on one of the chairs when his book falls to the ground waking him up. He sits up picking up the book and places it on the side table before standing from his seat. He stretches, but then turns when he hears a woman laughing.  
Stefan slowly walks into the living room looking for whatever made the noise, he sees the window open and goes to close it. He then hears more noise from behind him again, he walks slowly looking around the room "Damon?" He calls but there is no answer. Then Stefan feels someone knock him to the ground, he is flipped onto his back and sees a blonde vampire above him. "Lexi?"

Lexi smiles "Hi."  
"What are you doin' here?"  
Lexi quickly stands, making Stefan stand with her "How could you even ask that?"  
The two of them hug "I missed you." Stefan says.  
When the two separate Lexi looks up at her friend "Happy birthday."

* * *

Later Lexi and Stefan were hanging out in his room as he fills her in on some of the recent events "I don't know, ok." Lexi laughs "Some freak shot at me with wooden bullets, I'd bail in under 60. And why is a news reporter hunting vampires?"  
Stefan shrugs "I don't know. I don't know who knows about us. I mean, that guy did. There could be others. Hey, do me a favour. While you're here,please be careful."  
Lexi groans "Why stay? I'm headed to New York for the weekend." Lexi says as she stands up from the bed "Bon Jovi in the garden. 'Wanted dead or alive.' That's our theme song. It'll be a blast."  
Stefan stands from the bed smiling as he puts on his shoes "Hey, do you think he would actually remember us? That was a pretty crazy, weekend, huh?"

"We can make him remember us. Come on! Let's go. I mean, what's keeping you here?"  
Stefan sighs "I told you. Her name is Buffy."

"Okay, first, what kind of name is Buffy?" Stefan just raises an eyebrow at the comment. Lexi turns to face him now holding the photo of Mary and Katherine when she sees his expression she rolls her eyes. "Fine. But it's still weird. Let's just hope she's better than the last two girls you got all sprung over."  
Stefan walks over to her taking the photo "You didn't even know Katherine and you barely knew Mary."  
"'Cause if I did, I'd kick her ass. Little bitch. And Mary was a crazy witch bitch. Speaking of—Where's Damon?"  
"Inflicting misery somewhere."  
"Aha."  
"Hey, um, you gonna be ok here alone? I got some things I gotta take care of."

"Well, it's not exactly like I can go anywhere. And you and Damon are the only ones with these nifty little daylight rings. I have a mood ring from '75. Trade ya?"  
Stefan smiles "Doesn't work that way, and you know it."  
Lexi groans again disappointed "Yeah."  
Stefan pauses on his way to the door and glances back at his best friend with a fond smile on his face "Hey, Lex."  
"Hmm?"  
"I'm really glad that you came here."

"Ok, what are we doing for your birthday? It's not every day a guy turns 162 years old."  
"Really?" Stefan groans.  
Lexi grins nodding her head "Oh, yeah."

* * *

As she steps out of the police station with Elena, Jeremy and Jenna Buffy can't help but shake "God police stations are the worst."  
"Says the girl whose spent more time in them than all of us put together." Jeremy points out making Buffy glare at him.  
"So not the point."  
Jeremy merely chuckles as he spots the pout on his elder cousin's face.

As they head towards their car Stefan appears making Buffy freeze, she hesitates before turning to the others "I'll meet you guys at the car." She says.  
The three nod and Elena gives Buffy a quick look letting her know they will talk later.  
"You ok?" Stefan asks.

"Luckily I'm rather good at altering the truth so I don't think the sheriff suspected anything. Elena kept to her story while Jeremy had no memory at all. All he knew was what Elena asked Damon to tell him."  
"Thank you." Stefan says.

Buffy sighs "I can't do this, Stefan. Every time I see Matt and Jeremy all I can think about is the fact that Vicki is gone. And that I'm the one that killed her. Being around you is breaking every rule I created for myself plus every rule in the Slayer Handbook." She pauses "Well I don't actually know what's in the Slayer Handbook, cause Giles didn't give me mine but that's not important...I... I just—I can't..."  
Stefan interjects "Why don't we go somewhere and talk about it?"  
"No. Stefan you have to stay away from me. Just being around me is dangerous for the both of us. And if the Watcher's Council ever found out...I just..." Instead of finishing her sentence Buffy leaves Stefan and walks over to the car.

* * *

Buffy was sitting on the couch with her head resting on Elena's shoulder when Jenna drops onto the couch next to them "You're wallowing."  
"So are you." Buffy and Elena argue.  
"My wallow is legitimate. I was dumped."  
"Yeah. Well, Logan's a jerk." Elena tells Jenna.  
"You didn't get a brushoff e-mail saying, 'I'm leaving town. See ya." Before either girl can respond Jeremy speaks up from his place in the kitchen "Wanna keep it down over there?"  
Jenna turns her head towards Jeremy "Why? What are you doing?"  
"Homework."

All three girls sit up staring at him in shock "Since when do you do homework" Elena asks her brother.  
"I gotta finish this. I'm way behind, and I have a quiz tomorrow, so..."  
"What do you think? Alien?" Elena asks Jenna and Buffy.  
"Some sort of replicate." Jenna says.  
"Some sort of Robo-Jeremy." Buffy answers.  
Jeremy looks up from his work and glares at the three "He can hear you."'

* * *

The next morning Buffy was lying in bed when Bonnie knocks on the door "You up?" she asks as she opens the door. Buffy turns her head to see Bonnie with a very tired looking Elena next to her "No." Buffy moans as she pulls the covers over her head.  
Elena walks over to the other side of the bed and gets in doing the exact same. Bonnie sighs and sits on the bed pulling back the covers "No. No. No." Both girls cry.  
"Why haven't you guys called me back?"  
"Sorry." Both girls say at the same time.

"Are you gonna stay in there forever?" Bonnie asks Buffy "I just spent ten minutes trying to get Elena up and don't want to have to do that with you as well."  
"Sorry. But yep." Bonnie sighs and asks Buffy and Elena to move over before climbing into the bed. "I'm officially worried. What's going on?"  
"I'm tired of thinking of talking. I—"  
"Can I get a one line version. So I can at least pretend to be helpful?"  
"Stefan and Buffy broke up." Elena tells Bonnie.

"I'm so sorry." Bonnie says to Buffy who just shrugs "Are you ok?" Buffy raises an eyebrow "Right. Stupid question. I know I've been kind of M.I.A. When you guys clearly need me. I suck."  
"Wanna make it up to me?" Buffy asks "Get my mind off of it."

Bonnie contemplates for a moment before smiling "Just remember you asked for it." Buffy and Elena sit up and watch as Bonnie closes the window before grabbing one of the pillows and a pen. She removes the cover of the pillow before cutting the pillow open letting the feathers fall all over the bed. "Hey!" Buffy exclaims.  
"Be patient." Bonnie tells her shocked friends. Bonnie then sits on the bed facing them "I need to swear you both to secrecy."  
"It's kind of a bad week for that kind of stuff." Elena mumbled.  
"Swear, 'cause I'm not supposed to be showing you this."

Buffy and Elena look at each other quickly before focusing on Bonnie "We swear." Buffy tells Bonnie.  
Bonnie smiles "Ok, there's no windows open, right?"  
"Right." Elena says as she looks around the room.  
"There's no fan, no air conditioning."  
"None. What are you doing?"

"Grams just showed me this. You're gonna love it. You guys ready?" Buffy and Elena nod. Bonnie smiles before raising her hand above the feathers, she raises her hand slowly causing one of the feathers to float in the air. Both girls watch stunned "Bonnie, what's going on?"

Bonnie doesn't answer Elena just smiles again, before raising both hands causing lots of the feathers to begin floating in the air. Both girls gasped in amazement at Bonnie, who then looked upwards causing all of the feather to start to float around the room. The girls both look at Bonnie amazed "It's true guys, everything my Grams told me. It's impossible, but it's true. I'm a witch."

"I believe you." Elena told her while she continued to look around the room while Buffy and Bonnie start to laugh.

* * *

"So, this Buffy girl, she'll come around. I'm sure of it." Lexi says as she leans on one of the tables in the living room in the boarding house, while Stefan sits on the couch "Have you had sex yet?"  
"No." Stefan tells her as he sits up from his seat.  
"Sex always works." Lexi informs him with a smirk on her face "I mean, you'll rock her world so hard with your vamp sex, she'll be yours forever."  
Lexi grins mischievously at her friend as she sits in the chair next to his. "Actually Buffy was with a vampire before." Stefan informs Lexi.

"Wait, what?" Lexi asks as she starts to laugh.  
"She was in Sunnydale. And fell for a vampire called Angel. All I know is that he went evil and she had to kill him when he tried to end the world. She has made it clear that she doesn't want to repeat history."  
Lexi's mouth falls open "Seriously? Wait how could she have killed him?"

"She's...Buffy is the Slayer Lexi."  
Instead of freaking out Lexi bursts out in laughter "Oh. My. God. A Slayer? Damn, you really know how to pick um Stefan. Look, if she has been with a vampire before then she can be with one over again. So again I'll say, sex."  
"Yeah, but see, this isn't about sex or—or compulsion or any of our other tricks. She has to want to be with me on her own terms."  
Lexi reaches into her bag pulling out a bag of blood "Wow. That sounded all mature and grown-up."  
"Well, I'm not getting any older."  
"Ha ha." Lexi responds before sticking a straw into a bag on blood and taking a drink.

She notices Stefan looking intently at the bag of blood "Want some?"  
"No. Thank you." Stefan replies as he stands from his seat and moves away.  
"Relax. I didn't kill anyone for it. This phlebotomist I went out with a few times, he's my supplier. Oh, don't judge, ok? Listen, I tried the animal diet. Lasted 3 weeks."  
"Doesn't matter. 'Cause if I started again, I just—I don't know."  
"If you could stop."  
Stefan nods "Lexi, I'd never judge you."  
"I'm just jealous of your restraint. I have none." Stefan smiles "I delight in hedonism. Speaking of which, what are we doing tonight?"

"Funny you should ask." Damon says as he enters the room.  
Lexi glares at him "Well, I wasn't asking you."  
"There's a party at The Grill. You'll love it. Banquettes, tacky wait staff. All of Stefan's friends."  
Stefan sighs as Lexi glares at Damon "Yeah, I don't want a birthday party."  
"Well, it's not for you. It's a party, party. No one's gonna know it's your birthday. Caroline's throwing it."  
"Damon, stay away from Caroline."  
"We're friends. It's cool. It's important for the town to see us out and about like normal folk. We need to blend." Damon then notices the blood bag "Ucch. I prefer mine at 98.6." Damon then turns and leaves the room.

Stefan looks back at Lexi who smiles "Let's go. Please?"

* * *

Back at the Gilbert house, Elena, Buffy and Bonnie are talking in Buffy's room.  
"It's weird, huh?" Bonnie says "After all this time joking about being psychic, I really am a witch. You guys don't think I'm a freak now, do you?"

Buffy who had been silent since finding out, as she contemplates whether or not to tell Bonnie about Willow and Amy, shakes her head.  
Elena does the same "No. Of course not. Uh, Bonnie, I just—I don't understand, though. If your Grams asked you to keep all this a secret, why did you tell us?"

"You guys are my friends. I can't keep secrets from you two." Buffy and Elena both feel very guilty as they look at their friend but put on a smile trying to ignore the guilt eating them up.

* * *

Lexi steps out of the bathroom in a towel after her shower "I'm almost ready."  
Stefan sighs "I can't believe you actually think that we should go to this thing."  
"It's not like I'm asking you to run outside midday without your ring. I mean, seriously, it's a party."  
"A party that Damon wants us to go to, you know." Stefan points out "So my question is 'why?' I think he's up to something."  
"Who cares? I mean, what can he possibly do in front of all those people in a public place?"  
"He knows how to keep a low profile, believe me."  
"Ok. So he'll behave." Lexi says as she moves around Stefan "Come on. One day a year, I get you, one day that you're not brooding and existing in your own head."  
Stefan smiles "It's my birthday, yeah?"

"It's my day, and that guy that jumped naked in the Trevi fountain and got drunk on the torch of the statue of liberty, that guy can take a break from all of his worrying for one night and go to a stupid party. So quit your whining...and go get ready."

"Fine." Stefan says before going into the bathroom.

* * *

After Bonnie left Elena and Buffy drive to the boarding house to talk to Stefan about what Bonnie had told them. Elena rings the bell at the door then the two hear a voice yell "It's open. Come on in."

The two walk inside and look around the house for Stefan only to see a blonde woman in a towel. Buffy's eyes widen in shock as do Elena's.  
Elena quickly looks over at Buffy watching her cousin's crushed reaction. When the woman sees them she freezes in place "Oh, my God. How, uh...wh—who..."

Buffy who had been watching the blonde speaks up "Uh, I'm Buffy, this is my cousin Elena. Who are you?"  
"Lexi, a friend of Stefan's."  
"Is he here?"  
"He's in the shower. Um, do you wanna wait?

Elena, seeing Buffy's face interjects "No. It's ok."  
"I'll tell him you guys stopped by."  
Buffy takes a step back pulling Elena's arm "That's ok."

Once the two are outside Elena turns to Buffy "Hey are you ok?"  
Buffy shrugs "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just get out of here."

* * *

As soon as the door closes behind the two Lexi runs right upstairs back to Stefan's room "Are you out of your freaking mind?"  
Stefan turns to Lexi as he buttons his shirt "What are you talking about?"  
Lexi runs over to Stefan's desk and picks up the image of Mary and Katherine "I just meet Buffy and Elena. You have some serious explaining to do."

* * *

After Lexi was dressed she sits on Stefan's bed doing her make up "You have some serious emotional damage."  
"No, it's not what you think. She is not Mary. And Elena is not Katherine."  
"Well then somehow they are all related because Elena and Katherine could be twins. Same with Buffy and Mary, the only difference there is the hair. I think the blonde works better by the way."

"I don't know."  
"You don't know. You—you didn't find out?"  
"No. Maybe I don't wanna know. I have—I have no desire to tie Buffy to Mary."

Lexi just raises her eyebrow at her friend "Ok, yes, yes, the—the resemblance is what drew me in, but that's it. Buffy and Mary may look the same on the outside, but on the inside, they are completely different."  
"Oh, so Buffy's not a psychotic manipulative bitch then huh?"

Stefan smiles "No. No, Buffy is...warm. She has a light inside her that brightness up any room. And she has a kindness and strength that I have never seen in someone before. She is selfless and it's real. And honestly despite the fact that she is the Slayer when I'm around her, I—I completely forget what I am."  
As Lexi watches Stefan intently she realises something "Oh, my God. You're in love with her."  
Stefan smiles again "Yeah. Yeah, I am."  
"Wow."

* * *

Later Buffy is at home when there is a knock on the door. She opens the door to reveal Stefan "Hey." He says with a smile.  
Buffy looks at him confused "What are you doing here?"  
"Um, Lexi said that you and Elena came by and you—you seemed upset."  
"Right. The girl in the towel."  
"The towel?"  
Buffy raises her eyebrows "Yep. Blue towel, rather fluffy, oh and wrapped around a blonde."

Stefan starts to panic "Oh. No, no. No, no, no no. Um, we're not like that. No. Uh, she's not exactly a girl. Lexi's—um, she...she's 350 years old."  
"Oh." Buffy says slightly embarrassed.  
"And she's my oldest friend. Nothing romantic. Ever."

"Ok, well...she kept staring at me and Elena. Normally when a vampire stares at me, they try and chump down, Exhibit, A"  
Buffy moves the hair off her neck showing Stefan her scar who stares stunned, "Anyway it was weird."  
Stefan steps into the house still stunned at seeing her scar which until now he had never really noticed "Well, you know, I've talked about you a lot, so...guess she felt like she knew you." Buffy nods "So why'd you come by?" Stefan asks her.  
"I –uh, heh. It was a mistake. A big mistake, like a huge, black pit of a mistake."  
Stefan takes a step towards her "Buffy, talk to me."

"I can't. Stefan, I can't, and that's the problem. I'm keeping secrets from everyone which is something I'm used to but normally I have close friends who I can talk too. Yes, I can talk to Elena but it's not the same. I can't even tell Willow or Xander, my best friends. Or even Bonnie. Do you know how hard that is?"  
Stefan nods "I want you to know that I will always be here for you. You can come to me about anything, ok?"  
Buffy nods and gives him a small smile "Well, thank you for coming by."  
Stefan turns to leave but hesitates "Hey, do you need a ride to the grill tonight?"

Buffy raises an eyebrow "Are you going to Caroline's party?"  
Stefan shrugs "Lexi's dragging me. And...it's my birthday."  
"Really? Wow. Um... well happy birthday then."  
"Thank you."  
"Actually, I um—I have to patrol then I think I'm just gonna crash."

Stefan nods disappointed "Ok. Well, have—have a good night and be careful." Buffy watches Stefan for a moment before closing the door and heading upstairs to change.

* * *

After her patrol, Buffy goes against her better judgment and heads to The Grill where she sees Lexi and Stefan playing pool.

Damon notices Buffy and makes his way towards her "Stefan smiles. Alert the media" Buffy rolls her eyes. Damon walks up behind her looking her up and down and sees the leather trousers "Nice." He says under his breath.

Buffy glares at him "Ribcage – hat."  
Damon holds up his hands in surrender, then turns to look at Stefan and starts to make a sarcastic comment "Oh, poor Stefan. Persecuted throughout eternity by his depraved brother." Damon turns to Buffy "Does it get tiring being so hostile towards me."  
Buffy smirks "Nope. Although that feeling intensives the longer I'm around psychopaths. Also, what did you do to Jeremy?"

"Elena wanted me to take away his suffering. So I did. Anyway, my turn to question, were you this hostile around your ex when he went all psycho murdery?"  
Buffy takes a sharp breath and listens, as Damon goes on "Don't worry Stefan didn't tell me a thing, however, I'm very good at eavesdropping, little Miss Slayer."

Damon walks up behind her again and Buffy elbows him in the stomach, Damon falls to the ground gasping for breath while Buffy walks off.  
Lexi who had seen Buffy hit Damon starts laughing, before heading to the bar.

"Ah, the famous Buffy." Lexi says as she steps in front of Buffy holding three shot glasses.  
"Towel girl."  
Lexi shrugs "I've been called worse. Here." Lexi hands her one of the shots. "So you're a Slayer. I'm guessing you know your vampire mythology."  
Buffy nods "Pretty much, although I'm not one for research."  
Lexi smiles "Me either."  
"You know I've never seen Stefan so un-untight, you know. From what I can see he's just like that with you."  
"Well, that's the benefit of knowing someone for over 100 years. You can just be yourself."  
"Must be nice. Being able to be yourself. I never really get to do that."  
"I'm guessing being a slayer is a lot of secret keeping, it's the same for us, it's why Stefan is the same. But if you give it time you will both be able to be yourselves.  
"I don't know about that."  
"Look, the first step for him was telling you the truth. The rest comes with time. You will realise that because you're the same, it will take time for you too."  
"You seem so sure."  
"The love of my life was human. He went through what I imagine you're going through now and what you went through before Denial, Anger, et cetera. Attacking the guy with a crossbow." Lexi jokes causing Buffy to laugh. "But at the end of the day, love really did conquer all."  
"That didn't help the first time."  
"Yeah well, who knows if you give him a chance it could be better. Are you gonna drink that?" Lexi gestures to the shot.  
"Nah. Here." Buffy hands Lexi the shot. "I'm scared." Buffy admits "After what happened last time I don't want to go through that again."

Lexi sighs "But you're here... 'cause you're crazy about him. I get okay. I mean, what's not to love? Listen take it from someone who's been around a long time. When it's real, you have to try don't walk away." Lexi downs the last shot causing Buffy to laugh before she starts to walk away "Hey Lexi" Buffy calls "It was really nice meeting you. Even though I will most probably get in a lot of trouble for saying it."

* * *

Buffy walks over to Stefan who was at the pool table and grabs the cue stick "Hi."  
"Hey." Stefan replies as a smile crosses his face "You came."  
"I couldn't miss your hundredth and—whatever birthday."  
"I thought you had to patrol."  
"I did. Finished early."  
"So what happened?"

Buffy smiles slightly "I kinda got into a bar fight with 6 Triune Demons."  
Stefan laughs "So what happened?"

"Well, after I kicked their asses and removed several arms. I kinda got thrown through a window."  
Stefan's face becomes worried "Are you okay?"  
"Yeah, just a cracked rib but I have had worse. So tell me more about some of the crazy things you did on your hundred other birthdays?" The two laugh.

* * *

Stefan and Buffy continued to talk for a while when Stefan notices the policemen grabbing Lexi "Oh, my god." Stefan says before walking off Buffy follows him and Elena who also notices Lexi get dragged off runs after Buffy. When they can't get out the front entrance the three of them take the back entrance "What is going on?" Elena asks Buffy as they all go out the back door.  
As they come outside they see Damon driving a stake through Lexi's heart Elena gasps causing Buffy to cover her mouth while Stefan pulls the two of them back.

* * *

Buffy runs after Stefan after Elena had gone back to the car "Stefan." Buffy grabs his arm but he pulls away.  
"He killed her. He killed Zach. He killed Tanner. He turned Vicki. I have to kill him."  
"Stefan, you can't."  
"Why are you trying to save him, Buffy? He's never gonna change. Don't you see that? He's never gonna change."

"Stefan. I am in no way in hell trying to save Damon. I'm trying to save you. Stefan killing your brother, it will break you. When you kill someone you care about it never leaves you and it leaves a hole in you and changes you and not for the good. You have no idea what this will do to you. I do."  
Stefan shakes his head "Everywhere that I go, pain and death follow. Damon follows me. No more."  
"Stefan –"  
"No. You were right to stay away from me." Buffy then watches as Stefan walks away from her.


	19. Damon's Plan

"Have you even talked to Bonnie?" Elena asks Caroline as her and Buffy walk with the cheerleader to class.  
Caroline shakes her head "No. I'm mad at her. She needs to make the first move."  
"What's the phrase...oh yeah, be the bigger person and all that crap." Suggests Buffy.  
"Impossible in her presence."  
"Why are you so pissed at her anyway?" Elena asks.  
"She's a thief. That's why. I gave her my necklace, and she refuses to give it back. It's a matter of principle."  
Elena sighs "All right. Well, I tried. I'm officially out of it."  
"Good. Buffy's turn."

Buffy looks at Caroline confused "Wait, what now?"  
"Don't play dumb. Where's Stefan? Have you talked to him?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Nope. Nadda. Zip. He's been big with the avoiding."  
"Why?"  
Buffy looks at Elena for help, Elena looks at Caroline "It's complicated."

As the bell rings Buffy and Elena say goodbye to Caroline and head off to class.

* * *

Later in history, Buffy notices Stefan's desk empty but her focus is quickly drawn to the head of the class. Just as Bonnie runs into the room, a slightly older man walks in "Good morning, everyone. Alrighty. Let's see." The man picks up the chalk and starts to write his name on the board. Elena turns to see a tired Bonnie mouthing the word 'are you ok?' to her but Bonnie just shrugs. "Alaric Saltzman." The teacher says "It's a mouthful. I know. Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. Saltzman is of German origins. My family emigrated here in 1755 to Texas. I, however, was born and raised in Boston. Now, the name Alaric belongs to a very dead Great-Grandfather I will never be able to thank enough. You'll probably want to pronounce it "Ala-ric," but it's "A-lar-ic," ok? So you can call me Rick. I'm your new history teacher."

* * *

"Rise and shine." Damon yells as he walks into Stefan's room "You'll be late for school."  
Stefan sits up in bed and glares at his brother "What are you—what are you doin'?"  
Damon holds out a mug towards Stefan "Peace offering. Come on. You need it for blood circulation. Does dead flesh good." Stefan walks over to his brother and continues to glare, Damon rolls his eyes "All right, I'm sorry."

"Step aside, please." Stefan walks past Damon into the bathroom, Damon sighs "I got the town off our back. It was for the greater good, but I'm sorry. And to prove it, I'm not gonna feed on a human for at least a week. I'll adopt the Stefan diet, only nothing with feathers."  
Stefan walks out of the bathroom "Cause I realise that killing your closest and oldest friend is beyond evil, and yet somehow, it's worthy of humour."  
Damon looks at Stefan confused "Are you mimicking me?"  
"Yes, Stefan. Now that the secret society of vampire haters is off our back, I can go back to my routine of how can I destroy Stefan's life this week."

Damon decides to play along "And I can go back to sulking and Buffy-longing and forehead brooding. This is fun. I like this."  
"And I will finally reveal the ulterior motive behind my evil and diabolical return to Mystic Falls."  
"Yeah. I'm done." Damon says, as he heads to the door he pretends to be Stefan again "That's just like you, Damon. Always have to have the last word."

* * *

Buffy was walking outside the school when she spots Stefan sitting on a nearby bench. She hesitates slightly before making her way towards him.  
"Hi." He says as he stands.  
"You weren't in class. That's normally my thing...you know the whole skipping class thing... I was worried." Buffy admits.  
"Yeah, I got your messages, and sorry I didn't get back to you, but...what I wanna say shouldn't be said over the phone."  
"You know, a simple I didn't go all Rambo and kill me brother text would have sufficed."

Stefan smiles "I didn't kill my brother, as much as he deserved it. He has you to thank for that."  
Buffy makes a disgusted face "Please don't remind me. So what did you wanna tell me?"  
"I won't be coming to school anymore. I'm gonna back off and keep my distance. It's the right thing to do."

Buffy looks at Stefan sceptically "Back off from school or...from me?"  
Stefan hesitates which gives Buffy her answer "Look, don't sweat it. I get it. Thanks for telling me."  
"It's better this way."  
"Yep. I got it. You and me it's against every rule in the world anyway, even us hanging out so don't worry."  
"You're angry. That's good. Be easier if you hate me." After that Stefan walks off and leaving Buffy alone.

* * *

In the car on the way home, Bonnie tells Buffy and Elena about what happened with Damon "He's bad news, guys. He really scared me."  
"You need to stay as far away from Damon as possible." Elena tells her.  
"I'm trying. He just keeps showing up."  
"That's it!" Buffy exclaims causing both girls to turn to her "If he comes near you again, I'm gonna kill him."

Elena gives Buffy an odd look knowing that Buffy is completely serious and turns to Bonnie "I don't want you to be alone. You're sleeping at our place tonight. We can make a whole night out of it."  
A second later Bonnie pulls over the car and gets out throwing the crystal into the middle of a field. "Are you ok?" Buffy asks as Bonnie gets back into the car.

"Now I am. All my problems were because of that thing. Can't believe I didn't do that sooner."  
"What's your Grams gonna say?" Elena asks.  
"Grams isn't the one being haunted by a 150 – year – old ghost, is she?"  
"Ok, then."

* * *

Elena opens the front door to find Stefan "Hey. Thanks for coming. I wouldn't have gotten your number off Buffy if it wasn't important."  
Stefan nods. The two-step onto the porch just as Buffy appears walking towards the house, her fist bloody and blood all over her face.  
Stefan's eyes widen shocked while Elena runs over to her cousin "Buffy! What happened?" Stefan walks over helping Buffy up the stairs before sitting her on the bench on the porch "Doesn't matter. I got into it with a couple of vamps and a few demons, they are getting closer to town. Which is so not okay with me."  
Buffy then turns to Elena "You called Stefan?"

"Yeah. Buffy, it's important."  
"What happened?" Stefan asks Elena.  
"Damon's been harassing Bonnie. He threatened her, Stefan."  
"What would Damon want with Bonnie?"  
Buffy leans forward in her seat "She has this necklace. Caroline got it from Damon, and she gave it to Bonnie, and now Damon wants it back."  
"He tormenting her. Over a necklace that belonged to one of Bonnie's ancestors, Emily." Elena adds.

Buffy tries to stand "And if he goes near her once more I'm going to fulfil my promise, of removing his body parts."

Stefan ignores Buffy's comment but could not stop the small smirk that appeared on his face at the idea of Buffy beating Damon to a pulp. "Emily. She was Katherine's handmaid and a witch, Mary trained her."  
Elena looks at Stefan shocked "You know. About Bonnie?"

Buffy stumbles slightly causing Stefan to catch her, he helps her lean against the wall before explaining "The first night that you invited me over for dinner, I made the connection."  
Buffy sighs "And now Damon knows, and for some reason, he wants that necklace. Oh, I'm so gonna kick his ass."  
"What does it look like?"  
"It's, um, an antique iron setting with a—with an amber crystal." Elena told him.

"I know it. It belonged to Katherine. Mary gave it to Emily who gave it to her, which means that..."  
"What?" Buffy asks as she stands properly, finally feeling her wounds healing.  
Stefan shakes his head "I don't know, but I'm gonna find out. Let me talk to Damon."  
"Will he tell you?"  
Stefan sighs at the blonde "I'll—I'll get it out of him. If I can't, then I will let you try your method." Stefan turns away from the two girls and walks off the porch. As he leaves Elena helps Buffy inside and sits her on the couch.

* * *

Stefan finds Damon at the bar at The Grill and walks over to him "So, Stefan." Stefan says mimicking his brother "You know, I been thinkin'. I think we should start over, give this brother thing another chance. We used to do it oh, so well once upon a time."  
Damon smiles "I don't, Damon. I can't trust you to be a nice guy. You—you kill everybody, and you're so mean. You're so mean, and...you're really hard to imitate, and then I have to go to that lesser place."  
Stefan turns to the bartender "Can I get a coffee, please?" He asks before turning back to Damon "So what's with the bottle?" Stefan asks as he gestures to the bottle of bourbon next to Damon. "I'm on edge." Damon tells him "Crash diet, and I'm trying to keep a low profile."  
"Mm. You could always just leave, find a new town to turn into your own personal gas 'n' sip."  
"I'll manage."

The bartender hands Stefan his coffee, after thanking him Stefan turns to Damon as he pours himself another shot "You know, you don't have to keep an eye on me." Damon tells his younger brother.  
"I'm not here to keep an eye on you."  
"So why are you here?"  
Stefan just shrugs "Why not?" Stefan grabs the bottle of bourbon and walks off, Damon follows him a few moments later.

* * *

At the Gilbert house, Buffy was sat on the counter holding an ice pack against her now dislocated shoulder. Again. Buffy can't help but get very pissed off at the fact.  
While Elena and Caroline unpacked the food from the bags. When Bonnie comes over there is an awkward silence between the four of them. Bonnie looks over and notices Buffy "Buffy! What happened to you?"  
Buffy shrugs "Bar fight." She lies.

The three girls look at Buffy like she's insane but Buffy just grabs her water and takes a gulp as the room returns to an awkward silence.

A few moments later Elena gives Caroline a pointed look causing the cheerleader to roll her eyes before turning to Bonnie "I'm sorry. There. I said it. If you want the ugly-ass necklace, keep it. It's yours."  
Bonnie looks at Caroline nervously "Will you hate me if I tell you I threw it away?"  
"You threw it away?"  
"I know it sounds crazy, but the necklace was giving me nightmares. I had to get rid of it."  
"You could have just given it back to me."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Why so you could give it back to Damon?"  
Caroline sighs "Screw Damon. Are we doing manicures or what? Who has their kit?"  
"Mine's in my bag." Bonnie says as she looks at her bag which is sat on the couch.

Caroline walks over to Bonnie's bag "So, Buffy..." Buffy turns her head wincing slightly as she moves her shoulder. Elena walks over to her cousin and grabs the ice pack and hold it against Buffy's shoulder. Caroline who hasn't noticed carries on talking "How long do you think this fight with Stefan's gonna last? Is it like a permanent thing?"  
Buffy sighs "Don't know Caroline."  
Caroline nods "So... Elena, are you seeing anyone new?"  
Elena's head shoots up as she looks at the blonde confused "What?"

But Caroline doesn't hear her as she turns and glares at Bonnie "Heh. Why are you such a little liar, Bonnie?"  
"What?" Bonnie asks confused.  
"Caroline!" Elena yells stunned at the rudeness in her friend's statement.  
Buffy, Bonnie and Elena glare at Caroline then notice her holding Emily's necklace.  
"I'm not lying to you, Caroline. I swear." Bonnie says as she stares at the necklace Caroline had placed on the table.  
"It's true." Buffy adds trying to help.  
"Caroline." Elena says drawing the cheerleader's attention "We watched her throw it into a field."  
"Well, then explain it."

"Emily." Bonnie says looking at Buffy and Elena.  
"Who's Emily? Caroline asks confused.  
"The ghost."  
"Oh, the ghost has a name now?"  
Buffy jumps off the counter and moves closer "Caroline, be quiet." Buffy says before turning her attention to Bonnie.  
"I wonder why she won't leave me alone."

"Ok, what is going on?" Caroline yells "Why am I not a part of this conversation? You guys do this to me all the time. Even more so since Buffy showed up."}  
"That's not true." Elena says but Bonnie interjects "Yes, it is." Bonnie turns to Caroline "I can't talk to you. You don't listen."  
"That's not true."  
"I'm a witch."  
"And don't we all know it?" Elena and Buffy stare at Caroline in disbelief.

"See? That's what I'm talking about." Bonnie yells "I'm trying to tell you something. You don't even hear it." Bonnie leaves the room and Caroline turns to Buffy and Elena "I listen. When do I not listen?"  
Buffy sighs and tilts her head "You really are a blonde Cordelia." Buffy says before going after Bonnie.

* * *

Back at The Grill Damon and Stefan are playing darts "Lucky shot." Damon says as Stefan throws the dart into the centre of the board, before going and retrieving the dart. "More like a carefully honed skill over many decades."  
"You're beating me."  
"Well, yeah. It's because I'm better than you."  
Damon smirks "I'm onto you. Reverse psychology. I mean, it's a little transparent, but I admire the effort."  
"You prefer the brooding forehead?"  
"Seriously, what game do you think you're playing?"  
"That's a funny question considering the fact that I have been asking you that for months. It's frustrating, isn't it?"  
"Touché."

* * *

Elena and Buffy were sitting in the kitchen listening to eavesdropping on Caroline and Bonnie, waiting for the heads up that it was okay for them to enter "Elena, Buffy, you can come in now. We're done." Caroline calls from the living room. The two of them walk in into the living room and sit on the couch "Well, there is just too much drama in this room. So what do guys wanna do?" The three girls all shrug at Caroline, who gasps "I have an idea. Why don't we have a séance?"  
"Caroline, No." Buffy tells the blonde at the same time Bonnie says "I don't think that's a good idea."

Caroline jumps out of her seat and stands opposite the couch "Come on. Let's summon some spirits. This Emily chick has some serious explaining to do." Buffy sighs as she thinks about what happened the night of the Sadie Hawkins dance back at Sunnydale, to say things had not gone well was an understatement.

* * *

After five minutes of Buffy, Bonnie and Elena all arguing with the stubborn Caroline they had all given up, it had become clear that it was pointless arguing with her. The four of them were now sat in a circle in Elena's room with 3 candles placed in the middle of the circle. "What are we doing?" Bonnie asks.  
Buffy shrugs while Elena looks at Bonnie "I don't know."  
"Shh." Caroline tells them "Be quiet and concentrate. Ok, close your eyes." Buffy sighs and closes her eyes "Ok, now take a deep breath. Bonnie, call to her."  
"Emily...you there?"

All three girls open their eyes and look at Bonnie "Really?" Caroline asks "Emily, you there?" She says mimicking Bonnie "That's all you got? Come on."  
"Fine. Jeez. Emily... I call on you. I know you have a message. I'm here to listen." A few seconds later the candles begin to flare the four girls stare shocked "Did that just—"  
"Yeah." Buffy says interrupting Elena "That just happened."

A moment later the room starts to get very cold causing Caroline to shiver "It's just the air conditioning." Bonnie says but as she does the candles flare again.  
Caroline looks over at Bonnie "Ask her to show you another sign. Ask her. Emily, if you're among us, show us another sign."

When nothing happens Bonnie looks at Caroline, still freaked out slightly "See? It's not working." The windows slam open causing all the girls to jump in fear. Bonnie stands up "No. I can't. I'm done."  
As Bonnie rips the necklace off her neck and throws it on the floor the candles go out. "Get the light. Please get the light."  
Elena gets up from the floor "Hold on I got it." She says as she flips the light on. Once the light is on Buffy notices something "You guys, the necklace, it's gone."

* * *

Stefan runs into the middle of the football field holding the ball and turns to face Damon "What are we doin' here?" Damon asks.  
"Bonding. Catch." Stefan tells him as he tosses Damon the football. Damon catches the ball and smiles before tossing it back. "Go on. Give it a try." Stefan tells his brother as he hands him the ball. Damon puts down the bottle of bourbon, "Don't forget who taught you how to play this game." Damon says before throwing the ball which he then runs after, as he catches it Stefan appears and knocks him down on the ground. The two of them cough as they lay on the ground "Ow. That hurt." Damon says.  
"Downside of my diet—getting hit actually hurts a little bit."  
"I'm impressed, Stefan. Fun with booze and darts, sentimental with football, and now starry night." Damon sits up and looks down at Stefan "What do you want, Stefan?"  
Stefan sits up and looks at Damon "Wasn't real, Damon. Our love for Katherine and Mary."

"Oh, God."  
"Katherine compelled us. We didn't have a choice. And Mary, as manipulative, she got into our heads and made us think that she loved us back so we would do whatever she wanted. Took me years to sort that out, to truly understand what the two of them did to us."  
"Oh, no, Stefan. We are not taking that on tonight." Damon says as he starts to stand, once he's up he starts to walk away but stops when he hears Stefan "What do you want with Katherine's crystal?"

Damon turns to his brother who is now standing "Well, technically if you think about it it's Mary's and how do you know about that?"  
"Come on. You knew Buffy would tell me."  
"How did you know it was Katherine's. Mary gave it to Emily who gave it to her on her last night. I was with her before I went to see Mary that night. You were not."  
"I was the last one to see her, Damon. I spent most of the afternoon with Mary before and she told me she was the one that gave it to Emily. Now, what do you want with Katherine's crystal?"  
"Mary didn't tell you?"  
"We had other things on our mind."  
Damon growls and runs over to Stefan "You know I can rip your heart out in an in second." Damon continues to glare at his brother.

A moment later Damon frowns then smirks "I have a bigger surprise, Stefan. I'm gonna bring them back." Damon tells him before turning away.

* * *

"Ok, fun's over Caroline. You made a point and I get it. Now give it back." Elena says.  
Caroline looks at her confused "What? Well, I didn't take it."  
"Elena she didn't take it." Buffy tells her cousin giving her a pointed look. Elena then remembers that because Buffy is the slayer, she has enhances sense. A second later Elena sees a shadow move in the hall. Caroline notices the expression on the brunette's face "What? What happened?"  
"I don't know. Nothing. Jeremy, are you home?" As Elena walks into the hall Bonnie notices the the necklace laying on the floor in the bathroom and moves towards it "Um...guys..." The three of them turn to Bonnie as she steps into the bathroom. Once she picks up the necklace the bathroom the door closes and Bonnie screams "Ahh! Oh, My god!"

"Bonnie?" Elena says as she tries to open the door but it won't budge, Elena turns to Buffy who nods Elena pulls Caroline away from the door as Buffy tries to open the door. When she can't open it. She looks back at Elena then at the door again. Elena and Caroline continue to try and get Bonnie to open the door but she doesn't, Elena looks at Buffy "Do it." Buffy nods and steps back bringing her right leg out and kicks the door down. As the door falls the screaming stops the three girls go inside Caroline slightly stunned from seeing the small blonde kick down a door. "What happened? Are you ok?" Elena asks Bonnie who looks up at the three of them "I'm fine."

"Unbelievable." Caroline says "You were totally faking it."  
"Caroline, come on." Elena says.  
Caroline just shakes her head "No, you scared the hell out of me." Caroline stumps off and Elena follows her to try and calm her down.  
Buffy watches Bonnie intently "Bonnie?"  
"I'm fine. Everything's fine." She says as she walks past Buffy.

* * *

"How can you bring Katherine and Mary back?" Stefan asks Damon who still continues to walk for a few seconds before stopping to answers "Before Katherine and the others were killed in the church, you remember what it was like in this town?"  
"Yeah, I remember the fear and the hysteria."

Damon shrugs "The townspeople were killing vampires one by one. When they came for Katherine and found out about Mary I went straight to Emily. Mary told me that she gave Katherine a pendant which would resurrect her, if she was ever killed. I knew that Katherine was the only one who would know how to bring Mary back so I made sure Katherine would survive, just in case I couldn't get to Mary in time. Said, "I'll do anything. Name your price. Just protect her." She did."  
"How?"  
Damon smiles "She did some kind of spell with the crystal. And while the church was burning and we thought Katherine was burning in it, she wasn't."  
"But I—I saw her go inside. Just like we saw Mary get burned at the stake in the middle of town. No one, not even someone as powerful as Mary could survive that."

"There's a tomb underneath the church. The spell sealed Katherine in that tomb, protecting her as well as Mary's magic pendant. And trust me I know it works, I've seen her do it before. She just waited to explain her little secret till that night."  
Stefan looks at Damon as he begins to panic "Are you telling me that Katherine's alive? And that she can bring Mary back?"

"Well, if that's what you wanna call it. She's been trapped in a mystical holding cell for the last century and a half. But you're an expert on starving a vampire, so how do you think she's doin', Stef?" Damon continues to smile at the look of fear crossing his brother's face "Did you know that witches can use celestial events to draw energy into their magic? Me either turns out it's how Mary made the pendant. But in order to give the crystal its power, Emily used the comet that was passing overhead, and in order for that crystal to work again..."  
"The comet had to return." Stefan finishes the sentence.

Damon nods "Downside—long time in between comets and a couple of hiccups along the way with crystal, but the comet passed and I got the crystal." The smile falls from Damon's face "And then Caroline got the crystal, and now Bonnie has the crystal, and here we are."  
"Why would Emily—Why would she do this for you?"  
"Because she knew they were gonna come for her, too, especially after they found out about Mary. And she made me promise that her lineage would survive."  
"I remember. You—you saved her children."

Damon sighs "Yeah. It's the only thing keeping me from ripping that little Bonnie girl's throat out. To get my crystal back. Well that and the fact that your girl threatened to rip me into tiny little pieces. She is scary that one, especially for someone so...little. Oh, well. Deal's a deal. So...you wanna go throw some more?"

* * *

Buffy follows Bonnie out of the room while Elena tries to convince Caroline not to leave "Are you ok?" Buffy asks.  
"I must go." Bonnie tells Buffy.

As they walk past Elena and Caroline, Caroline speaks "She's leaving, I'm leaving."  
"You guys can't leave." Elena begs.  
"Oh, I can. I've had enough freaky fake witch stuff for one night."

"Thank you for having me. I'll take it from here." Bonnie says as she looks at Buffy.  
"Where are you going?" Elena asks as Bonnie walks down the stairs.  
"Back to where it all began."  
"Bonnie. Bonnie."

"Elena." Buffy says silencing her cousin, before focusing on Bonnie "I don't think that's Bonnie. Emily!"  
Emily turns to face Buffy "I won't let him have it. It must be destroyed."  
"Wait." Elena calls as her and Buffy run down the stairs after her they try to open the door but it won't budge when it finally does move Jeremy comes in "What the hell?"

"I'm outta here." Caroline says before running out of the house.

Elena turns to Buffy "What do we do?"  
"I can track her. You stay here." Buffy says before running out of the house while Elena calls Stefan.

* * *

"What's wrong?" Stefan asks Elena when he answers the phone.  
 _"It's Bonnie."_ She tells him. _"Emily is possessing her. She said something."  
_ "What did she say?"  
 _"She said "I won't let him have it. It must be destroyed," and then she just left. Buffy went after her."  
_ "Ok. Where do you think she went?"  
 _"I don't know. Fell's church, by the old cemetery. That's where she took Bonnie in her dreams."  
_ "All right. Do what Buffy said and stay put, I'm gonna go find her." Stefan hangs up then turns to see Damon gone.

* * *

Buffy runs through the forest searching for Bonnie when she hears someone grunting in pain. Buffy runs towards the noise, only to see Damon hanging from a tree with a stick of wood stuck in his stomach. Buffy runs in front of him "How's it hanging?"  
Damon smirks "Funny. Now blondie, why don't you help a guy out?"  
"Where's Emily?"  
"Ah yes Emily is possessing your friend, well after she used her mojo to throw me up here she went that way." Damon nods his head in the direction of Fell's church. Then he looks down at Buffy "Now I helped you, get me down."

Buffy shrugs "Sorry, things to do." Buffy smirks before running off as Damon calls for her.

* * *

A few seconds later Stefan sees Damon and runs over to him pulling him from the tree. Damon falls to the ground "Oh, that hurt. This is why I feed on people." Damon stands and glares at Stefan "That blonde little Slayer is really testing my patience, little shorty left me up here." Stefan smirks slightly causing Damon to glare before the two of them run to the church.  
When they get there Buffy is standing opposite Bonnie who looks up at the brothers "Stefan." Buffy's head whips around to see Stefan and a weak Damon.  
Stefan looks from Buffy to Emily "Hello...Emily."  
"These people don't deserve this. They should never have to know such evil."  
Stefan stands next to Buffy "What do you mean evil?" Buffy asks Emily.

Damon who had falling again looks over at Emily "Emily, I swear to God I'll make you regret this."  
"I won't let you unleash them into this world."  
"Them?" Stefan asks confused before turning to Damon "What part of the story did you leave out, Damon?"  
"What does it matter?"  
Stefan turns back to Emily "Emily, tell me what you did."  
Emily looks up at Stefan "To save her, I had to save them."  
"You saved everyone in the church?"  
Buffy looks at Stefan "Wait the church? The church that was full of vampires back in 1864?" Stefan nods causing Buffy's eyes to widen.

"With one comes all." Emily tells them.  
Damon slowly stands from the floor "I don't care about that. I just want Katherine. She can bring Mary back."  
Stefan turns back to Damon "I knew I shouldn't have believed a single word that comes out of your mouth. This isn't about love, is it? This is about revenge."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive."  
"Damon, you can't do this."  
"Why not? They killed 27 people, and they called it a war battle. They deserve whatever they get."  
Buffy turns to Damon and stares in disbelief "27 vampires, Damon. They were vampires. You can't just bring them back."

Damon ignores Buffy and grabs Stefan "This town deserves this."  
"You're blaming innocent people for something that happened 145 years ago."  
"There is nothing innocent about these people, and don't think for a second it won't happen again. They already know too much, what do you think they will do to a 5 foot 3 blonde, who is stronger than any vampire?" Damon says as he gestures as Buffy then looks at Emily "And they'll burn your little grandwitch right next to us when they find out. Trust me."  
"Things are different now." Emily tells them  
"Don't do this." Damon begs her.

"I can't free them. I won't. And I won't let them free her. Mary will destroy us all if she is free." Emily drops the stick she had been using to carve a symbol into the ground and looks up at the sky "Incendia!" She yells causing a ring of fire to form around herself. Stefan pulls Buffy and Damon away from the fire while Damon screams at Emily "No!"

Emily takes the necklace from her neck and lifts it "No. No, no, please." Damon begs but she ignores him.  
"Bonnie!" yells Elena as she runs towards them.  
Stefan goes to stop her from getting too close to the fire while Damon screams as Emily destroys the necklace.

A second later Bonnie raises her head and looks around confused Damon snarls and runs at her digging his teeth into her neck, as he does Buffy runs at him and tackles him to the ground before standing and kicking him away.  
Buffy runs back to Bonnie who is now lying on the ground and holds her head in her lap while Stefan and Elena run over. "She's alive, but barely." Buffy tells Stefan.

Stefan drops on his knees next to Bonnie "I can save her." He tells Buffy before biting into his wrist and feeding his blood to Bonnie who groans trying to get away. Buffy notices Damon stand up and glares at him while Elena looks at Bonnie's wound "Her neck, it's healing."

* * *

A little while later Stefan walks over to Damon who looks miserable "Katherine only compelled me after I meet Mary. I knew everything every step of the way. But Mary was the one I was with. I cared about Katherine but not in that way. I loved Mary. What I had with her...It was real for me. I'll leave now."

* * *

Bonnie stares at Buffy and Elena "I don't understand, guys, what happened to me. He attacked me, and...his face was like... and you" Bonnie looks at Buffy "You threw him away like it was nothing."  
"How do you feel? Are you ok?" Elena asks trying to get the attention off Buffy.  
"I'm fine. It's—it's just this blood. I don't..." Bonnie stops talking and Buffy turns to see where Bonnie is looking only to see Stefan "I'm not gonna hurt you." Bonnie looks at him in fear then looks at Elena "What's going on, Elena?"  
"I'll explain everything, Bonnie, ok? Let's just get out of here." Bonnie looks at Stefan again with tears in her eyes "Bonnie. Bonnie, Look at me." Buffy tells her "Trust me. He's not going to hurt you."  
Elena pulls Bonnie away and puts her into the car.

Buffy walks over to Stefan "She's not gonna turn right—"  
Stefan shakes his head "No she has to die with my blood in her system, so keep an eye on her tonight. And make sure nothing happens, and once it leaves her system, she'll be fine."  
Buffy nods "I'm gonna tell her the truth."  
"You sure?"  
"I can trust her. Plus she's witch either way she should know about the supernatural world, so she can protect herself. You saved her life. Stefan...I thought that considering my past that I couldn't...be with you...but maybe—"Buffy sighs trying to think of how to say this but Stefan speaks before she can "I—uh, I have to leave, Buffy. Too many people have died. Too much has happened."

Buffy's eyes widen shocked "What, no. Look I know you think you need to protect me but—"  
"I have to. Coming home was—it was a mistake. I can't be a part of your life anymore."  
Buffy looks down she can feel tears threatening to fall, but she hold them back "Don't go, Stefan. This is your home. Don't go."  
Stefan lifts Buffy's hand and brings it to his lips kissing her hand softly before placing a hand on her check "Goodbye, Buffy." He says as he turns a walks away. Buffy watches him go then notices Elena walk over to her and lets the tears fall as Elena wraps an arm around her.


	20. Career Fair

Buffy walks down the stairs in the morning grabbing her blue leather jacket as she reaches the door.

As she slips on her jacket she turns her head just as Elena comes down the stairs with a large smile on her face as she looks at Jenna and Buffy "Jeremy's got his sketch pad out."  
"You're kidding." Jenna says stunned, she couldn't believe it, Jeremy had been letting that thing gather dust for months...what was so different now?

"Nope." Elena says happily, it was nice to see her brother in a good place after so long in the dark "But don't say a word either of you. The minute we encourage him, he'll put it away."  
Jenna smiles "Psychology major. Check that."

Buffy smiles slightly, despite her happiness that Jeremy was doing well she couldn't help but stare at her phone, she should have figured this would happen, she should never have let her walls down around him, he made her vulnerable...but yet...there was something about him that she couldn't shake.  
"You and Stefan?" Jenna asks with a worried frown as she spots the blonde checking her phone once again.

Buffy shrugs before shoving her phone into her pocket "He knows how I feel. I think. And where I stand, and I know where he stands, but it doesn't matter he's leaving moving away."  
Jenna's eyes widen "Where is he going?"

Buffy shrugs, she didn't know and honestly, she didn't want to think about it, it hurt too much "I've learned in the past it's best not to think about it too much. So I've stopped asking questions. The answers I get always tends to disturb me."

As they step outside and head towards the driveway Jenna sighs "Yours leaves. Mine returns."  
Elena looks over at Jenna "Logan?"  
"He's back."  
"Ucch." Both Buffy and Elena moan in disgust.  
"I didn't let him past the front door." Jenna tells them with pride.  
"Hope you slammed it in his face." Elena tells her.  
"Ah, medium slam."

"Three strike rule Jenna." Buffy tells her, she really didn't like that guy, he had hurt Jenna too much and Buffy really wanted to beat him till he bled.  
"You're not even allowed to watch the news." Elena interjects.  
Jenna nods "Exactly. No more Logan 'Scum' Fell."

* * *

"So any idea of where you'll go?" Stefan asks Damon as he walks into the living room watching his older brother stand by the window.  
Damon shrugs "I don't know. London, maybe. See some friends."  
"You don't have any friends, Damon." Stefan points out.  
"You're right, Stefan. I only have you, so...where are we goin'?"

Stefan rolls his eyes, after everything, there was no way in hell he was going to be anywhere near Damon once he left this town "We are not going anywhere. I'm gonna live my life as far away from you as possible."

Damon walks over to his brother "We could travel the world together. We could try out for "The Amazing Race"."

Stefan smiles "That's funny. Seriously, where are you goin'? 'cause we're not staying in this town."

A second later the doorbell goes off and both brothers turn to face the door.  
Stefan walks over to it and opens the door revealing the Sheriff "I'm here to see Damon." She says instantly causing Stefan to frown.  
"Uh, sure. Ok." Stefan stutters in confusion before stepping out of the way allowing the Sheriff to enter the room.

Damon then appears from behind Stefan "Sheriff. What a surprise."  
Liz gives him a small smile "Sorry to bother you, but we need to talk." She gives him a pointed look letting him know that it was very important, Damon nods "Come in."

As Damon leads Liz out the back to the back yard Stefan watches them for a moment before closing his eyes and allowing himself to focus on their conversation.

* * *

"Um, I hope you understand the secrecy. Stefan doesn't know about this yet. I'd like to keep it that way."  
Liz nods in understanding "Of course. Kids are too young to be brought into this."  
"So, what do you need?"  
Liz turns to face Damon "There's been another attack—a female victim, her throat torn out, completely drained of blood. It fits the pattern."

Damon looks at her confused "I-I'm sorry. I don't understand. I thought we solved that problem when I...staked the blonde one." Damon whispers the last part.

"I'm thinking she must have turned someone or multiple someones. I don't know. The story for the town is another animal attack, but I'm not sure how long we can keep lying to them. The council's in an uproar. We thought we were past this."  
"So, uh, what do we do?"  
"You're the only one who's ever taken on a vampire. We were hoping you could tell us."

* * *

Bonnie, Elena, and Buffy walk into the school and head for the lockers when they see Caroline and Matt "Did I miss something?" Elena asks confused, it was a little bit weird watching one of her best friends hang out with her ex-boyfriend.  
Bonnie shrugs "They've been hanging out." She says not seeing the big deal with the situation.

"Kind of weird, don't you think?"  
Buffy looks at Elena "She needs someone nice like him –"  
"As opposed to a homicidal vampire like Damon." Bonnie finishes causing Buffy to laugh slightly.  
Elena looks at the witch "Yeah. How are you doing with all that?"  
Bonnie looks at the two of them and sighs "I'm freaked out. Damon attacked me. I could be dead right now."

Bonnie focuses on Buffy "But I'm also grateful. To you, little miss super strength and to Stefan. He saved my life, and...have you seen him?"

The three of them reach Elena's locker and Buffy turns to Bonnie as she leans against the wall "Not since he told me he was leaving. For all I know, he's already gone."  
"He wouldn't leave without saying good-bye." Elena argues.

"Yes, he would. He thinks he's protecting me, even though technically I am a lot stronger. But anyway he wants a clean break and all that."  
"So what are you gonna do?" Bonnie asks.

Buffy shrugs "What am I supposed to do? I asked him to stay, but I won't beg it's not fair to him. So it is what it is."

The three then start to head to class "Well, maybe it's for the best." Bonnie suggests.  
Elena stops and turns to Bonnie "What?"

Bonnie looks at Buffy as she speaks "I mean, what kind of future could you have had with him, even if he stayed? You're still the Slayer while he is a vampire."

Buffy shrugs "Yeah well technically I don't have much of a future, Slayers always die young. Being the Slayer equals short life expectancy."

Before Elena or Bonnie could say anything a banner drops in front of the three of them _'Promise of the future'_ Elena and Buffy look at Bonnie "Did you just—" Elena asks but Bonnie cuts her off "No, I swear."

* * *

"Thank you for stopping by." Damon says to Liz as he opens the front door for her.  
"Let me know what you come up with." Liz says as she heads out the door.

"Absolutely." Damon says before closing the door behind the sheriff.

The moment the door closes Stefan runs over to Damon and pins him against the wall "What is wrong with you? You killed somebody?"  
Damon shoves Stefan back "Get off of me. A—Don't touch me. B—If I had, I wouldn't have been so obvious about it. C—There's another vampire in town."  
Stefan watches his brother closely "That's impossible."  
"Obviously not."  
"Then who could it be?"

Damon shrugs "Ah, what do we care? We're leavin' anyway, right?"  
Stefan shakes his head "No, I can't leave now, and you know that. How are we supposed to find this person?"

"Oh, I don't know why don't you ask the small blonde Vampire Slayer. She's killed enough vampires and what not. She should be able to track him." Stefan glares at him causing Damon to roll his eyes "Let the adults handle this, Stefan." Damon says before he walks off.

* * *

Sunnydale, California

Angel sits on the couch in the mansion thinking about Buffy. He had been back for a few weeks now and all he knew was that Joyce had died and Buffy had been sent away to live with her cousins.

Angel sighs and gets up from his seat and starts pacing the room Giles, Willow and Xander continue to refuse to tell him where she is, even though Willow had done a spell to check that Angel has his soul back.

As he paces the room Willow walks in with a brown paper bag "Angel?" Angel stops at the smell of blood and turns his attention to the bag then to Willow. "I brought you this." Willow says as she walks over to him handing him the bag. Angel thanks her and takes the bag placing it on the side table. Willow stands awkwardly for a moment before speaking "I know that you want to know where Buffy is. But Angel understand, it's been more than 8 and half months since Acathla. Since then a lot has changed."

Angel nods but doesn't say anything, Willow sighs and leaves the room. As soon as she's gone Angel goes into his bedroom, grabbing a small box out of the wardrobe. In the box was everything he knows about Buffy. When he had first decided to help Buffy before she moved to Sunnydale Whistler had helped him do some research and got Angel information on her background. Angel goes through the box stopping when he sees the photo of Buffy he lifts the photo and places it in the book he had been reading earlier. He then picks up the paperwork hoping to find some trail in Buffy's past that could help him figure out where she is.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Buffy was effectively skipping class when she notices Stefan sitting on a bench outside of school, watching her.  
"Hi." He says as she walks over to him, she merely stands there in silence, still so shocked that he was here...he was going to say goodbye.  
Stefan stands "We need to talk."

* * *

After Stefan had finished telling her what had happened Buffy sits down next to him, trying to process everything...another vampire in town...this was getting insane "So you have no idea who it could be?"  
Stefan shakes his head "None. But it must be somebody new, because leaving a body like that, or they're trying to send a message."

Buffy nods "Are you sure it's one of your kind and not the demonic ones. They tend not to hide bodies."  
"No. I'm sure, demonic vampires don't come to Mystic Falls ever."  
"What about Damon?"  
"Well, I'm never sure about Damon, but he's trying to keep a low profile lately, so it just doesn't make any sense to me."

Buffy thinks for a moment "What are we gonna do?"  
"Damon's tracking them right now. Buffy look I know you can handle yourself but, I want you to be careful."  
Buffy nods "You know when I saw you...I thought you were coming to say good-bye."  
Stefan looks down "Not yet."

* * *

Buffy leaves Elena and Matt at the fair at school when she sees Stefan "I'm guessing you're not here to plan the path for your future." Buffy watches Stefan intently "You're looking out for me."  
"Hope that's ok. I mean I know you don't need it but..."

Buffy forces the smile threatening to break free back down as the two walk together in a comfortable silence.  
"You know, I wanted to be a doctor..." Stefan tells her as they walk "...before everything happened, but, uh, then I couldn't, 'cause..."  
"The blood." Buffy finishes.  
Stefan sighs "Yeah I've dabbled in a bunch of different things, though."

"Didn't love anything enough to stick to it?"  
"No—No I love it all. I just—I had to move on before anybody could notice that I wasn't getting any older."  
Buffy looks up at Stefan "I'm guessing that you would only stick in one place for two years maybe a bit more than?"  
Stefan nods "I didn't have a choice I would always have to leave. So what about—what about you? What are you, uh, plans for the future?"|

"Stefan, I don't want to talk about my future because when I do, I realise that it's likely that I won't live past 20. Plus in these few short years that I maybe have left, you are making it very clear that you are not gonna be around."

"Buffy..." Stefan sighs unsure of what to say, he has never really realized that being the Slayer means that Buffy was likely going to be killed at a young age.

Before Buffy can say anything Jenna appears "Hide me." She begs Buffy.  
Buffy turns to Jenna "What's going on?"  
"The scum Fell has landed."  
Buffy groans in disgust "Logan's here?"

A look of panic crosses Stefan's face "Wait. Logan Fell?"  
Jenna nods and Stefan runs out of the room Buffy follows after him confused. "Stefan what's going on?"

Before he can answer Logan comes over having spotted Jenna "Jenna, are you dodging me?"

Jenna ignores him while Stefan turns to Buffy "Um, Buffy, why don't you and Jenna go somewhere else."  
Stefan gives Buffy an odd look but he tilts his head in Logan's direction. Buffy gets the message immediately and knows she has to get Jenna away from Logan. "Come on. Let's go." Buffy says as she pulls her aunt away.

* * *

Buffy leaves Jenna with Alaric and runs to her locker grabbing her stake and goes to find Stefan who was outside on the phone with Damon. When he hangs up he turns to Buffy "Who turned him?"  
Stefan shrugs "We don't know. Come on."

Stefan grabs Buffy's arm and the two of them head inside. "Hey, have you seen Logan Fell, the news guy?" Buffy asks Matt as they walk past him.  
Matt nods "Yeah. He just gave Caroline a ride home."

"Stay here." Stefan tells her and tries to walk off but Buffy grabs him.  
"Not a chance in hell. Look I get you wanna protect me but I'm stronger than you Stefan and I have slightly more experience with killing vampires so I'm coming." Buffy walks off as Stefan sighs before following her.

* * *

The minute they spot Logan's car Buffy and Stefan run towards it. Stefan stops the car keeping Logan from speeding away Buffy punches her fist through the window and pulls Logan from the driver's seat and throws him to the ground.  
Logan turns on her and growls.

When he goes to attack her Buffy kicks him in the stomach then grabs his head bringing it down to her knee and then drives her stake into his stomach.

"Damn." Damon says as he walks over to Stefan and Buffy, having just seen Buffy kick Logan's ass.  
Damon then aims his gun at Logan and fires several rounds into his chest.  
"Payback's a bitch, isn't it?"

Buffy rolls her eyes before turning back to the car and pulling Caroline out. She takes a worried breath and she stares at one of her best friends, there was blood dripping down from her forehead, Buffy takes a shaky breath, she needed to get her out of here.  
"Get them out of here." Damon says to Stefan who nods lifting Caroline out of Buffy's arms while Damon runs over to the radio where Liz is panicking.

As Stefan and Buffy disappear with Caroline Damon hangs up the radio and turns on Logan who is still groaning in pain.  
"How did she do that?" Logan asks.

Damon smirks "Well, it seems that you've royally pissed off a vampire slayer. Not a good move. But don't worry about her it's just you and me now. So I'm gonna try this one more time." Damon says as he grabs a crowbar from the trunk of the car "Who turned you?"  
"I told you, I don't know."

Damon shrugs "This tire iron here could take your head clean off. Or I could have the Slayer come back and rip you to shreds. So it that your final answer?"

Logan looks up at Damon "How can you side with them?"  
"I don't side with anyone. You pissed me off. I want you dead. Who turned you?"  
"I don't know!" Logan exclaims.  
"Oh, well. You're screwed." Damon brings up the tire iron preparing to swing when Logan yells "Wait, wait! I do know."  
"You're lying."

"You think you're the only one that wants to get in that tomb underneath the old church?"  
Damon glares at the newbie vampire "If you are lying to me, I will end you."  
"I am not lying. There's another way to break the spell. We can help you. Meet me at the old church."

At that moment Damon hears the police siren coming towards them and looks at Logan "Take me down. Make it look real. Make it look real." Damon tells him before swinging the tire iron. Logan dodges out of the way and shoves Damon back against the car before running off. As he runs over Liz appears and run over to Damon, who tells her what happened.

* * *

After dropping Caroline back at home Buffy and Stefan head back to the school where Buffy's car was.

Buffy opens the trunk revealing several weapons in the back making Stefan's eyes widen.  
Buffy reaches for an axe but Stefan stops her. "Damon will deal with Logan, Buffy trust me. If anyone wants Logan dead it's Damon."  
Buffy tries to argue "No but—"  
"Buffy...it will be fine."

Buffy sighs and looks up at Stefan "Fine, ruin all my fun why don't you." She looks away from him pausing slightly before glancing at him "Come on. I'll give you a ride home."  
"Uh, I can get home."  
Buffy nods "I know."  
"All right. That be nice."

* * *

Buffy pulls into the boarding house and looks over at Stefan, just as he is about to reach for the door she speaks, making him pause "You asked me what I wanted my future to be. Honestly, I don't know. At Sunnydale, they had a career day. I was told that I would likely be a cop. Which is slightly ironic but anyway... I was called when I was 15 and when I found out what that meant I just tried not to think about my future too much. When my mom died any hope I had about even the concept of a future disappeared. I know you think that you brought all this bad stuff into my life but it was already there and it always will be, as long as I'm alive."

"This is different." Stefan says as he looks over at her.  
"It doesn't make it any less painful."  
"I know that it's—that's it's hard to understand...but I'm doing this for you."

Stefan looks at her sadly before getting out of the car. Though he wouldn't say it, this was killing him, Lexi had been right, he loved Buffy, he just hadn't realised how much he was in love with her.

Buffy waits a few seconds before making up her mind and getting out of the car. "No. You don't get to make that decision for me. That's all people have ever done to me. Tell me how to be, how to act, but I won't do that anymore. So if you walk away, it's for you. Because I know what I want. I know that I push you away, but it's only because I'm scared that I'm gonna have my heart broken again like last time. And I know it's stupid to even consider doing this but – Stefan...I don't care. I want to risk the hurt and all the bad stuff. And that's because of... how I feel about you."  
Stefan turns around slowly tears in his eyes he then after a small hesitation he quickly walks over to her and kisses her.

* * *

The two of them make their way inside the house as they continue to kiss.  
Buffy removes her jacket before she runs her hand's through Stefan's hair, but a second later Stefan's breathing becomes heavy and he turns away from her.  
Buffy grabs his shoulder "Don't." She breaths knowing that he was hiding from her.

"Buffy, I can't"

Buffy tilts her head and places a soft hand on his shoulder "Yes, you can. Don't hide from me." She places a hand on the side of his face and turns him to look at her. When she sees his face and the blood rushing to his eyes she leans up and kisses him.

Stefan smiles down at her and when the blood slowly settles Buffy smiles back before leaning back up and kissing him again.

She grabs his hand and pulls him upstairs and Stefan follows kissing her as they get to the stop of the stairs. Slowly they make their way towards his bedroom, never tearing themselves away from each other as they go.

* * *

Afterward, Buffy leans against Stefan wearing only his shirt and her underwear, while Stefan sits shirtless with a smile on his face.

Buffy smiles as she looks around the room, for the first time in her life she felt like she always wanted too, like a normal girl with her boyfriend "I've always wanted to feel this way." She tells him as she tilts her head and smiles at him.  
"Like what?" He asks smiling back at her as he tightens his arms around her waist.  
"Like a normal girl." She says sweetly as she leans her head against his chest, completely content.

As she looks around the room she couldn't help but take it all in "I've never been in your room before."  
Stefan strokes her hair and kisses the top of her head before speaking "Well, hasn't changed much over the years."

"Do you leave everything here when you come and go?" She asks curiously and she turns to face him "Cause if so you should have a lot more junk."  
Stefan chuckles "True but this place..." He pauses as he tries to consider how to explain "...It's the only place that—that has remained constant. This room holds every memory that I ever thought was important enough to hold on to."  
Buffy smiles "A lot of memories."  
"Yeah. Are you thirsty or anything?"  
Buffy nods "Little bit. I would ask you but—"

Stefan laughs slightly "Let me get you something to drink, ok?"

"Ok." Buffy responds before leaning forwards and kissing Stefan once more before he leaves the room.

Buffy smiles slightly and couldn't help but giggle, she was happy for the first time in a long time, and she loved this feeling.  
Jumping out of the bed she walks around the room looking at all the books and everything Stefan had kept over the years.

As she walks over to the table she leans forwards and smells one of the candles that Stefan had lit while they had been lying in bed talking.

She leant back up and was planning to get back into the bed but something on the table caught her eyes. She picks up on the old looking photo currently sat on the desk, her eyes widen as she sees an image of herself and Elena.  
Except the photo is not of her and Elena, Buffy realises as her eyes drift to the description at the bottom at the page, where there were two names written, as well as a year.

 _'Mary and Katherine 1864'_

Buffy gasps, dropping the photo in shock, this couldn't be happening...how was that possible? Stefan's exes looked exactly like her and Elena...this was sick and disgusting...she felt like she was going to be sick.

She quickly grabs her clothes and slips them on. Her hand hovers the necklace Stefan had given her, she shakes her head and blinks back tears, she should have known something would go wrong. Something always went wrong.

Ripping the necklace from her neck she places it on top of the photo before climbing out the window to avoid seeing Stefan.

* * *

Just as Buffy jumps into her car and drives off, Stefan comes back upstairs only to find an empty room.  
"Buffy?"He calls, he frowns in confusion, he had only been gone for a minute, where could she have gone.  
He walks around the room only to see Buffy's necklace on top of the photo of Mary and Katherine.

* * *

Buffy feels tears fall down her cheeks as she drives.  
She ends up passing the school where Elena was sitting on the curb, Buffy frowns in confusion, wiping the tears from her face she pulls over next to her cousin.  
"Elena, hey do you need a ride."  
Elena stands and nods, but stops when she sees Buffy "Buffy, Oh my god, what's wrong?" Buffy shakes her head as more tears fall.

Elena walks over to the driver's side of the car "Come on, let me drive, you shouldn't be driving like this."  
Buffy nods and climbs into the passenger's seat while Elena jumps into the driver's seat and starts the car.

They were on the empty highway when Elena looks at Buffy "What happened, Buffy?" Buffy is about to answer when she sees a man standing in the middle of the road "Elena!" Buffy yells.  
Elena turns to see the man and gasps, she tries to swerve past the man but she still hits him and the car flips over.

* * *

As she comes back to consciousness Elena groans in pain, coughing slightly, she blinks a few times trying to fix her blurry vision, slowly she turns her head to look out of the window. Her eyes widen in terror as she sees the man she had hit putting all of his bones back into place.

Suddenly a scream escapes her as he makes his way towards her and Buffy.


	21. Roadtrip

_A/N: Hey everyone look I forget to tell you that I have changed the timeline for season 1 of TVD. I have done it so that season 1 takes place over one year instead of 6 months. Season 2 will take place over senior year. So I'm setting the founder's day thing during the summer, but it may seem like they skipped summer vacation so just imagine for me please. The reason I have done this is mostly 'cause I want to keep the season set over the space of a year timeline that Buffy used, plus I don't like the fact that the first four seasons of TVD are set in under two years. To me it doesn't work that everything that had happened to them only took place within two years. Anyway continue to read and I hope you are enjoying this._

* * *

"Buffy. It's Stefan." Stefan says as he leaves another message on Buffy's phone "I know that picture must have confused you. But I can explain. I need to explain. Please, when you get this, call me."

* * *

Buffy coughs as she hears Elena scream "Elena, are you okay?" Elena nods after she stops screaming.  
"I hit my head" Suddenly her eyes widen "Oh, my God." Elena gasps as she sees the glass lodged in Buffy's side.

Before the worry for her cousin could take over Elena spots a shadow coming towards them, in a panic she gasps and struggles in her chair, they needed to get out of here. As the shadow gets closer she could help but scream however suddenly the figure disappears and then standing in his place was Damon "How ya both doing there?"

"Damon?" Buffy says as she grunts in pain trying to move.  
"You're both stuck."  
Elena nods then looks at Buffy "Damon, she's hurt bad, she took most of the force when the car turned."

Damon looks at Buffy then sees the glass lodged in her side "I'm fine." She sighs.  
Damon stands trying to budge the car but can't.  
Damon bends down "I'm gonna get you out of there. Elena I need to get you out first to get to Buffy, so I want you to put your hands on the roof. Just like that." Elena does as he says "Buffy can you break the seat belt from where you are?"  
Buffy nods as she starts to become very lightheaded "You ready?" Both girls nod as Damon counts "1, 2, 3."

On three Buffy rips Elena's seat belt and Damon catches Elena before she can fall. He quickly moves her away from the car and places Elena down on the ground before running over to Buffy.

"Buffy?" Buffy at this point was starting to look very pale, Damon panics he needed to keep her awake "Buffy, hey come on, no sleeping now. I need you to do what Elena did and put your hands on the roof."  
Buffy does as he says grunting in pain as she moves, Damon pulls the seat belt and catches her as quickly as he can.

"Are you ok?" He asks as he carries her away from the wreck.  
Damon makes Buffy stand so he can look at the injury, it was bad, it had possibly hit something vital, she was bleeding out 'Would have killed any regular person by know' was all he could think.  
Buffy starts to fall but Damon holds onto her "Whoa, you're fading fast, Buffy. Buffy, look at me. Focus. Look at me." Buffy looks at him as he runs his hand through her hair.  
"I look like her." Buffy says before she collapses.  
"What?" Damon asks in confusion before the words hit him, she knew about Mary.

He catches Buffy and looks at her carefully before picking her back up, he didn't know why, but he didn't want her hurt, he wanted to save her...and this feeling was confusing him more than anything "Upsy-daisy." He lifts her then turns to Elena "Come on." He says before heading to his car.

* * *

 _At a Christmas eve party many years ago Angelus grabs one of the maids backing her into the corner, the maid looks up at him fearful "Sir, please, I should return to the party."_

 _"Margaret, Margaret, there's no hurry."_

 _"Mistress will be—"_

 _Angelus interrupts her "Shh. The mistress will get wondering how to get the good Reverend Chalmers into bed and will not notice the absence of canapés. Stay with me."_

 _Angelus runs his hand over her cheek causing her to panic "Sir, people might talk. I'll be put out in the streets. My little boy would...I can't lose this job."_

 _Angelus steps closer grabbing her roughly "Then you best keep quiet."_

 _"You're hurting me."_

 _"Cry out. Call for help. I'm sure mistress will believe your behaviour beyond reproach."_

 _"Please." She begs_

 _"Come, make a scene, huh? Shall I?"_

 _"No, no, no."_

 _Angelus smiles "We'll be quiet as mice. No matter what." Angelus's face morphs showing his vampire form causing Margaret to gasp in fear "Sir! My son!"_

A _ngelus smirks "He'll make a fine dessert." He says before grabbing Margaret and sinking his teeth into her throat. Once he is done he looks up only to gasp in shock as Buffy stands opposite him watching in fear._

Buffy shoots awake and immediately cries out in pain "Son of a bitch."  
"Language." Say Damon who was sitting next to her as he drives the car.  
Buffy rolls her eye and looks down at the now bandaged wound "How—" She tries to ask but Damon interrupts her "I stitched you up after this one" Damon points to the backseat where Elena was still asleep "...passed out. Very nasty wound, glass almost hit a lung. Would have killed your cousin here if she had been in the passenger seat. Don't worry no broken bones though I checked."

At that moment Elena wakes up and sits up in her seat "Morning." Damon says as Elena looks around confused "Where are we?"  
"Georgia."  
Buffy spins around and glares at Damon "What?!"  
Elena looks at Damon "Georgia? No, no. No, we're not. Seriously, Damon. Where are we?"  
"Seriously, we're—we're in Georgia."  
Elena looks at Damon in disbelief "Damon! Buffy was hurt she needs to go to a hospital."  
Buffy jumps into the conversation "No. A 100 times no. Not a chance, no way. I'm not going to a hospital."  
Damon looks over at Buffy "How ya feeling?"  
Buffy sighs "I'm fine." She lies trying to ignore the pain running through her body.

Elena looks at the two of them then remembers something "The car. There was a man. I hit a man. But then he got up and—who was that?"  
Buffy looks back at Elena "I don't know but whoever he is, he owes me a new windshield." Buffy then reaches to grab her phone but can't find it "Damon, where is my phone?"

Damon looks away from her causing Buffy to glare, while in the back seat Elena begins to panic "Ok. We really need to go back. Nobody knows where we are. Pull over. I mean it Damon, pull over. Stop the car!"  
Damon sighs "Oh, you were so much more fun when you were asleep."

Buffy looks over at Damon "Damon, I suggest you pull over or I'm gonna find out if it's possible  
to snap you in half like a twig."  
Damon smirks and taps Buffy's side causing her to cry out in pain, Damon smiles "I don't think you will be able to do much at the moment blondie."

Buffy grabs the hand Damon placed on her wound and squeezes, when Damon grunts in pain Buffy smirks "Pull over. Now!" she orders glaring at him, her eyes dark with fury.

* * *

Buffy slowly climbs out of the car grabbing her side as she does, suddenly Damon is by her side, a worried look on his face.  
Buffy freezes for a moment before nodding at him "I'm good." She tells him, as she says it he moves away from her.

At that point, Elena climbs out of the car and stands next to Buffy glaring at Damon "We have to go back."  
"Oh come on. Look. We've already come this far."  
"Why are you doing this?"  
Buffy looks at Damon "Were you born this big a pain in the ass?"  
Damon glares at Buffy before looking at Elena who was still talking "We can't be in Georgia. I wrecked Buffy's car. We have to go home. This is kidnapping."  
"That's a little melodramatic, don't you think?"  
"I'm not going to Georgia."  
"Oh, you're in Georgia. And without a perfect in condition slayer."

Buffy turns to Damon "You know your irritating tendencies are really starting to make me want want to introduce you to Mr. Pointy."  
Damon raises an eyebrow "Mr. Pointy? You named your stake?"  
Buffy shrugs "It's complicated." She pauses for a second as she remembers the reason it was called that "Actually not so complicated."  
"Well, you Miss Summers don't seem to have your magic little necklace."

Buffy smirks, he seemed to always forget that he couldn't make her do whatever he wanted through compulsion "Remember, dumbass you can't get into my head anyway. Try all you want maybe, you'll try so much you will die. Then I don't have to worry about getting blood on my shirt."  
"What about your cousin, I could very easily make her...agreeable."  
"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Before he can answer a phone starts ringing in Damon's jacket. Damon pulls out the phone "Mmm. It's your boyfriend."  
He tries to hand her the phone but Buffy shakes her head "A world of no."  
Damon shrugs "I'll take it." He says as he answers the phone "Buffy's phone."

 _"Where is she? What do you have her phone? Is she ok?"_ Stefan asks, panicked at the fact that Damon was with Buffy.  
Damon smirks "Buffy? Oh, she's right here standing with her cousin. And, yes, other than some glass that was lodged in her lung, she's fine"  
 _"She was hurt? Where are you? Let me speak to her?"_

Damon looks at Buffy holding her the phone "He wants to talk to you." Buffy just glares at him causing Damon to sigh and put the phone back to his ear "Yeah. I don't—I don't think she wants to talk to you right now. And honestly she looks more like she's going to kill you then anything, so might wanna keep your distance."  
 _"Damon, I swear to God, If you touch her or Elena—"  
_ "You have a good day. Mm-hmm. Bye-now."

Damon turns to Buffy and Elena. Elena was helping Buffy fix her bandage before looking at Damon "Look. No one knows where we are. Can we please just go back?"  
"We're almost there." Damon tells them, pouting slightly.  
"And where exactly is there? 'Cause I'm getting the very strong urge to hit you if you don't fess up." Buffy says as she leans against the car for support.  
"A little place right outside of Atlanta. Oh, come on, Buffy. You don't wanna go back right now. Do you? What's the rush? Time-out."

"The rush is, I don't like you and if I'm stuck with you in a car any longer I'm gonna, well let's just say it's not gonna' be pretty. We're talkin' violence, strong language, adult content." She says, sounding extremely serious. Not a hint of her normal humour in her voice.

Damon rolls his eyes and stares at the slayer "Trust me. Your problems are still going to be there when you get home. And if I annoy you so much in the car, I'll even give you a free punch. Look. Step away from your life for 5 minutes."

Buffy pouts "I'm only gonna get one free shot out of this. Oh come on, that's no fun."

Buffy turns to Elena who nods at her, Buffy sighs and turns back to Damon "Is she gonna be safe with you?"  
"Yes."  
Elena look at Damon "Will you promise not to do that mind control thing with me?"  
"Yes."  
"Can we trust you."  
Damon doesn't answer just heads back to the car "Come on back in the car, come on."

Buffy sighs and turns heading back to the car. She winces as she climbs into her seat "Great." She huffs "I'm now gonna be way off my game. My game's left the country. It's in Cuernavaca!"

* * *

After Buffy fills Elena in on what happened with Stefan, she turns to Damon as they continue to drive "So what happened to my car?"  
"I pulled it off on the side of the road. I don't think anybody will bother it."

Buffy sighs, sadness filling her, that was her mother's car and now it was likely destroyed for good. It was one of the final pieces of her mother she had left and it hurt like hell. Even if it was just a car it smelled like her mom, it was the car her mom and she had driven in every day. There were so many memories.  
Elena leans forward in her seat "What about that man in the road? Was he a..."  
"Yeah." Buffy and Damon answers at the same time.  
"Do either of you know him?"

Buffy raises an eyebrow "Elena, most vampires I meet are dust within the first five minutes of us meeting, depending on how bored I am, then sometimes it takes a little longer but they are most definitely dust by the end of the night."

Buffy then looks at Damon who shakes his head "If I've never met him, I wouldn't know him. I mean, it's not like we all hang out together at the vamp and grill. This isn't Sunnydale where vampires just go hang at the local demon bar."

"Where are we?" Elena asks Damon as he pulls the car over.

Buffy looks out of the window and groans at the sight before her, Damon was seriously insane "You seriously brought us to a bar. Do you really have that much of a drinking problem?"

The three of them climb out of the car and Elena turns to Damon "Damon, we're not old enough. They're not going to let us in."

"Sure they will." Damon then turns to Buffy and teases her "And little Slayer, there will be no beating people to a pulp for information." Buffy glares at him before rolling her eyes. Buffy and Elena then follow Damon into the bar.

As they enter Damon makes his way to bar when the beautiful bartender sees him "No. No, it' can't be. Damon." She climbs over the table and walks over to him grinning "My honey pie." She then grabs him pulling him into a passionate kiss. Buffy and Elena stare with wide eyes in shock.

* * *

"Listen up, everybody!" The bartender Bree yells as she holds up a bottle of bourbon "Here's to the man that broke my heart, crushed my soul, destroyed my life, and ruined any and all chances of happiness!" Bree then places shot glasses in front of Buffy, Elena and Damon "Drink up!"  
Damon quickly drank both his and the girl's drinks and smiles at Bree.  
"So which one of you did he rope in?" Bree asks Buffy and Elena.  
Buffy scoffs "A world of no. Not a chance." As she says it Elena chuckles.  
Bree watches the blonde carefully then looks at Damon "Really Damon, hanging out with the Slayer?"  
"How did you—" Buffy starts to ask but Bree cut her off.

"Baby, I can sense power coming off you. I've meet a Slayer before, you are about 20 times more powerful. Honey I could feel that power when you were still in the car." Bree looks at Damon and smirks "I think she's out of your league."  
Elena and Buffy look at Bree confused at how she could tell Buffy was a Slayer when Damon whispers in Buffy's ear "She's a witch."

'Witch' Buffy mouths to Elena who nods and looks at Bree "So how did you two meet?"

Bree smiles "College."  
Buffy laughs while Elena looks at him with a raised eyebrow "You went to college?"  
"I've been on a college campus, yes." He tells them.

Bree then starts to explain "About 20 years ago when I was a sweet, young freshman. I met this beautiful man and I fell in love. And then he told me about his little secret, made me love him even more. Cause as you now know I had my own little secret that I was dying to share with somebody. You changed my world."  
Damon smiles "I rocked your world."

Bree smirks and laughs "He is good in the sack, isn't he? But mostly he's just a walkaway joe." Bree does her shot then goes to grab another bottle "So, what is it that you want?"

* * *

Elena is on the phone with Jenna trying cover up why her and Buffy disappeared. While Buffy is in the bathroom changing up her bandage.

Damon sits with Bree "Come on, there's gotta be another way."

Bree sighs as she places her feet on the table "After all these years, it's still only Mary. You do realize that Katherine is not gonna be happy when she finds out that the whole time that she was trying to get you to be with her, you were in love with her best friend. She may not give you the spell or the amulet so you can bring her back. Plus how do you even know Katherine is still alive?"

Damon shrugs "Well, you help me get into that tomb and we'll find out."  
"I already did. 20 years ago. Remember? 3 easy steps—Comet. Crystal. Spell."  
"There's a little problem with number 2. I don't have the crystal."  
"That's it, Damon. There is no other way. It's Emily's spell."  
"What about a new spell with a new crystal that overrides Emily's spell?"  
Bree smiles "It doesn't work that way baby. Emily's spell is absolute. You can't get into that tomb."

Damon looks over at the bathroom as Buffy exits lowering her vest over the wound. Her phone then starts to ring. Buffy looks at the caller I.D and frowns before quickly walking outside to answer it. Damon listens to Buffy's conversation from inside the bar.

Buffy answers her phone and straight away hears Stefan _"Buffy, is that you?"_  
Buffy sighs "Yep. 100 percent Buffy here."  
 _"Where are you?"_  
"Timbuck two. My turn, you lied to me."  
 _"Not until I explain, please."_  
"So, what you didn't lie? Ok, you just with held the truth, a piece of uber-truth that is."  
 _"Just tell me where you are. So that I can come get you."_  
"Nope. Now tell me how I look like Mary, except for the hair, which by the way, mine is way better. Also, how is Elena connected to Katherine, Stefan?"  
 _"I honestly don't know."_  
"And what? I'm supposed to just buy that you don't know anything."  
 _"It's the truth. I—listen—"_  
Buffy cuts him off by hanging up the phone. She then feels someone coming up behind her "It's not nice to eavesdrop, Damon." Buffy says as she turns around. "Are you ok?" Damon asks her concerned.  
"Look Mr Totally gloating inside. I'm fine."

* * *

Later, Buffy, Elena and Damon are all sitting at the bar eating when Elena turns to Damon "So if I'm related to Katherine, does that make me part vampire?"  
"Not possible. Vampires can't have mini vampires." Buffy tells her cousin.  
"But we love to try." Damon adds smirking "No if you are related, it would mean Katherine had a child before she was turned."  
"What about me and Mary?" Buffy asks.  
Damon shrugs "That I'm not sure about. And technically you don't look exactly alike. Your blond she, was not." Buffy glares at him "Ok look I don't know. Mary was always secretive, there was a lot about her past I didn't know but one thing I know is that she never had any children. So we don't even know if you're related to her. Which just makes you two looking alike a lot more freaky if you ask me."  
Buffy nods "So what was Stefan's plan use me as some creepy stand in doll, to replace her." Buffy grimaces as the image of creepy life-size dolls that look exactly like her begin to fill her mind.  
"Kinda creepy if you ask me."

Damon looks at Elena's plate "Come on, what? You don't like pickles? What's wrong with you?" Damon takes the pickles off Elena's plate and places them on his own.  
Elena looks at Damon "How can you even eat? If technically you're supposed to be—"  
"Dead." Damon whispers finishing the statement "It's not such a bad word. As long as I keep a healthy diet of blood in my system, my body functions pretty normally."  
Elena then turns to Buffy "What about the other kind?"  
"They can eat." Buffy tells her "But they don't really taste anything when they do."  
"Here you go, honey." Bree says as she walks over placing a beer in front of Damon.

Elena then to Buffy's surprise looks at Bree "I'll have one, too." Buffy gives her an odd look "You're not the only one that needs a time out. So I'm gonna need a beer."  
"What about you blondie?" Damon asks.  
Buffy shakes her head "Slayer metabolism. No point. The only way that is going to do anything for me, is if it was cursed." She jokes before biting into her burger.

* * *

A few hours later Elena was very drunk as she continues to do shots with some other people at a small table in the corner of the bar, while Buffy was playing pool with a couple guys at the bar.

A few minutes later Elena's phone rings and she quickly grabs it heading outside.

Damon watches as Buffy takes a wad of cash off the guy she is playing with and smirks. Damon couldn't believe it, Buffy hustled the poor man. Damon chuckles to himself then turns to Bree. "Hey, where's your girl?" Bree asks looking around the bar.  
Damon shrugs and looks at Buffy "Over there."  
Bree smiles "No, not the small one hustling every guy in the bar. Damn, that girl must have made at least a couple hundred off the guys in here."

Damon looks around the room "Hmm. She was right back there." Damon says as he looks at the table Elena was at earlier. Damon looks at Bree once more before walking over to Buffy who is now smirking at the tall man who is handing her a $50 bill. "Where is your cousin?" Damon asks the slayer.  
Buffy looks over a Damon then at the table she saw Elena sat at earlier, once she realises Elena was no longer in the bar, she starts to panic "I don't know."

Damon frowns and grabs Buffy's arm pulling her outside. As they step outside Buffy sees Elena's phone on the ground and bends to pick it up "Umm, this is not good. No girl I know no matter how drunk drops their cellphone. It's like a chicken with its eggs, it's precious." Damon gives her an odd look, hiding the amusement he feels at how she speaks her own mini language. The two walk around the back of the building and spot Elena "Buffy, Damon, no."

As they step outside Buffy sees Elena's phone on the ground and bends to pick it up "Umm, this is not good. No girl I know no matter how drunk drops their cell phone. It's like a chicken with its eggs, it's precious." Damon gives her an odd look, hiding the amusement he feels at how she speaks her own mini-language. The two walk around the back of the building and spot Elena "Buffy, Damon, no."

Before either of them can blink someone throws Buffy into the opposite wall and hits Damon in the knee "Buffy!" Elena screams as she watches her cousin be thrown into the wall. Elena climbs down from her place and runs over to the blond slayer and helps her up, spotting the blood now flowing from her wound. "Oh, god." Elena breathes noticing Buffy's stitches have ripped.  
"What the hell?" Damon yells at the man above him, as the vampire continues to assault him with a baseball bat. The vampire then grabs a large container of lighter fluid and starts to pore it on Damon "No!" Elena yells. Buffy quickly runs over and throws the man off Damon and into the opposite building, Damon looks over at the man "Who are you?"  
The man stands and glares at Damon "That's perfect. You have no idea."  
Elena looks at the man confused "What are you talking about? What did he do?"

The man turns to look at Elena who was trying to keep Buffy from falling "He killed my girlfriend." The man turns back to Damon and walks towards him "What did she do to you, huh? What did she do to you?!"  
"Nothing." Damon says as he still lies on the ground coughing.  
"Still not getting anything here guy." Buffy says to the man.  
"My girlfriend went to visit Stefan, and Damon killed her. Got it?"  
Elena looks at Buffy confused. Buffy thinks for a moment before realisation settles in "Lexi? Lexi was your girlfriend? But see here's what I'm not getting she said you were human."  
The man looks at both girls sadly "I was."  
Elena looks at the man carefully and sees him pull out a box of matches "Lexi turned you?"  
"If you want to be with someone forever, you have to live forever."

The man kicks Damon in the gut and Buffy tries to move but flinches in pain so tries another tactic "She loved you. Trust me I know what it's like to lose the person you love. I watched the first man I ever loved die. It creates a hole inside you. And I know you think killing the dumbass there" Buffy gestures at Damon "Will help but it won't. It won't bring her back. So please, don't...don't hurt him."  
"Don't!" Elena yells as the man lights a match.  
Buffy steps forwards "I'll admit that Damon...well he's a dick. But Lexi was good and she loved you. And I'm guessing that she saw a goodness inside you too. Don't sink to his level."  
The man looks at Buffy for a moment before lifting Damon and throwing him into the opposite wall. "Thank you." Elena breathes a sigh of relief but the man looks at Buffy and nods, she nods back in understanding before he disappears. Elena runs over to Damon while Buffy looks at the place where Lexi's boyfriend just disappeared before walking over to the two of them.

* * *

Hours later Buffy, Damon and Elena are back on the road heading back to Mystic Falls. While Elena sleeps off the alcohol she had to drink in the back, Buffy looks at Damon "So, why did you bring us with you?"  
Damon shrugs "Well, you girls aren't the worst company in the world. You should both give yourself's more credit."  
Buffy looks at Damon and raises an eyebrow "Really?"  
"Well, missy slayer you were there on the road. You all damsel in distress-like. Which I'm guessing for you, blondie must have been a first. Plus I knew it would piss off Stefan and...your not the worst company in the world, Buffy. Neither is your hangover cousin in the backseat."  
Damon looks at Elena "Lightweight that one." Buffy chuckles slightly "You know, I used to be the poster girl for fun. Seriously if there was a poster, it would have been given to me."  
"You did ok. You may not have drunk yourself into passing out like Gilbert here, but I have never seen someone hustle anyone at pool that well. How much did you make anyway?"  
Buffy smirks "$400."  
Damon chuckles slightly then looks at her seriously "You saved my life."  
"I know."  
"Why?"  
Buffy looks over at Damon "Well, 1- I like having people owe me favours. Which by the way, you now owe me like 5 favours."  
Damon looks at her confused "What? How does that work out?"  
"Well, you're not the one who ended up having their stitches torn open."  
Damon rolls his eyes but can't help the smile that forms on his face "Fine. And what was number 2?"  
Buffy smirks "If anyone is gonna kill you, it's gonna be me." Damon looks at her stunned but when Buffy starts laughing, he can't keep himself from joining in.

* * *

Buffy and Elena enter Stefan's room at the boarding house. Stefan looks up his complete focus on Buffy "Hey." Buffy says.  
Stefan stands and looks at Buffy "Hi."  
"You know, you could have maybe, told me."  
"I wanted to tell you."  
"Stefan, you told me you wouldn't lie to me, and here I thought you meant that. Well here's the thing about me, I like being told the truth, I can handle anything you throw at me. And Elena can handle the truth as well. She deserves to know, just as much as I do."  
Elena steps next to Buffy "She's right if I can handle the fact that you are a vampire. And you have a vampire brother. And that my best friend is a witch. And also that my cousin is a slayer with super strength. I can handle the fact that nothing in this world is as it seems. But what Buffy told me, I can't handle and neither can she."  
Stefan looks back at Buffy who nods as she steps towards him "Stefan this is a lie, a big fat wop of a lie that, I have no idea how to handle. What am I to you? Or should I ask who? What were you gonna do? Have me dye my hair black until—"  
Stefan interrupts her "No, no, no. Buffy, you are not Mary. You are the opposite of everything she was."  
Elena walks over to the table and picks up the picture of Mary and Katherine then quickly looks at Stefan "What about me?"  
Stefan turns to Elena "You are like Buffy, the complete opposite of the woman in that image."  
Buffy glares at Stefan "Oh, and when did you have this oh so wonderful epiphany? Before you kissed me? Before we slept together? Is this what's gonna keep happening to me, sleep with a guy and ka-pow" Buffy makes an explosive gesture with her hands before tuning back to Stefan.  
"Before I met you. Both of you."  
Buffy looks at him confused "Huh?"  
"The first day of school when we met. It wasn't for the first time, Buffy. Nor was it the first time I meet Elena."  
"Again I say, huh?"  
Elena steps forwards "Then when was it?"  
Stefan turns to the brunette "For you, May 23, 2009."  
"But that was—"  
"That was the day your parents' car went off the bridge."  
Elena looks at him angrily "You were there?"  
Stefan nods "Every couple of years I come back here to see Zach and see my home. Last spring, I was out in the woods, by old Wickery bridge. And I heard the accident. All of it. I was fast getting there, but not fast enough. The car was already submerged. Your Dad—he was still conscious. I was able to get to him, but he wouldn't let me help him until I helped you." Buffy notices tears rolling down Elena's face and walks over to her cousin rubbing her arm; Elena gasps "Oh, my god. When I woke up in the hospital nobody could figure out how I got out of the car. They said it was a miracle."  
"I went back for them." Stefan tells her "But it was too late. I couldn't—I couldn't save them. When I pulled you out, I looked at your face. You looked like Katherine. I couldn't believe the resemblance. After that, I spent a long time researching trying to make sure you weren't her."  
Buffy turns to Stefan "Why does Elena look like Katherine, Stefan?"  
Stefan hesitates "Maybe now isn't the best time."  
Elena steps forward "Why do I look like her, Stefan? What are you not telling me?"  
"It didn't make any sense to me. You were a Gilbert. She was a Pierce. But the resemblance was too similar. And then I learned the truth. You were adopted, Elena."  
Elena's eyes widen in shock "How did you know—"  
"Your birth certificate from the city records. It says 'Elena Gilbert. Mystic Falls General.' But there's no record of your mother ever being admitted. There's no record of her ever being pregnant."  
"What else do you know?"  
"For me to go any further, I would've had to look into the Pierce family, and I couldn't do that. It's too much risk. If someone found out I was asking about Katherine—"  
Elena interrupts "I need to go."  
"Elena." Buffy calls trying to follow.  
Elena turns to her cousin "I just need time to think, I need to talk to Jenna maybe she'll know something. Stay, umm you need to know the truth too." Elena then quickly exits the room.

Buffy stays silent for a few moments before turning to Stefan "I guess it's my turn now. Oh, goody. So how did we officially meet?"  
Stefan turns to Buffy "Umm, after the funeral, I saw your mother." Buffy's breathing starts to pick up at that point "She looked at lot like Mary, there were a lot of similarities. When she left the funeral a photo of you fell out of her purse at first I didn't realise because of the hair but then I looked at your face and...I thought I was losing my mind first Elena then you."  
Buffy sits down on the edge of the bed and Stefan sits next to her as he continues "I went to L.A to see you and I found you and a blond girl helping a group of people out of an abandoned building."  
"You were the man that helped them all start over."

Stefan nods then continues "Once I did see you, I couldn't believe it. I spent months making sure you weren't Mary. I watched you. I learned everything that I could about you. And I saw that you were nothing like Mary. When you and your mother went back to Sunnydale, I followed, I knew it was on a Hellmouth and I was worried." Buffy looks at Stefan sadly as he goes on "After your mother passed, I learnt that you were going to Mystic Falls. I wanted to leave, but, Buffy, I couldn't. I couldn't leave without knowing you. I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you. I wanted to. But you were so sad."  
Buffy looks down at the ground before turning back to Stefan "Why do I look like her? I mean Elena got adopted. So what am I? Clone, Robot, creepy witchy replicator thing?"  
"I don't know."  
Buffy looks at him confused "Wait, what?"  
"Mary was good at covering her tracks, but she would tell me things sometimes. It wasn't much, but I know that she lied about who her family was, but even if she hadn't I don't think you're actually related to her."  
"Then how?"  
"I don't know. But I know that your mother was your mum. In every possible way."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Well that's comforting."

Stefan moves closer to Buffy "Listen to me, it doesn't matter. You are the woman that I love. I love you."  
Buffy's eyes widen and a tear falls down her cheek. She places a hand on Stefan's check and gives him a soft smile before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his lips.


	22. The Decade Dance

"Stefan, who was that creepy guy in the road when Elena crashed the car?" Buffy asks Stefan, as they lay down on her bed in her room at home.  
"I don't know. Did you or Elena remember anything else about him?" He asks, trying to hide the worry that was threatening to consume him.

"I wish, but Elena, was blocking my view so I couldn't really see, plus I was trying to make sure I didn't bleed to death, so I was a bit occupied. Elena, said he was wearing hoodie and black boots. I do think he's one of yours though cause my vamps can't put all their bones back together and heal that quickly."  
Stefan nods, he sits up then pulls out a small box from his satchel "I brought some vervain. For, um—for you, Elena and Jenna. And, um, I made this bracelet for Jeremy. There is a necklace here Elena can use." He says as he shows Buffy a beautiful amulet with a red stone in the middle "And a few extra things for friends."

Stefan hands Buffy the bracelet and necklace and she inspects them as he keeps going "You can put it in jewelry, or you can even put it in food or drink, but as long as it's in you or on you, a vampire like me cannot control you."

Buffy, nods her head, there was so much she had to remember now, it was starting to feel like her head might explode "I'll just add it to my list of things that repel vampires. Which you know had doubled since I found out about your kind. You know I'm so glad the other kind cannot control minds, there is something about drinking holy water which just seems weird to me."  
Buffy looks at Stefan "Are you sure your kind doesn't go near the Hellmouth?"  
Stefan nods "Yes, there is too much demonic energy by a Hellmouth, it tends to repel my kind, but if you want send you friends somethings, just in case do it."  
"Ok. Now about the hoodie guy?"

Stefan nods in understanding "There's another vampire in town. So until we find out who it is and what he wants, we have to be careful."

* * *

The next day Damon was throwing books off the shelf in the boarding house when Stefan walks over to him "What are you lookin' for, Damon?"  
Damon doesn't even turn his head "Not your concern."  
"No, but putting Buffy and her cousin in harm's way. That is my concern."  
Damon smirks slightly as he opens another book only to toss it to the ground a moment later "Heh heh. What are you talking about?"  
"I'm talking about Atlanta."

Damon, looks away from the book and turns to face Stefan "Oh, yeah. The girls and I had a blast. Did you know your girlfriend knows how to hustle guys at pool." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively causing Stefan to growl slightly.  
As Stefan continues to glare at him, Damon rolls his eyes "Oh come on, Elena was with Buffy who as you know is a Vampire Slayer. They were both perfectly safe."  
Stefan sighs "Buffy was walking around for hours after just having glass stuck in her lung, she couldn't have been as strong as you at that moment."

Stefan watches Damon, for a moment then leans against the shelf and smiles "I get it. You're just bitter because one of us gets to be with the person that we love, and poor Mary and hell even Katherine are just out of reach. Unless there's another way for you to get into that tomb. Is that what Bree said?"  
Damon goes back to looking at the shelf, evading the subject best he could "You're pathetic when you're fishing."  
Stefan shrugs "And you're transparent when you're deflecting."  
Damon turns to his brother and smirks "Don't you have school?"

* * *

At school Buffy gives Elena one of the necklaces Stefan gave her.

The two of them are now walking with Caroline who was admiring her own new necklace "It's so pretty. Thank you. God, it'll go with, like, everything. What's the occasion?"  
Buffy shrugs "Who said there had to be an occasion, did you Elena?" Elena smiles and shakes her head  
"Nope." Elena says before turning to Caroline "Look no occasion. Just a little friend gift."

As the three of them sit at one of the outside tables Caroline gives them both a skeptical look "Lesbian friend necklace. 'Cause we're freaky Like that."  
Caroline winks at Elena causing Buffy to laughs before speaking "Friendship is important right? So it's a gift to show...appreciation for that friendship. I think...I don't know ask Elena she's better at the mushy stuff."  
"Why are you both being so mushy?"  
Buffy looks over at Elena who turns to face Caroline "Because you've been avoiding me, and I wanted you to know that whatever is going on with you and Matt, it's ok."

Caroline freezes trying to think of how to explain something she herself didn't even understand yet "I was gonna talk to you about that. I was, but there's just not much to say. We hung out a couple times. That's it, but...I just feel like we've peaked as friends." Elena nods allowing her to continue "This is weird. I shouldn't be talking to you about this. It's weird. It's weird, right?"  
Elena smiles "If it's what you and Matt want, then it's not about me."  
Caroline shrugs "But it's all about you. Matt's not over you, and we all know it. And that fact that your not dating anyone is not exactly helping him move on."  
Elena looks away from the both of them clearly hiding something, Buffy comes to a realisation "Oh, My, God. You have a secret oh that is so not allowed, come on spill."  
Caroline focuses on Elena "Did you meet someone?"

Elena shakes her head "No it's not...I..." She stutters panicking slightly, cursing herself for being so obvious "We're not dating...it's this guy he goes to Whitmore College I meet him once when my dad took me up there. After what happened he got in contact with me and we've kinda stayed that way."

Buffy and Caroline look at each other and smile but then Buffy's phone rings "Hold on a minute." Buffy says to her friends as she answers the phone "Hello?Hello? Is anyone there" when no one answers, Buffy tries to listen for the sound of someone breathing but can't hear anything. "Okay." Buffy says as she hangs up the phone. She turns back to her friends but can't help but shake the feeling that whoever called her did not do it by accident.

* * *

Meanwhile in Sunnydale Angel places the phone back on the table, he had heard Buffy's voice. He takes a deep breath he still had no idea where she was but he was now even more determined to find her.

* * *

The next day Buffy and Stefan listen to Elena as she tells them about what happened after she left the Grill last night "Why me? What does he want with me? A-and if he's trying to kill me, then why call first." She rushes out panicking, her eyes were red with fear it was clear she was terrified.  
"That's because we're predators, Elena. We hunt. We stalk. It's often as exciting as the kill." Stefan tells her as he takes his seat next to Buffy.

Elena looks to Buffy for an explanation, Buffy sighs and leans forward in her seat "He's right, look when Spike first showed up in Sunnydale he watched me for months, tried to learn everything about me he could. And when Angel become Angelus he was a lot worse. He would follow me and my friends, he would sneak into my house in the middle of the night while I slept and would send me creepy ass gifts, and I'm talking like real creepy. For a vampire, stalking the victim, making them constantly look over their shoulder gives them a thrill. One which they don't get just by killing."

Stefan watches Buffy carefully as she speaks, becoming even more curious as to what happened in Sunnydale, then sighs handing Buffy the watch "I want you both to take this."  
Buffy takes the pocket watch and shows it to Elena.  
"This is Jeremy's pocket watch. How did you get it?" Elena asks confused.  
"I took it from Damon, who took it from Logan, who must have taken it from you."

"What happened to it?" Buffy asks as she examines the watch intently, there was something different about it now.  
"Well, it's not just a watch. It's a—It's a sort of compass, but it points to vampires."  
Buffy and Elena watch as the arrow in the watch turns to point at Stefan. Elena looks at Buffy "Buffy, don't you have that whole... spidey sense thing which tells you about vampires."  
Buffy, sighs "It works on demonic vampires mostly, cause that's what a Slayer was born to fight. But I can sometimes tell, it's just more difficult."

Elena nods then turns to Stefan "Why did my father have it?"  
Stefan turns to look at Elena "Gilbert's were one of the founding families, and back in 1864, they were among those who sought to eradicate the vampires. The compass was used to find us."  
"Did you know them?"  
Stefan nods "Yes. I want you to keep this, the both of you. That way, you'll know if you're ever in danger."  
Elena nods then her phone starts ringing 'Bonnie' she mouths to Buffy before quickly leaving the room.

Once she's gone Buffy turns to Stefan "You know I can take care of myself, most of the time I'm considered the danger."  
Stefan chuckles slightly before kissing the top of her head and smiling at her "I know, but I just worry so please take it anyway." When she arches a brow he sighs "Humour me?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes but can't help the smile that appears on her face "Fine." She smiles at him as he places his hand on her cheek before kissing her.

* * *

Once Buffy and Elena get back to the house the two walk into the kitchen and see Jenna in the living room all dressed up for the dance. "Spoke to the insurance company." Jenna says to Buffy "Car's totaled."  
Buffy nods, relieved that her mother's car could be repaired "Thanks. Elena are you still ok giving me a ride in the morning?"  
Elena turns to her cousin and smiles "Sure. It's the least I can do, considering I was the one that crashed your mom's car."  
Buffy walks over to the fridge when she sees Jenna's outfit "Why don't you look at 50's ish."  
Elena turns to face Jenna "So you're coming to the dance?"  
Jenna smiles "Alaric asked me to help chaperone."

Elena hesitates for a moment before turning on Jenna "Why didn't you tell me, Jenna?"  
"Your mom was gonna do it eventually. I never thought I'd have to."  
"If my mom were here right now and I asked, she's tell me the truth."

Buffy looks between the two sensing they needed a moment, she looks at Elena "I'm just gonna-go-do a thing, that requires me to leave at this very second."  
Elena gives her a small smile telling her that she would talk to her everything later. Buffy smiles back before heading upstairs to get ready.

* * *

"You got the hair right." Damon comments as his brother walks into the room.  
Stefan dumps a brown book in front of Damon. Damon looks at the book confused "Why are you bringing me dad's journal?"  
"'Cause you were looking for it."  
Damon looks up from the book and stares at Stefan "And why would I want it?" He asks with a shrug.

Stefan shrugs back "Gee, I don't know, Damon. Maybe you wanna do a little bit of posthumous bonding. Go ahead. Enjoy it. Read it. I have. Nowhere in it does it say anything about Mary, Katherine's amulet or the tomb or how to open it."  
Damon opens the book flipping through the pages "Not surprised. Man could barely spell his own name."  
Stefan smirks "I'm really sorry. That it won't be any help with your diabolical plan, the sequel. You know, I could help you."  
Damon smiles and leans back in his chair "You, help me? Aw, I don't know. Seems a little unnatural."  
"I'll do anything to get you out of this town, even release Katherine, who will revive Mary."  
"What about the other 26 vampires?"  
Stefan shakes his head "No, no, no. They can't come. They have to stay put, but Katherine and Mary, I would consider that."  
Damon looks at his brother skeptically "What are you doin'? Hmm? What's your angle?"  
Stefan shakes his head "Think about it."  
"Why would I trust you?" Damon asks as he looks back at the book.  
"See that's your problem, Damon. You apply all of your shortcomings to everybody else. If history's any indication, there's only one liar among us."

* * *

Buffy was in her room getting ready for the decade dance, she looks at herself in the mirror, she was wearing tight black trousers which came up to her mid stomach as well as a big belt and a black top where the sleeves hung low on her shoulders. After curling her hair she sighs "At least it's not the 80's." Just at the comment escapes her mouth Elena comes running out of her room and into Buffy's "Buffy!"

Buffy turns to her cousin trying to calm the terrified girl "Elena, sweetie what's wrong?"  
"The compass—it started—spinning—what if there's a vampire here?" Elena stutters petrified barely able to form the sentence due to her panicked breaths.  
Buffy grabs Elena's shoulder "Hey it's okay. Look call Stefan, it might be him. If it's not, I will deal with it okay." Elena nods and pulls out her phone dialling Stefan's number and puts it on speaker.

 _"Stefan's phone."_ Damon answers _"How may I help you?"  
_ "Damon, cut the crap where is he?" Buffy says.  
 _"Harsh, uh, he's on his way to you, forgot his phone."_

Elena sighs in relief "Thank God. This compass was spinning. Stefan must be here. Thank you."  
 _"You're welcome."_ Damon says before hanging up the phone.  
Buffy turns to Elena "Feel better now?"  
Elena nods her head and smiles "Yeah."  
"Good, come on."  
The two head downstairs, Elena heads into the living room while Buffy goes to the kitchen.

The moment Buffy is out of sight a vampire drops down from the ceiling a runs at Elena. Buffy hears Elena scream and runs out grabbing the vampire in the back of the neck and tosses him to the other side of the room. The vampire stands and runs out the front door just as Stefan runs in through the back door.

* * *

Once Elena had finally calmed down Damon came over after Stefan called telling him what happened.  
"How'd he get in?" Damon asks Elena.  
"He was invited in."  
Stefan turns to his brother "He posed as a pizza delivery guy last night."  
Buffy tilts her head "That's a first for me. Normally they just stand there demanding I invite them in. I gotta give him props for the whole undercover thing."  
Damon smiles "I'm with blondie, gotta give him points for that. Did he say what he wanted?"

Elena glares at him "No. He was too busy trying to kill me." she says harshly, her voice still shaking slightly.  
Stefan turns to Damon "And you have no idea who this is?"  
Damon shakes his head "No. Ask the Slayer, maybe she pissed someone off and they are here for some revenge."  
Buffy glares at Damon "Damon, all vampires I deal with end in one way. Dead. Plus, I doubt that it's someone from Sunnydale. No one from there knew that I had family here."

Stefan continues to glare at his brother who rolls his eyes "Don't look at me like that. I told you we had company."  
Elena looks at the three of them scared "You think there's more than one?" she asks hesitantly, not really wanting to know the answer.  
Damon shrugs "We don't know."  
Stefan focuses on his brother "Damon, he was invited in."  
Damon nods in understanding, this needed to be dealt with a quick "Then we go get him tonight. What do you say blondie, want to get back to work?"

Buffy shrugs "Sure. He attacked my family, so I'm gonna kill him. Plus it will be nice to get back to my normal routine, you know school, slayage. I want to get back to my normal thing: date. Shop. Got to school. Hang out, save the world from unspeakable demons. You know I wanna do girly stuff."  
Damon smirks "I'm liking you more and more." Damon then turns to Elena "You up for it?"  
Elena nods "What do I have to do?"  
"Go to the dance. Stay close to your cousin and her boyfriend, we'll see who shows up."  
Stefan shakes his head "That's a bad idea."  
Damon sighs "Till we get him, this house isn't safe. For anyone who lives in it. It's worth a shot."  
Elena sits up straight "I'll do it. I'll be with my vampire Slayer cousin and the two of you. It'll be fine."

* * *

At the dance Buffy and Elena are standing together when Caroline and Bonnie make their way towards them. "Having fun?" Elena asks.  
Caroline looks over at Elena "No, but this took about 2 hours," Caroline gestures to her outfit "So I'm at least staying half of that."  
Elena giggles as does Buffy who turns to the other blonde "Could be worse, my last dance at Hemery High ended up with school gym burning down."  
Caroline raises an eyebrow "That's because you burnt it down."  
Buffy shrugs and decides to joke "Well, it was a really boring dance."

All four girl laugh for a moment before Bonnie looks at Buffy "What's Damon doing here?"  
Buffy turns to see Damon and Stefan standing about 5ft away from them before turning back to Bonnie "He wanted to come. I promise. He'll behave, I've already threatened him several times."  
Caroline raises an eyebrow "So what is this, like, a threesome now, you and the Salvatore brothers?"  
Buffy sighs "No, but I'm with Stefan, so I also have to deal with the ball and chain that is Damon."  
"It's not like she can kill him." Elena adds.  
Buffy tilts her head and shrugs "Actually I probably could."  
Bonnie and Caroline laugh. "There's an idea." Bonnie says as she raises her cup.  
Caroline smile "Mm. I'll help." The two clink their cups together and continue to glare at Damon, forming a plan in their heads.

* * *

Buffy and Stefan walk over to Damon who had seemed to manage to piss off Bonnie and Caroline, while Elena goes after her pissed off friends. Buffy glares at Damon "What did you do?"  
Damon turns to Buffy "Nothing. Why do you assume I did anything?"  
"What'd you say to 'em?" Stefan asks his brother.  
"I was perfectly polite." Damon turns to Buffy "Buffy...would you like to dance?"  
Buffy smiles "Absolutely" Buffy turns to Stefan "You up for a dance?" Stefan smiles and holds out his arm for Buffy who takes it. Buffy smirks at Damon before Stefan leads her onto the dance floor.

As the two of them dance they continue to look around the gym "See him anywhere?" Stefan asks, Buffy shakes her head "Nope. Not unless he's walking around in a poodle skirt or in a really tacky leather jacket. I mean come on, what is with the clothing back then?"  
Stefan chuckles "Heh. Wow. Was not one of the better fashion trends."  
Buffy looks up at Stefan "So what were you like back then, did you go full out with hair and all that. Are there any pictures which I can use to mock?" Buffy giggles as Stefan shakes his head "No. Burned. Buried."  
"Come on spill. What was it like, back then?"  
Stefan smiles "Well we had all the cliché things of course plus well, you know that and, McCarthyism and segregation and nuclear arms race."  
Buffy smiles "Okay, but come on tell me there were puffy poodle skirts."  
"There were poodle skirts." Stefan tells her as he turns Buffy and then pulls her back causing Buffy to giggle.

* * *

Later Buffy and Stefan are still dancing but both were beginning to worry, there had been so sign of the vampire yet "Maybe we were wrong." Buffy says to Stefan "I'm not picking up anything vampire wise."  
Stefan smiles "You mean we did all this dancing for nothing?"  
Buffy looks up at the ceiling before burying her face in his shoulder "Oh, no. It's the end of the world. Which I happen to be very good at." Buffy looks back at Stefan who smiles at her.  
"I'm really sorry for all this."

"It's not your fault." She tells him honestly before stroking his cheek lovingly. "Honestly trouble follows me wherever I go. I think there is some sort of invisible sign which say 'I'm the slayer all evil welcome'. If anything I'm more worried about Elena then anything."

At that moment a new song starts to play which is much faster and upbeat. Buffy smiles at Stefan "Show me what you got."  
"Uh, no."  
"Scared?"

Stefan shakes his head still refusing, Buffy rolls her eyes and starts to turn away when Stefan pulls her back and lifts her off the ground swinging her side to side. He then pulls her back so she is standing and kisses her. "Now you remember that," Stefan says when he pulls away from the kiss "Because it's never gonna happen again." Buffy smiles and leans up kissing Stefan again.

* * *

A little while later Buffy looks around the room to realise Elena was gone. She turns to Stefan "Elena's gone." She tells him before running off. Stefan waves at Damon who then makes his way over.

Buffy who had left the gym closes her eyes and tries to listen for Elena, a few seconds later she hears Elena's scream from the end of the cafeteria. Buffy runs towards the room just as Damon and Stefan exit the gym to see Buffy running; the two follow her.

Buffy kicks down the door to see Elena being grabbed by the vampire. Buffy runs at him and tackles him to the ground. The two struggle and the vampire manages to throw Buffy off him but she stands right back up. Elena runs over to Stefan and Damon who have just entered the room as Buffy fights the vampire.  
Buffy flips over the vampire's head and kicks him in the back, when he turns and tries to punch her she grabs the fist and snaps his arm. She then kicks him in the face and grabs the broken wood off the floor and stabs him in the stomach, forcing the vampire to drop to his knees.

"Damn." Damon says, stunned by how easily Buffy dealt with the vampire. When the vampire tries to stand and jump at Buffy again Stefan runs over and throws him towards Damon.  
"Hey, dickhead." Damon says "Nobody wants to kill you. We just wanna talk."  
"Speak for yourself, I kinda wanna kill him. Because of him, I'm gonna has to wear a press on for the rest of the week." Buffy points to her finger where her fresh manicure was now destroyed.

The vampire smiles and pulls the wood out of his stomach and runs at Elena. Damon tosses Buffy a piece of wood and Buffy throws it. It buries itself in the vampire's back causing him to fall. Buffy Stefan and Damon walk over to the vampire while Elena stands behind them. Buffy pulls the wood from his back and turns him over and pulls the vampire on his knees before shoving the wood back into his stomach.

"Now you feel like talking?" Stefan asks.  
"Screw you." The vampire responds.  
Stefan forces the wood upwards in the vampire's chest causing him to cry out in pain.

Buffy crouches in front of the vampire an evil smirk on her face "As you can see that was not the best answer. So either, you answer my questions or this is gonna get a lot more painful."  
The vampire turns to Buffy and looks closely at her face, as he does a look of recognition covers his expression "Mary?"  
Buffy stares at him in shock "What?"  
Buffy looks over at Stefan and Damon who look at the vampire angrily and confused. Buffy turns to the vampire and twists the wood in his stomach "Why did you call me that?"

The vampire smirks "Because you look just like her. Except for the hair, although the blonde works better in my opinion. Who would have thought, one that looks like Mary and one that looks like Katherine."  
Stefan leans forward and pull Buffy away from the vampire.  
Damon looks down at the man "You knew Katherine and Mary?"  
The vampire chuckles "Oh. You thought you were the only ones. You don't even remember me."  
Damon leans towards the vampire "Tell me how to get in the tomb. Hmm?"  
"No."

Stefan pushes the wood again and as he does, Elena turns away and hides her face behind Buffy. The vampire groans in pain again then looks at Damon "The Grimoire."  
"Where is it?"  
When he doesn't answer Stefan stabs him again "Check the journal. The journal. Jonathan's journal. Jonathan Gilbert's"  
Stefan looks over at Damon then back at the vampire "Who else is working with you?"  
"Who else is there?" Damon exclaims.  
The vampire shakes his head "No. You're gonna have to kill me."

Buffy picks up a pencil off the floor and throws it at the vampire going straight through his heart. The brothers watch as the vampire doubles over in pain before dying.  
Damon turns to Buffy "Did you just kill him with a pencil?"  
Buffy shrugs "Yep."

Elena gasps as she watches the vampire's body "What do we—how are you gonna find the others now?"  
Damon looks at Elena "He had to die."  
"But..."  
Stefan looks at Elena "Elena, he's been invited in."  
Elena turns to Buffy for help, but the Slayer just shakes her head "They're right."

Then the group notice someone hovering outside the door "Go I got this." Stefan tells Damon, who then heads outside.

* * *

Stefan takes Elena and Buffy home.

While Elena heads upstairs to bed, Buffy goes to sit on the couch. "You ok?" Stefan asks her from the kitchen.  
Buffy nods "Same old same old. You know your kind is not as hard to kill as I thought. I just killed him with a pencil. That was a first for me."  
Stefan chuckles and walks over to Buffy "That was definitely the highlight of the night."

Stefan sits next to Buffy on the couch and turns to face her "I need to tell you something, and I don't know how you're gonna feel about it."  
Buffy looks at Stefan skeptically "What? You didn't kill a puppy did you?"  
Stefan smiles "No-no. I told Damon that I'd help him get into that tomb to get Katherine so she can resurrect Mary."  
"Huh?"  
"But it was a lie."  
Buffy looks at him confused "Again I say huh?"  
"I let him believe that he could trust me."  
"Well then what's the problem?"  
"Because he can be very persuasive, and you two have bonded lately."

Buffy scoffs "Please it's just becoming easier to tolerate him. And just because I threaten to rip out his organs less, does not mean I trust him. That would be like trusting Spike."  
"I don't wanna be his enemy, Buffy, but I can't let him do it."  
"Then you don't. And I'll help, having a Slayer on your side comes with it's benefits."  
Stefan smiles at her "Come here." He says before pulling her into his side and leaning again the couch, his head resting on the top of hers.


	23. The Search for the Journal

Mystic Falls, 1864

"I don't want to do this." Damon says to Mary as he sits next to her.  
Mary, looks over at Damon and places a hand on his cheek and smiles softly "I know but it is the only way. Katherine cannot know the truth about us. You know she will react negatively."  
Damon takes her hand in his own and nods sadly, he hated that things had to be this way but if it meant that eventually the two of them could together it would all be worth it. "I know, I just wish that things could be different."

"But they cannot. The moment Katherine finds out she will try to use compulsion on you again and I hate seeing her do that to you. Please do this for me. For us. If we have any chance of being together forever, we need Katherine to give you her blood, and if she thinks anything is off, she will kill you." Mary moves closer to Damon and looks into his eyes "I cannot lose you. Please, Damon."  
Damon looks down at the beautiful girl he loved more than anything and nods "For you. I would do anything."  
Mary smiles then leaning up on her tiptoes and kisses Damon softly.

* * *

Later Damon watches as Katherine kills a carriage driver in the middle of the woods. Katherine then turns to Damon and smiles down at him "And that's how it's done."  
Damon stands up from his place on the ground his eyes still glued to the dead man "What happens to the bodies?"  
Katherine merely smirks "Well, I'll take them into the woods and the other animals will finish them off. Or I will simply have Mary make the body disappear that seems to be much easier."  
Damon looks nervously at Katherine who looks at him intently as she tilts her head "Are you sure you're ready for this?" She asks him.  
Damon nods "I'm ready. I want you to turn me."  
"When it's time." She assures him "Kiss me."

Damon starts to panic but knows what he must do, he removes a handkerchief from his jacket and holds it out to Katherine, whose face was covered in blood. Katherine smiles and steps closer to him moving the handkerchief away "You should get taste."  
Katherine leans in to kiss Damon but he leans back slightly disgusted but tries to hide it "Sorry."  
"Don't be." Katherine tells him "Soon you won't be able to get enough." Damon nods and forces himself to smile before pulling Katherine into a kiss.  
As he kisses her Damon thinks of Mary and their future, knowing that he has to continue to be with Katherine, until the time came when him and Mary could finally be free.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present Day

Buffy wakes up in Stefan's bed with a smile on her face. However for a second she starts to panic she quickly flips over in the bed only to see Stefan lying next to her smiling.  
Buffy breathes a relieved breath and smiles at Stefan.  
Stefan grins at Buffy and chuckles softly, "What, did you think I wasn't going to be here when you woke up?"  
Buffy looks away nervously "No, I just—I—Ok yeah. You caught me. I had this terrifying thought that you were gonna pull like a Houdini or something, and disappear."

Stefan lifts Buffy's chin so he can look her in the eyes "Why would I go anywhere, I have everything I could ever want right here." Buffy smiles as Stefan kisses her.  
Buffy lies back down on the bed and Stefan pulls her close against him wrapping an arm and the slayer's waist. "I could get used to this." Stefan says as he kisses Buffy's neck.

"Rise and shine, sleepyheads." Damon says from his seat at the edge at the bed.  
"Damon!" The couple yell as they sit up and glare at the man, neither of them having noticed his presence. Stefan tries to cover Buffy but Damon just smirks "Oh, stop being smutty."  
"Seriously get out of here." Stefan tells Damon as he glares at him.  
Damon shrugs "If I see something I haven't seen before, I'll throw a dollar at it."  
Buffy sits up and glares at him "Damon, you risk all of your parts showing up like this you know that? So get out before I drop you out head first."

Damon smiles at the blonde slayer "Calm down, blondie. No need to start threatening me this early. Anyway I won't be here long. Now listen, we have some very important business to discuss."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "And the time for this oh so important talk, is now?"  
Damon nods "Well, we have lots to do, now that were all friends and working toward and common goal." Damon smiles at the two as he stands up from the bed continuing with his speech "So, in order to open the tomb, we need to find the journal to get the grimoire to undo the spells. First things first—Since you are living in the Gilbert household, you're on journal duty."

Buffy laughs, he was seriously senile if he thought she was going to help him "Yeah, I'm not helping you."  
Damon pouts "And why not?"  
"Well because I don't like you very much. And I don't do research." Buffy smirks before pulling the covers over her head.  
Damon walks over removing the sheet from her head "Well, Stefan's helping and you've taken up residence in Stefan's bed, ergo...Plus If you don't help then I'm just gonna go to your cousin and I know for a fact that you want her kept out of this supernatural mambo jumbo."  
Buffy glares at Damon "I violently dislike you."

Stefan turns to the blonde vampire slayer "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do." He tells her.  
Buffy lies back down "I'll see what I can do." She tells Damon before pulling the sheet over her head agin.

Stefan turns to look at his brother "How do we know that this journal will hold the location of the grimoire? We're really going to take the word of this vampire? He seemed like a bit of a dimwit."  
"I second that." Buffy mumbles from under the sheets.  
Damon shrugs at his brother "In lieu of any other options."  
"What about our mystery vampire? Dimwit obviously wasn't working alone, so whoever's out there knows who we are."  
Damon scowls "And I don't like that disadvantage, so...chop, chop." Damon claps his hands together then starts to head towards the door "You know, I really like this whole ménage threesome team thing. It's got a bit of a kick to it. Don't screw it up." Damon chuckles slightly then leaves Stefan and Buffy alone.

Buffy and Stefan stay silent for a few moments knowing that Damon would still be able to hear them but when Stefan tries to climb out of the bed Buffy grabs his hand "Oh! Nope. You mister are not going anywhere." She pulls him into a kiss causing him to chuckle as he kisses her back.

* * *

Mystic Falls, 1864

Mary giggles as Damon tickles her stomach "What are you doing? Stop it!"  
"Make me." Damon says with a smile.

Mary smiles then raises her hand and uses her magic, causing Damon to roll onto his back Mary quickly crawls on top of him and pins him to bed. Damon looks up at Mary watching as her eyes which turned black as she used magic fade back into the forest green. He places a hand on her cheek causing her to smile. At that moment there is a knock at the door. Mary sits up and looks at the door "Emily, you may come in as long as you are alone."

A second later the door opens and Emily appears and smiles "I am alone, Miss Mary. I thought you should know that Miss. Katherine request to see Damon. Also Ms. Pearl has arrived, so Miss. Katherine says for you to attend to your meeting with Mr. Salvatore."  
Mary sighs "Understood, thank you Emily."

Once Emily leaves the room Mary turns to Damon "Looks like our little secret rondeau must come to an end."  
Damon frowns "Hmm, no." he pouts.  
He pushes a stray hair behind Mary's ear before pulling her down for a kiss.  
A moment later Mary pulls away "I must go. We cannot make the mistake of Katherine seeing us."  
Damon looks up at Mary sadly "I hate this."  
Mary gives Damon a soft smile "I know. I do too but it must be done. Now go get ready, I must go to my meeting with your father."

After Mary is dressed she heads down the stairs where she sees Pearl and Katherine. Mary turns to Pearl and smiles "It's wonderful to see you Pearl. You seem to get younger every time I see you."  
Pearl smiles at the dark haired beauty "You as well, my dear. Will you be joining me and Katherine today."  
"Sadly no. I have some business to attend to with the Eldest Salvatore. Apparently he is interested in receiving some rare herbs." Mary gives Pearl a pointed look causing her to nod in understanding. "Maybe next time." Pearl suggests.

At that moment Damon enters to room and walks over to Katherine. Katherine smiles at him as he gives her his best fake smile.  
Mary slowly walks down the stairs and walks past the group heading outside to meet with Damon and Stefan's father. Damon watches as she walks away not realising Katherine was watching him watch Mary with a frown on her face.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present day

"So you really think Damon believes you guys? That you're trying to help him?" Elena asks Buffy and Stefan as her and Buffy search through some of the old boxes looking for the journal.  
Stefan looks over at Elena "I don't think Damon knows what to believe. Trust isn't something that comes naturally to him."  
Buffy looks up from the box and turns to Stefan "You know, Damon's kinda of like Spike. He believes that everything he is doing he has done for love. It's twisted and if you ask me, kinda creepy. Like puppets which are possessed by demon hunters. That is real creepy."  
"It's also kind of sad." Elena adds.  
"There are other ways to get what you want." Stefan tells Elena "You don't have to kill people. Damon has no regard for human life. He enjoys inflicting pain on others."  
Buffy turns to Elena "See Damon is like Spike and Angelus mixed in with a little bit of Drusilla. All rolled up in one dark haired package."

Stefan smiles at Buffy before turning back to Elena "For 145 years, every single time that I have let my guard down and let Damon back into my life, he's done something to make me regret that. I'm not going to make that mistake again."  
"So what do you think will happen if the tomb gets opened and Damon gets Katherine back so she can resurrect Mary?" Elena asks.  
"I think that no matter what Damon promises, a lot of people will die. Even more if Katherine brings Mary back."

Elena sighs and looks over at Buffy "I wish you guys would let me help more."  
Buffy shakes her head "A world of no, Elena. I'm not putting your life at risk. I agreed you could help with research but that's only because you begged, your not getting anymore involved with the supernatural crap. Trust me, once your in, you will never have a normal life."

Buffy gives her cousin a smile then reaches into one of the boxes and pulls out a piece of paper with a photo on it. Stefan have noticed the paper gets up from his seat and goes to stand by Buffy "That's Jonathan Gilbert." He tells the blonde slayer.  
Buffy looks up at Stefan and smirks "You mean I can do more than just kill demons. Yah looks like I'm research gal now." Stefan smiles but then both of them turn to Elena when she opens a box "What's this?"

Stefan turns to look inside the box but before he can say anything Jeremy enters the kitchen "What are you guys doing?"  
Elena closes the box and turns to her brother "Hey. Just going through some stuff, feeling sentimental. Dad had this whole family journal from years ago. I thought I'd dig it up."  
"Jonathan Gilbert's journal?" Jeremy asks as he jumps up to sit on the counter.  
Buffy turns in her chair to face her younger cousin "Yep that's the one. You know anything bout it?"  
"I just did a history report on it."  
"Oh. So where is it now?" Elena asks.  
"I gave it to Mr Saltzman. He wanted to see it."

* * *

Buffy and Stefan head to the school later that night to find the journal. Stefan looks over at Buffy and smiles. Buffy notices Stefan smiling at her and looks at him confused "What? Why are you staring at me? Is there something in my hair?" Stefan chuckles "No. No. It's just I like this."  
"Like what?"  
"Working along side you. Normally with humans I have to worry every second that by being around them I'm going to get them killed. But with you, I do worry but I like being able to work with you to fight against these things together."  
Buffy smiles "Yeah, I guess that's pretty cool."

Buffy and Stefan enter Mr Saltzman's classroom and start to rummage through his room looking for the journal. A moment later Alaric runs into the room and shoots a stake at Stefan who catches it. Buffy walks over to Alaric and grabs the weapon he used to fire the stake out of his hands.  
Stefan makes Alaric sit at one of the desks while Buffy inspects the weapons "Is this compressed air? Did you make it yourself?" Alaric nods causing Buffy to grin "This is awesome. I mean crossbows are great and all but this—damn."

Alaric watches Buffy inspect the weapon closely before turning Stefan who is now speaking "Who are you?" Stefan asks "I'm not going to hurt you...unless you try that again."  
Buffy glares at Stefan before turning to Alaric "He doesn't mean that he's just a little cranky today. So please tell us who you are." Buffy asks as she hands him back the gun and sits in the chair opposite him. "I'm a teacher." Alaric tells the two of them.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Thank you captain obvious. Now answer the question properly please."

"I'm also a historian. And while researching Virginia, I—made a few discoveries about your town."  
"So you show up like Van Helsing. Come on. Tell us the truth." Stefan says.  
Alaric chuckles "My wife was a parapsychologist. She spent her life researching paranormal activity in this area. It was her work that led me here."  
"Where's your wife?"  
"Dead. A vampire killed her."

Buffy looks at the teacher sympathetically while Stefan continues to question him "Where's The Gilbert Journal?"  
"What do you want with it?" Alaric asks confused.  
"Where is it?"  
"It's on my desk."  
"No, it's not."  
Alaric looks over at the desk then back at Stefan "It was on my desk."  
"How long have you been aware of me?"  
"I learned just recently. Not sure about you, though." Alaric gestures at Buffy.

Buffy smiles at the man "Have you ever heard of The Slayer?"  
Alaric nods "Yeah, a mythical warrior, chosen to fight the forces of evil right?"  
"Yep. That would be the speech. So that's me Slayer comma The."  
Alaric's eyes widen "You're the Slayer? But no offence, but you're so little."  
Buffy smirks "You would be surprised at how many times that has worked out for me."

Alaric gives the blonde a small smile before turning to Stefan "What about your brother?"  
"You met Damon."  
"Who do you think killed my wife?"  
Buffy's eyes widen stunned she turns to Stefan who is focused on Alaric "Are you certain it was Damon?" Stefan asks.  
"I witnessed it."  
"If you're here for revenge, this is going to end very badly for you."  
"I just want to find out what happened to my wife."  
Stefan looks at him confused "I thought you just said that Damon—"  
"Yeah. I saw him draining the life out of her. He must have heard me coming. He just...disappeared. So did her body. They never found her."  
Stefan sighs "Damon can never know why you're here. He'll kill you without blinking."  
"I can take care of myself."  
Stefan scoffs "Buffy can take care of herself, but you. No, you can't. I can help you. If you let me."

At that moment Buffy's phone buzzes. Buffy looks to see a text message from Elena _'Damon's here at the house.'_ Buffy shows the message to Stefan "Go. I'll deal with this." Buffy nods then quickly heads back to the house.

* * *

"He's a Fell. They're all snooty." Buffy hears Jenna say.  
"Hey, technically I'm a Fell." Buffy argues as she walks into the room noticing Damon but tries to ignore his presence. "But then again so is my dad so maybe you're right."  
Jenna smiles "I'm right. But you are also a Summers, so that cancelled out all those snotty Fell genes. So where have you been? We're cooking dinner."

"Is Stefan with you?" Damon asks Buffy as he continues to chop the veg.  
Buffy shakes her head "Nope. He's a bit busy. Said he would be here soon."  
Damon nods then turns back to the food.

Buffy turns to Jenna who was still sat on the counter drinking a glass of wine "Hey where are Jer, and Elena."  
"Elena's upstairs getting ready. A friend of hers is in town tonight so she is meeting up with him and Jeremy has been stuck on that since he got home."  
Jenna points to the living room where Jeremy is currently playing X-box.

A little while later Buffy grabs the plates and heads for the table, as she does Damon crashes into her, pressing against her "Whoa. Mmm"  
Buffy rolls her eyes and moves past him "I suggest you don't do that again."  
Damon tries to act clueless "Do what?"  
"Oh please. That move was deliberate. And not very smooth. I think you're losing your touch."  
Damon smiles "First I'm not losing anything and I was deliberately trying to get to the sink."

Buffy scoffs but Damon just continues "Speaking of Stefan, where is he? He's missing family night, which I am enjoying immensely."  
Buffy goes to grab more plates and shrugs "Not sure. Maybe he's hanging out with Big Foot." Buffy jokes causing Damon to chuckle.

Damon looks back at the sink a more serious look crossing his face "Is it real?"  
"Huh, is what real?"  
"This renewed sense of brotherhood." Damon turns to look at Buffy "Can I trust him?"  
"Yep. Trust can defiantly be applied to this situation."  
Buffy walks back to the table but as she turns around Damon appears "Can I trust him?"  
Buffy frowns "I swear if you try that mind control thing on me even if it won't work, I will still hurt you."  
Damon shakes his head "I'm not trying to compel you. I just want you to answer me. Honestly."

Buffy sighs and looks Damon in the eye "Yes."

* * *

Mystic Falls, 1864

Damon and Stefan watch as Mary plays golf with a group of the townsmen. "This young girl is amazing, she has beaten every one of the men here in town." Giuseppe Salvatore tells his boys before walking back over to Mary.  
Mary giggles as her ball lands in the hole again. She puts her golf club away and makes her way back to the brothers' father.

"She's good." Damon says as they watch Mary speak to their father "I almost believe she genuinely likes him."  
"Perhaps she does." Stefan says.  
Damon scoffs "She knows father would have her and Katherine killed if he knew the truth."

At that moment Katherine walks over to Mary and the boys' father and joins in on the conversation.

Stefan turns his gaze away from the three of them and turns to Damon "Not if we talk to him; explained how we feel. He could help us keep her safe. The both of them."  
Damon turns to his brother "Have you gone mad. No, no, Father would stake Katherine and - Mary...he would have her tortured and burnt at the stake and force us to watch!"  
Stefan shakes his head "That's not true. We can trust him."  
"Not with this. Please, promise me you won't tell him, Stefan."  
Stefan looks back at Mary and Katherine before turning back to his brother "I promise."

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present day

"There was a time when I trusted him more than anyone." Damon tells Buffy.  
Buffy shrugs "What the term? Oh, yeah 'Trust breeds trust'."  
Damon tilts his head "Are you lecturing me? Miss. I trust no one."  
Buffy smirks "I don't lecture, I could, however, knock some sense into you if you want."

Damon sighs, unsure of how to convey his feelings "I just want her back. I'm sure you of all people can understand that."

Buffy nods as she thinks of Angel "Unfortunately yes. I understand that. I let my friends get hurt so I could get Angel back. So I know you will do whatever it takes. But how do you think Katherine's gonna react when she finds out her knight in shining armour used her and was actually in love with her best friend. Cause trust me if I was Katherine, I would be a little bit pissed off."  
Damon shrugs "I can deal with Katherine. But if anyone gets in my way well...you know."

* * *

Stefan, Damon and Buffy were now standing on the porch as Stefan filled them in on what he had learned.  
"Who took it?" Damon asks his brother furiously, pacing across the porch.  
Stefan shrugs "I don't know."  
"You know what, it's that teacher. There's something really off about him."  
"No, he doesn't know anything. Somebody got to him right before me."  
"Who else knew it was there?"  
Stefan looks through the window at Jeremy.

Damon turns his gaze to Jeremy then starts to head for the door. Buffy walks after Damon "No way in hell, Damon. You leave Jeremy out of this or I swear—"  
"Not listening." Damon says as he goes to sit by Jeremy. "So, I heard you found a really cool journal from back in the day. Who else did you show it to?"  
Jeremy looks over at Damon confused "Huh?"  
"Don't ask questions, just spill."  
Jeremy chuckles "You're kidding me, right?"

Buffy looks over at Jeremy "Hey Jer, does anyone else know about that old book other than the teacher?"  
"Why is everybody so obsessed with that thing?"  
Buffy sighs "Who else?"  
Jeremy shrugs "Just that girl Anna."  
"The hot weird one?" Damon asks.  
Jeremy nods "Yeah."

"Wait, whose Anna?" Stefan asks.  
"That's what I want to find out." Damon tells his brother "How do you know her?"  
Jeremy shrugs "I just know her. She wants me to meet her at the grill tonight."  
Damon smiles "Perfect. I'll drive. Come on."

Damon drags Jeremy out of the house but when Buffy tries to follow them Stefan grabs her arm and quickly pulls her upstairs.

He pulls her into her bedroom and closes the door. Buffy looks at him confused "Oh, kay. Come on we gotta go with them. I trust Damon with Jeremy with as far as—Giles could throw him. Plus we can't risk him getting to that old book before us. That would be bad, like bad-bad."  
Stefan smiles "Doesn't matter." Stefan pulls out some paper and shows it to Buffy.  
Buffy looks at the paper confused "Okay, I'm coming up blank here."  
"It's a copy of it."  
Buffy smiles "No way. How?"  
"Well, Mr Saltzman made a copy and after you left he was kind enough to loan it to me."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Really? Am I gonna like how you actually got it?"  
"Not exactly, but I got it."

* * *

Mystic Falls, 1864

"The Sheriff was here earlier." Pearl tells Katherine "He bought large volumes of the vervain elixir. Also, Mr Salvatore seems to be trying to get his hands on some from Mary."  
Katherine smiles "Did the Sheriff try to put his hands on you again?"  
Pearl smirks "Doesn't he always."  
Katherine turns to Damon "She's saving herself for Jonathan Gilbert."  
"I'm beyond saving. We know that."  
Damon looks at Pearl confused "How can you be so calm? They're getting closer to you every day."

Katherine smiles "We are the respectable ladies of Mystic Falls. Thanks to Emily and Mary, we walk the streets in daylight. No one will ever suspect us. And Mary always has a few tricks up her sleeves to make sure we are never caught."  
"Not unless a human tells them." Pearl interjects as she stares at Damon.  
Damon turns to Pearl "I'd sooner die."  
Katherine smiles "And soon enough, you will."  
Katherine pulls Damon into a kiss. But the two separate when a voice comes from behind them. "Mrs Fell is approaching."  
"Thank you, Annabelle." Pearl says as she walks over to her daughter.

Damon turns to the door to see Annabelle and Mary. Damon watched Mary trying to keep to smile off his face that seemed to appear every time he saw her.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present day

After finding out that Emily's spell book was buried with Stefan's father Giuseppe, Buffy and Stefan headed to the old cemetery.  
"You know I would have thought your father would have been buried in your family's tomb." Buffy says as sits on the ground by the grave while Stefan digs.  
"It wasn't built until well after he died."

Buffy nods "That kinda sucks and not really that fair. So are we sure that the witch's cookbook is gonna be there, having a nap with your pops."  
"As sure as I could be. You know you could help."  
Buffy sighs "Oh nope, I was raised an old fashioned gale. I was brought up to believe that the men dig up the corpses and the woman have the babies."

Stefan raises an eyebrow. Buffy rolls her eyes "Fine. Make me do all the work." Buffy says as she grabs the shovel next to her and starts to dig. Stefan chuckles slightly before continuing to dig. Buffy turns to Stefan "I'm sorry that you have to do this."

* * *

Mystic Falls, 1864

Stefan sits on the bed watching Katherine who is sat at the table looking at herself in the mirror, while holding a pendant. "A gift." She tells him.  
"From Damon?" Stefan asks.  
"From Emily, actually. Mary gave it to her and she gave it to me."

Stefan froze at Mary's name and tried to pretend that he was fine. He had been with Mary almost an hour before. Then when Mary told him to go to Katherine he tried to argue but she just continued to tell him that it was the only way that they could both be safe, if Katherine believed that she had his heart.  
Katherine turns to Stefan "And when will you stop worrying about Damon?" She asks not knowing that it actually had nothing to do with her.

"I want you all to myself." He says.  
"Just as he wants me. But I'm the one who gets to make all the rules."  
"And why is that?"  
"Because I'm spoiled." She says as she moves closer.  
"Yes you are." Stefan agrees as she pins him to the bed.

"And selfish. And because I can do this." She kisses up his chest and then makes her way up to his neck where she bites down and begins to drink. A moment later she lets go and begins chocking "What's wrong?"  
Katherine falls away "Vervain." She mumbles before falling to the ground.

Meanwhile Damon goes to Mary who is sat in the library. "Mary." Damon says with a smile. Mary turns to see Damon and smiles, she gets up from her seat and runs over to him wrapping her arms around his neck. He lifts her off the ground as he hugs her and spins her, causing Mary to giggle. Once he places her down he immediately connects his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. Once she responds he walks her backwards till her back was pressed against one of the shelfs.

A few minutes later she pulls away breathing hard "What was that for?"  
Damon smiled "I just missed you that's all."  
Mary watches him closely then sighs "You feel guilty. For being with Katherine."  
Damon looks away and nods "How can I not? I love you, yet I have to be with her."

Mary takes Damon's face in her hands "I know but we all must do things that we may not want to. Don't worry there won't be much more of this. Once she turns you we can leave."  
"What about Stefan? He loves you."  
Mary frowns "What are you talking about? Stefan is merely a child with a crush. Trust me." Mary places a soft kiss on his lips.  
Damon nods slowly then takes her hands in his own "Can't you do a spell that way we don't have to wait for Katherine to turn me?"  
Mary shakes her head "I can't, the spell I used on myself a long time ago to make sure I would not age is very difficult and I only get to use that spell once."  
Damon looks at her worried "So does that mean you can still be killed."

Mary nods sadly "Yes. I may be very powerful, but everyone has their weaknesses."  
Mary reaches into her pocket and pulls out a drawing and passes it to Damon. Damon inspects the picture "That's Katherine's necklace. The one she wore when she first came here."  
Mary nods "Yes. It is a very powerful amulet I gave her a long time ago. If anything every happens to me this amulet will reunite us. No matter what."

At that moment a loud gunshot came from behind them. Mary looks up at Damon shocked and falls to the ground. "Mary!" Damon falls to the ground and sees Mary's side covered in blood.  
"Back away from the witch son!" Giuseppe yells as he enters the room. Damon doesn't move away from Mary until two men pull him away "No! Mary!" Damon screams as more men enter the room and lift Mary dragging her away.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present day

Buffy and Stefan continue to dig Buffy begins to laugh softly. Stefan turns to the blonde confused "What?"  
Buffy stops laughing "Northing it's just that. Well this isn't exactly my first time digging up a grave. You know I'm really starting to wonder how normal people spend their free time. I bet it can't be as morbid as this."

Stefan goes to continue digging when he hears a thud. The two of them drop the their knees and clean the dirty off the top of the coffin  
"Bingo." Buffy whispers before climbing out of the grave so Stefan can open it.

Once he opens it he pulls the book out before closing the lid again and climbing out of the coffin.  
He opens the book but before he can look properly a voice stops him "Well what do you know." Buffy turns to see Damon "This is an interesting turn of events."  
"I can't let you bring her back." Stefan says "Either of them. I'm sorry."  
Damon glares at his brother "So am I. For thinking for even a second that I could trust you."  
Stefan scoffs "Oh. You're not capable of trust. The fact that you're here means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself."

Damon shrugs "Of course I was going to do it by myself, because the only one I can count on is me! You made sure of that many years ago, Stefan." Damon then looks over at Buffy "But you...you had me fooled." Buffy looks away refusing to look at Damon. Once she looks away Damon turns back to his brother "So what are you going to do now? Because if you try and destroy that, I'll rip her heart out. I may not be stronger than her but I am faster."  
"You won't kill her."

Damon quickly picks up a piece of wood and chucks it at Buffy, she catches it but is not fast enough to stop Damon who quickly runs over and digs another piece of wood in her back. "Ahh!" Buffy yells as Damon pushes the wood in, before putting her in a choke hold. Buffy tries to move but when she tries Damon focuses the piece of wood closer to her lung.  
Damon glares at Stefan "I can do one better."

He bites into his wrist and forces his blood down Buffy's throat "Give me the book, Stefan. We both know that she can't heal if I keep this wood here. She will bleed to death once it hits her lung. It will take longer than a normal human, but I could also just snap her neck. And you and I will have an immortal girlfriend."  
"Let her go first." Stefan says.  
Damon finally moves his wrist away. Buffy coughs before glaring at Damon "I'm going to kill you, you son of a bitch."  
Damon ignores her "Drop it." He orders Stefan.

Stefan shakes his head "I'm not going to give this to you until she is standing next to me."  
Damon shifts the wood again causing Buffy to groan in pain "Problem is, I no longer trust that you'll give it back."  
"You just did the one thing that ensures that I will."  
Damon nods at the book; Stefan places the book on the ground watching as Damon slowly removes his arm from around Buffy's neck. He then pulls the wood out of her back. Once he does Buffy turns and punches him in the face knocking him down.  
Afterwards Buffy starts to fall but Stefan catches her and runs off.

* * *

Mystic Falls, 1864

Damon after watching the men take away Mary runs to find Katherine for help, when he sees her being dragged away "No! Don't take her!"  
Giuseppe grabs his son and slams him against the door "Do you know what they'll do to you if you're branded a sympathiser? You'll be killed along with them! As well as the witch!"  
Damon glares at his father "Then let me be killed!"

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present day

Elena helps Buffy to her room "I really think you should go to the hospital."  
Buffy shakes her head "I'm fine I just feel a little dizzy. Am I supposed to feel like I have been hit by a car, cause that's happened before and this feeling reminds me of that." Buffy asks Stefan.  
"Oh, you'll be fine. That was just a small amount of blood. It should pass out of your system by tomorrow."  
Buffy looks over at Stefan "Are you okay?"  
"Damon was right. This is, um...this is my fault."

* * *

Mystic falls, 1864

Damon runs after the men who are carrying Katherine when Stefan runs up to him "Damon! Stop, stop. I'll help you. We'll get her back."  
Damon shoves his brother away "Help me?! They took Mary Stefan! This is your fault you promised you wouldn't tell him!"  
"I didn't think this would happen." Damon and Stefan watch as Katherine is placed in a carriage and driven away.

Damon backs away from his brother "You did this. This is your fault."  
Damon runs off but Stefan runs after him.  
The two end up in town square and freeze.

In the middle of the square Mary was tied to a log as the founding families surrounded her "Burn her!" People yell over and over.  
"Mary!" Both Stefan and Damon yell as they try to run to her but two guards grab a hold of them holding them back.

At that moment the mayor appears with a torch he places it on the wood surrounding the log causing the fire to spread. Mary looks around terrified then spots Damon and Stefan. Before she can say anything the fire reaches her, she screams as the fire burns away her flesh.  
Damon and Stefan watch horrified as Mary is burned alive. Damon screams once more before remembering what Mary told him earlier.

"We have to go." Stefan tells Damon as he tries to pull Damon away.  
Damon turns to his brother and glares at him before running off.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present day

"I put my faith in my father, but Damon put his faith in me, and I destroyed that. This is my fault." Stefan says to Elena and Buffy.  
Buffy stands slowly from her seat and walks over to Stefan "Hey look at me this is not your fault."  
Stefan smiles and kisses the top of Buffy's head "I'm gonna go get you some aspirin. Elena could you—"  
"Make sure my cousin doesn't run around fighting and rests. Yes I can do that." Elena says with a smile on her face.

A minute after Stefan left Anna walked in "Hello girls."  
Buffy who was still weak couldn't stop Anna before the girl swings something at her head causing Buffy to fall and slam her head onto the side of the bed.


	24. The Tomb

Sunnydale, California

Angel sat in the mansion with boxes full of paper surrounding him. He had spent every moment for months trying to figure out where Buffy had gone. He was about to give up hope when he stumbled across the name Jenna Summers in one of Joyce's files. He used the computer to find out as much as he could and found out that she lived in Mystic Falls, Virginia.

Angel's eyes widened, _'this is not good'_ he thought.

Angel knew how much of a dangerous place Mystic Falls had been in the past and if Buffy was there she was in extreme danger. Angel knew Buffy didn't know about the other specious which put her in a lot of danger.

"Angel?" A timid voice asks from the doorway, drawing his attention. Angel turns to see Willow and Giles standing at the door.  
"We need your help." Willow says as she looks around the room obviously nervous.  
Angel ignored the plea for help and turned to Giles "Buffy's in Mystic Falls?"  
Giles eyes widen in shock "How did you—"  
Angel cut him off furiously "Giles that place is dangerous."

Giles sighs taking off his glasses and cleaning them "What do you mean, I did thorough research on the town. No sign of vampires in that area."  
Angel takes a deep breath "Another specious of vampire takes residence in that town. They're stronger, faster, they can use a form of mind control and they are a lot harder to kill."  
Willow looks at Angel confused "I'm sure of there was another specious of vampire Buffy would have told us."

"What like you told her about me?" Angel immediately felt guilty after seeing the hurt looks on Giles and Willows' faces but continued "Look if she does know she can't tell you. Look there is a reason the watcher's council has no record of them; because they kill anyone who finds out."  
"Shouldn't we get to Buffy and warn her then?" Willow asks.  
Angel shakes his head "No it's best you don't. Buffy can handle one of it comes at her. Plus they do have souls so a few of them are likely not to attack her."

Angel starts pacing trying to think of a way to help the woman he loved "I'll go. I'll warn her." He starts to leave the room when he remembers that the two of them asked for help "You wanted my help. What for?"  
Giles put his glasses back on and turned to Angel "Faith. She killed a human man, and she's pretending that it never happened."  
Angel sighs as much as he wanted to go to Buffy he knew what she would want him to do, so after a brief pause, he turns back to Giles "Faith? The other slayer? What do you need me to do?"

* * *

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Elena wakes up in a strange bed she sits up and gasps when she sees a strange man sitting in a chair opposite her. She looks around the room for an escape when she sees Buffy handcuffed on the other bed.  
Elena quietly steps off her own bed trying not to wake the man.  
She walks over to Buffy who has a large mark on the side of her head from where Anna hit her.  
She frowns in worry before shaking Buffy's shoulder "Buffy?" She whispers "Buffy." She tries again.

"I wouldn't wake sleeping beauty if I were you." A voice says from behind her. Elena turns and gasps when she sees the man standing behind her. He moves closer to her and looks into her eyes "Don't try to escape. Don't try to un-cuff her. Don't even move. Do you understand?"  
"I understand."  
The man smiles before turning away from her. Elena slowly walks back over to Buffy and grabs to knife Buffy keeps in her boot. She shoves it into the vampires back like Buffy had shown her then tries to get the handcuffs off Buffy.

"Seriously?!" Anna yells as she enters the room and sees her partner on the floor. She runs towards Elena and grabs her arm.  
The man stands, confusion running through him as to why Elena didn't obey him "I told her not to move. I did that eye thing you taught me."  
Anna glances at him as she drags Elena to the bathroom "You forgot the lesson about vervain. Her cousin dates a vampire, Ben, duh!"  
"Who are you? What do you want?" Elena begs.  
Anna rolls her eyes "Doesn't matter." She mutters before she shoves Elena into the bathroom and locks the door.

The moment the door closes Elena spots Bonnie lying in the bathtub "Bonnie! Oh, my god."

* * *

Stefan walks into his living room and finds Damon sitting on the couch reading the journal "Anna took Buffy and Elena."  
Damon shrugs "Yeah, I got that from your 600 voicemails."  
"Damon, all night long every single street in town, I've been searching. What if your blood hasn't passed out of her system?"  
Damon smiles "Well, then at least you know you'll see her again."  
Stefan crouches next to Damon "Please. What do you know? You were with Anna. You must know where she's living. Just tell me where I can find her."  
Damon looks up at him momentarily "Nope. Look your girl is a vampire slayer she will be fine."  
"Damon she was hurt and Slayers are not supposed to ingest vampire blood. I have no idea if she will be strong enough at the moment. Please."  
Damon rolls his eyes "Nope. You can go. Really"

Stefan sighs "You know, all I can remember is hating you. There might have been a time when that was different, but your choices have erased anything good about you. But see, I also know that you have just as much reason to hate me. This all began with me. Mary was ripped away from you because of me. And I'm sorry."  
Damon smiled slightly "Apology accepted."  
"So please, just tell me what you know. It's Buffy Damon. If you know something...tell me."  
Damon sighs and closes the journal before turning back to his brother "I mean this sincerely. I hope Buffy dies, along with her cousin." Damon smiles then stands from his seat and walks off.

* * *

As she wakes Buffy immediately shoots up in the bed however she finds herself unable to do anything else as she sees the handcuffs currently attached to her wrist.  
"Well, well..." Anna says as she watches Buffy "Buffy Summers. You really are Mary's doppelgänger. Just like Elena seems to be Katherine's." Buffy glares at the brunette as she continues "You must have the Salvatore boys reeling."

Buffy rolls her eyes "Can we skip the whole quipping part of the conversation and go straight to you telling me who the hell you are?"  
Anna smiles "I like you. Your funny. I'm Anna. Elena's brother may have mentioned me. I mean, we're, like practically dating."

At that moment Elena is thrown into the room by Ben. "Buffy!" Elena runs over to her cousin but Anna grabs her and forces her to sit on one of the beds. Elena looks up and glares at the vampire "Bonnie's not going to open the tomb."  
Buffy looks at Elena confused "Wait Bonnie's here?"  
Elena nods but turn back to Anna when she hears her speak "Oh, I think she will."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "What is it with people trying to get to Katherine, from what I hear she's a bitch."

Anna smiles "Your right. So trust me. No one I know wants to see that girl again. Let alone Mary. Although it seems Damon wants to see Mary. The lovestruck idiot."  
"Then what is it?" Elena asks "Or who it is?"  
"My mother's in there. Katherine couldn't help herself. Anytime men find interest in Mary she takes them. So she just had to toy around with both of the Salvatore Brothers. While Mary was doing the exact same thing. And when they got caught, so did my mother. I watched Jonathan Gilbert take her away."  
Elena nods sadly "I'm sorry."  
"You really mean that, don't you? What about you blondie?" Anna turns to Buffy.  
Buffy shrugs "See I would but...your a crazy person and I don't tend to feel bad for people that kidnap people I care about. Let alone hit me over the head with a chair."  
Anna chuckles for a moment then becomes serious "Yeah, I think we'll skip the dead mom bonding so you can both start serving a purpose."

"And what is that? Exactly cause I'm guessing it's got something to do with Bonnie." Buffy says.  
"Leverage." She turns to the table and shows Buffy a phone "This belong to you." Anna smirks and starts dialling the phone.

 _"Buffy, are you ok?"_ Stefan asks on the other end of the line.  
"She's fine, so is her cousin, for now." Anna says into the phone "Tell me you have the Grimoire and they'll stay fine."  
 _"I can get it."_

"Which means your brother has it. And I have the witch. So one of you had better meet me in the very public town square in 30 minutes so we can safely discuss how fun it's going to be to work together."

Anna hangs up the phone heads to the bathroom door. She bangs on the door "I'm leaving." Ben steps out holding Bonnie "Keep them buttoned down. Compulsion won't work. Just use violence."  
Ben nods "Right. I got that."

Anna leaves the room while Ben pushes Bonnie on the bed Buffy is still attached to. Ben turns to look at Bonnie "So you're the key to this. Literally. The one who opens the door. Tell me, how long have you been a witch?"

Buffy leaves forward "Hey Abercrombie, am I gonna stay cuffed to the bed all night? Cause my hand hurts."  
Ben rolls his eyes but looks Buffy over, once he has decided she's not a threat he turns to grab the key for the chain. Buffy taps Bonnie with her foot "Distraction." She mouths to the witch who nods in understanding. Ben turns around and tosses Buffy the key while Elena turns to Ben "Is there anything to drink here?"

Ben stands back up and walks towards Elena smiling "Are you offering?" Elena backs away slightly, Ben sighs and points at the nightstand "There's water on the nightstand."  
Elena grabs the water but Bonnie stops her "Hey. Can I have a sip?"  
Elena looks at her slightly confused then looks at Buffy who gives her a pointed look. She hands the water to Bonnie who throws it on Ben, whose arm then catches on fire.

Elena and Bonnie run for the door but Ben grabs Elena "Come back in, shut the door!" Buffy at that point rips herself free from the cuffs and rips the headboard off the bed "Yeah, I don't think so." She says as she swings the headboard at Ben. Ben loses his grip on Elena who runs.

Ben turns and growls at Buffy who kicks him in the chest sending him flying across the room, he jumps back up and runs at her but she breaks the headboard in two and sends a large piece of wood into his stomach she then punches him sending an uppercut and hook to his face causing him to fly into the opposite wall.

At that moment Stefan appears "Buffy!" Buffy hugs him then quickly opens all the curtains in the room letting the sunlight in. "Go help Elena and Bonnie." Stefan tells her, Buffy hesitates but nods she knew she had to be with them just in case Anna was still around.

* * *

Buffy, Elena and Bonnie were sat in the living room of Bonnie's Grams' house. "How did you know where we were?" Bonnie asked her grandmother.  
Grams smiles "Many things can fuel a witch's power. Worry, Anger. After Stefan told me they had taken you, I had a lot of both. Simple locator spell was easy after that. Plus it helps when one of the girls your looking for is releasing as much power as you girl." Grams nodded at Buffy "I must say it's an honour to meet the Slayer."

Buffy smiles for a brief second as Bonnie turns back to her grandmother "I'm sorry about all of this."  
"Not as sorry as they're gonna be."

At that moment Stefan walks into the room. Elena turns to Bonnie's grams "So what do we do now?"  
"For now, you need to stay here." Stefan said.  
"Yeah, no way." Buffy said.  
Grams looks over at Stefan scoffing slightly "A prisoner, in my own home? I don't think so."  
Stefan looks at her confused "I can't protect you if you leave the house."  
The older women smirks "We'll protect ourselves. Plus we have a powerful Slayer here, we don't need no vampires protection."

"We need to let him get Katherine out of the tomb so he can get Mary." Elena says as she comes to a realisation that no one else had yet "He's not going to stop until he gets her. If we help him, maybe that ends it."  
Buffy turns to Elena shaking her head slightly "It never ends Elena. If we do this, give him what he wants how many people will die? And what happens when he wants something else? It will never end Elena."

Bonnie turns to Elena "She's right Elena, he doesn't deserve to get what he wants."  
"What other choice do we have?"  
Buffy sighs "I could always kill him but I'm guessing your just gonna veto that idea."  
Elena glares at Buffy who rolls her eyes.

Grams turns to look at the group "Witches being pulled down by vampire problems. As much as we try to stay out of it. I'll open the tomb. You get your brother's girl. And have Buffy destroy the rest with fire. Then this will be all over."  
Buffy nods "Yah finally something I can do. It's been a while since I used a flame thrower."  
Stefan smiles softly at Buffy before turning back to the witch "We still have to get Damon to agree."  
"He already agreed once." Elena tell them.  
"Yeah, and then we double crossed him. So now he's angry."  
"He's hurt. There's a difference. Buffy you have to talk to him."

Buffy's head shoot up "What-how-why-what? Why do I have to do it?" Buffy asks with a pout.  
"He is more likely to listen to you."  
Buffy looks over at Stefan who nods, Buffy pouts "This is so not fair."

* * *

Buffy heads to the boarding house and walks into the living room where Damon was currently putting on his jacket. Damon turns and stops when he sees Buffy "I'm going to have to change the locks. Although you're just going to break them if I do so never mind. Did you stage a jailbreak?"  
Buffy shrugs as she removes her own jacket and tosses it on the couch "I hit the guy over the head with the headboard he tied me to then ran him through with a large chunk of wood and threw him across the room. Stefan showed up after the good stuff."  
"That must of killed him, not being the white knight for a day."

Buffy rolls her eyes but couldn't help but smile slightly in amusement, after a moment she gets serious "Look I talked to Elena, she convinced Bonnie to help you."  
Damon glares at Buffy "I doubt that."  
"Look I'm not gonna say sorry. It's not really my thing. Plus I'm not sorry."  
"Well, at least you're honest." Damon comments as Buffy walks closer to him. Buffy instead of speaking punches Damon in the stomach causing him to grunt in pain and surprise "What the hell?" Damon exclaims.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "That was for stabbing me the other night. You know I don't like getting stabbed."  
"Fair enough." Damon says as he stands and stares at the blonde.

"Damon, there is one thing I will always do and that is protect the people I love. Hell I wrote the book on protecting people. But I understand that you were too. In your own twisted Spikish way."  
Damon frowns "Did you just compare me to the Billy Idol wannabe?"  
Buffy raises an eyebrow but ignores the comment "Look I may not like it but we are all on the same side. Sort of."  
Damon smiles and picks up the grimoire "Not interested."  
"Oh please. You so are. You were willing to work alongside us yesterday."  
"Fool me once, shame on you."

Buffy rolls her eyes "Oh, for God's sake. Ok, when we were in Atlanta why didn't you go through my head. I mean yeah you can't compel me but you could have gone through all my memories found out all my little secrets."  
Damon steps closer to Buffy and places the book on the table "Who's to say I didn't"

Buffy raises on eyebrow and places her hands on her hips before giving him a pointed look "I know you didn't okay. But you could have dug your way through my head. You and I...we have something. It's weird and totally odd but from what I can see we understand each other. Look I get my whole stabbing you in the back thing hurt trust me I have experienced it, and it's not like how it is with you and your brother, but I will make you a promise. I will help you get the witch back."

Damon groans, he wanted to believe her but a part of him just couldn't trust her words "I wish I could believe you."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and rips the necklace from her neck "You may not be able to compel me and as much trouble as I am going to get in for even suggesting this- go through my head. See what you wanna see."  
Damon looks at Buffy intently and takes a step towards her "You know Anna won't stop. Now matter I do."  
"Then we'll deal. I won't mind staking the bitch."

Damon leans over and takes the necklace placing it back around Buffy's neck "I didn't go through your head in Atlanta, because we were having fun and I wanted to see the real you. Not the person you were in L.A or Sunnydale but the person you are now. I'm trusting you. Don't make me regret it."

* * *

Buffy and Damon head for the old church, on their way Buffy remembers the party Elena told her about as the two of them start seeing a bunch of people.  
"Crap." Buffy mumbles "What is it with normal people putting themselves in a position to get killed."  
Damon chuckles "People are stupid."

"Buffy." Matt calls as he walks over to her and Damon, Caroline standing with him.  
"Buffy, oh, my god. Where have you been? Have you seen Elena?" Caroline asks as she slips her hand into Matt's surprising even Matt himself.  
"Long story," Damon interjects "No time to tell it."  
Caroline glares at Damon "Wasn't talking to you."  
Damon smiles "Sure you were."

Matt turns to Damon "We haven't met. I'm Matt."  
"Matt, there's a reason we haven't met. You and I are going that way." Damon says as he turns back to Buffy. Damon starts to push Buffy in the other direction "Sorry guys." Buffy calls back to Matt and Caroline. She then turn to Damon "Stop pushing me or I'll pluck your eyeballs out."

* * *

Damon whistles when he sees Stefan standing with Elena and the two Bennet witches. "Brother, witches. Slayer's cousin." He addresses them.  
"Everything ok?" Stefan asks Buffy.  
Buffy nods "Let's just get this over with. You got my toys?"  
Stefan smiles "Yes everything you will need. Look are you sure you don't want me to do the fire stuff."  
Buffy shakes her head "No, stay with the girls keep them safe." Buffy turn to the witches "Are we ready?"  
Bonnie nods "I guess so."

Buffy stands next to Elena as they watch Bonnie's grams walk around the circle lighting up the torches "Earth. Fire."  
"Water." Bonnie says as she hands her Grams a bottle of water.  
Elena looks at the two confused "That's it, just water from the tap?"  
"As opposed to what?" Grams asks.  
"I just figured maybe it would have to be blessed or mystical or something."

Damon pulls a bag of blood from his pocket "What's that?" Stefan asked confused.  
"It's for Katherine. Gotta have something to get her going. Unless your girl's offering a vein to tap. I'm guessing one drop of Slayer's blood and she will be set for the next century."  
Buffy glares at Damon while Stefan sighed. Damon leans closer to his brother "Admit it—you can't wait to get rid of me."  
"I know I can't." Buffy says with a smile.  
Stefan chuckles then turns to his brother "I can't wait to get rid of you."

"We're ready." Bonnie tells them.

The four of them watch as Bonnie and her Grams perform the spell. "What are they saying?" Damon asks.  
"I don't know. It sounds Latin." Stefan answers.  
"I don't think it's Latin." Elena says.  
"That's because it's not." Buffy tells them. The three of them turn to her surprised, Buffy shrugs "What? It's Samarian I have stared at enough books to be able to tell the difference. Plus Latin sound creepier."

The two witches continue to chant the spell, as they do the fire rises.  
Elena grabs onto Buffy's arm frightened "What's happening?"

All of them turn when they hear the door opening "It worked!" Bonnie says.  
"Of course it worked." The older witch says.  
Damon turn to Buffy and Stefan "We have some fires to build."  
"We'll go get the gasoline." Stefan said.  
Buffy quickly turns to Elena "Are you gonna be ok?"  
Elena nods and gave her little cousin a small smile "Yeah I'll be fine."  
"We'll be right back." She tells the group as her and Stefan head back up the stairs.

Damon waits till Buffy and Stefan are out of sight then turns to Elena "Come on."  
Elena looks at him confused "What?"  
"You think I'm going to go in there by myself so you can seal me in?" He says to the witches.  
Grams steps forwards "Don't take her in. I'll bring the walls down."  
"Well I was going to bring the blonde but Elena was the one that convinced you both to help so I thought it would be poetic. And you'll bring the walls down if I don't. You think I trust you."  
"As much as I trust you."

"Enough!" Elena yells "Both of you. Look he needs leverage. He needs to know that you're not going to shut the door when he gets inside. I get it. I'll go."  
Damon smirks and bends down to pick up one of the torches "May I?" He asks as he plucks it from it's place. Both him and Elena then make their way inside.

* * *

Buffy and Stefan run up the stairs and head for the fuel when a voice stops them "Dark down there?" Buffy and Stefan look up to see Ben standing there.  
"I thought I told you to leave." Stefan says, anger evident in his tone.  
"Was this after I stabbed him?" Buffy asks, when Stefan nods she groans, she knew she should have just ripped the idiots head off.  
Ben shrugs as he focuses on Stefan "I considered it. Then I thought, screw you."

"Hey, Heroes" Anna says from behind them "I'm going down there to get my mother."  
Stefan takes a step towards her "I can't let you do that."  
"Well, Ben's about to make a main course out of Jeremy and I'm sure he would love to have Buffy for dessert." Buffy's head whips around to see Ben holding Jeremy. "So you can stop me or him. Your choice." Anna disappears leaving Stefan and Buffy with Ben.

Ben smirks at Buffy "So how come your so strong?"  
Buffy growls at Ben "You about to find out."  
Buffy runs at Ben and tackles him to the ground, he was stunned that he didn't fight back allowing Buffy to quickly flip herself back up and kick him in the face sending him back down to the ground as he attempts to stand.  
"Go!" She yells at Stefan.  
Stefan hesitates not wanting to risk Buffy getting hurt.

Buffy grabs Ben off the ground by his hair and then sends a kick to his stomach making him fly into a nearby tree. "Stefan, go. I got this I will be fine."  
Stefan looks at her worried, after a brief hesitation he nods and runs after Anna.

Once Stefan got back downstairs he noticed Elena was gone. "Where's Buffy?" Bonnie asks.  
Stefan sighs "She's dealing with Ben. Where's Elena?"  
"Damon took her inside." Stefan's eyes widen and he heads for the door.  
"Stefan, no! If you go in there you won't come out."  
Stefan looks at the two of them confused "What did you do?"

Grams looks over at Stefan and explains "Opening the door didn't remove the seal, it just opened the door."  
"What's the seal?"  
"Some seals keep vampires from entering. This one keeps them from...coming out."  
"Elena's human. She can leave. Anna and Katherine can't. Damon can't. You weren't even planning on breaking the spell, were you?" Stefan asks stunned and angry at the same time, he had made a promise to his brother now they were forcing him to break it.  
The older woman shakes her head "I told you. I will protect my own. Elena can get out. That's all that matters."

A few minutes the three of them hear screaming coming from the cave. Stefan runs inside and Bonnie runs towards the door "Stefan!" She calls but her Grams stops her. "You can't just leave him in there, grams!"  
"He made his choice!"  
Bonnie shakes her head "No." She says refusing to believe that this was it. She quickly makes her way back into the circle; going through the grimoire. "Just tell me what to do. I'll do it!"  
"We are not strong enough. Even if we were able to bring the seal down, there's no guarantee that we can get it back up again."  
"You said it yourself—many things can fuel a witch's power. Help me! Or I'll do it alone."

* * *

Buffy turns back to Ben who was now standing again "So why are you doing this? You do realise your disposable to her, or are you that stupid." Buffy asks.  
"I don't care. She already gave me what I want."  
Buffy scoffs "Please don't say eternal life? Wow were you born this much of an idiot?"  
Ben smiled "So what are you? You're not a vampire."

Buffy smiles as she walks around him, circling him as though he was prey "Thank God for that. Ok, have you ever heard of the term Vampire Slayer?"  
Ben looks at her confused "What the hell are you talking about?"

Buffy chuckles "Wow. Never heard that one before." She pauses and turns to face him, hands on her hips "Ok, what about the phrase 'Ah, my leg, my leg." Buffy smirks then takes the knife out of her boot and throws the knife at him watching as it buries itself in Ben's left leg "AH, my leg, my leg." He screams.  
Buffy smiles "Oh so you have heard it. Great." Buffy grabs the flamethrower "It's been a while since I did this to a vamp but I do know it's excruciating. You're about to become history Ben. Bye-bye." Buffy points the flame thrower at Ben and switches it on.  
Ben screams as he catches on flame.

Once he was nothing by dust Buffy runs over to Jeremy and quickly lifts him and takes him to a safer location before heading back to the church.

* * *

Buffy runs down the stairs only to see Stefan standing in the doorway of the tomb. "Stefan?" Buffy runs over to him she then looks at Elena "What's going on?"  
Elena looks at Buffy guiltily "I'm so sorry this is all my fault he came inside to save me. Buffy- he can't get out."  
Buffy turns around to Stefan "What? Stefan?"  
Stefan looks at Buffy sadly "I heard Elena scream, I didn't want you to lose anyone else."

"We're gonna pull down the seal. But we won't be able to hold it for long." Bonnie tells Buffy.  
Stefan nods at the witches then heads back inside to get Damon.

A few minutes later Buffy and Elena are standing by the door as Bonnie and Grams chant "I think it's working." Elena says hopefully.  
Suddenly Anna appears "I just wanted my mother back." She says to Buffy "We won't touch anyone. Not Jeremy. Just please."  
Buffy glares at the two of them but she can't help but be sympathetic with Anna "Go, before I change my mind."

Buffy sees the spell getting weaker and turns to Elena "Stay here." Buffy says before running into the tomb.

She finds Stefan and Damon arguing and call out to Damon "Damon! Please. Don't make me carry you out of here."  
Damon doesn't move for a moment but then sighs and the three of them quickly runs for the entrance. The moment they step out the door closes behind them and Stefan pulls Buffy into a hug.

* * *

After Elena left with Bonnie and her Grandmother Buffy and Stefan are standing in the woods when they see Damon. Buffy walks over to him and hugs him "I'm sorry." She says before pulling away and heading back to Stefan.

* * *

Damon heads to Anna's motel room and waits for the two to return. Once they enter Damon turns on the light and glares at Anna "You knew Katherine wasn't in there."  
"You wouldn't have helped me." Anna says nervously.  
Damon runs over to Pearl and starts to choke her "No!" Anna screams.  
"Why do you get a happy ending?"  
"Damon, please" Anna begs "You wouldn't have helped me! You know you wouldn't!"  
"Why do you get it and I don't?!"

"The guard." Pearl coughs "The one at the church. The one that locked us in. She promised to turn him. He was obsessed with her. She had him under her spell, like everybody else! He let her go. She was still wearing the amulet when she went."

Damon let go of Pearl who fell to the ground gasping for air. Anna helps her mother then turns to Damon "The last I saw her was Chicago. 1983."  
"Was Mary alive?"  
"Yes. They were together. Mary knew where you were, Damon. She didn't care. Sorry."  
Damon's face falls and he slowly leaves to room.

Once he gets back to the house he sits in the chair facing the fire and doesn't move, just continues to stare.


	25. The Books of Ascension

Buffy was in the basement hitting a punching bad. Jenna had agreed to let Buffy turn it into a gym after much deliberation and begging.  
As she continued to hit the bag over and over she ignores the sweat dripping down her face, trying to channel her anger before she actually hurt someone.  
It's all she had done since they had gotten back from Bonnie's Grams' funeral.

Suddenly the door at the top of the stairs opens to reveal Elena "Hey." She says softly "Could you come upstairs for a bit. Jenna found something on Isobel."  
Buffy's eyes widen astonished before she nods and begins unwrapping her hands. "Sure absolutely."

* * *

"Your dad kept everything from his medical practice—records, log, old appointment books. I found an entry from the night you were born." Jenna says as she hands Elena one of the log books that she had found "Patient and a birth date. Isabelle Peterson."  
Elena smiles, that was her mother, the mother she had never known, as much as she didn't want to she suddenly found herself hopeful at the idea of meeting her. "Do you think that's her real name?"  
Jenna shakes her head, given the circumstances, that was very unlikely "Teenage runaway. Probably not. First name, maybe."

Buffy looks over at Jenna "So where's she get Peterson? TV, Magazine, a cute guy from her gym."  
Jenna chuckles in amusement "Maybe her classmate or best friend? So I binged it"  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "People still use bing?" She asks genuinely shocked, she had always been a google girl.  
Jenna nods "Yes. I do. I searched for all the Peterson's in this area born the same year as Isobel, found 3—2 men and a woman, Trudie, who lived in Grove hill, Virginia."  
"That's not far from here." Elena points out.

"Well, watch this." Jenna says with a satisfied grin as she types into the computer and pulls up a picture of two cheerleaders. Elena smiles, she instantly recognised her birth mother, and the fact that she was a cheerleader made her smile, she had something in common with her "Isabel. She was a cheerleader."

Jenna smiles, happy that she could help Elena gain some knowledge on her birth mother, after a brief hesitation she pulls out a piece of paper "Trudie still lives there. This is her address." She says as she hands Elena the paper with the address on it.  
"What about Elena's birth mother? Isabel." Buffy asks.  
"I couldn't find anything about her." Elena sits down disappointed. Jenna sighs "Listen. There's something else. Mr. Saltzman, Rick, his wife was from around here, and her name was also Isobel."

Buffy looks at Elena then back at Jenna having forgotten that Damon had killed Alaric's wife. "Was as in divorced 'was' or the more depressing 'was'?"  
"She died."

* * *

"Alaric's wife might have been Elena's mother?" Stefan asks Buffy.  
Buffy sighs "Elena says that it can't be true. That it's just a coincidence. But Stefan, there are two things I don't believe in Coincidences and Leprechauns."  
Stefan pauses at her comment and tilts his head in thought "Well..."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Holy no way. But Giles said-"  
Stefan smiled at his beautiful girlfriend before kissing the top of her head sweetly "I know more than Giles."

Buffy chuckles in amusement for a moment as she imagines Stefan and Giles arguing over the supernatural. However, her enjoyment was quickly cut short as she remembers what they had been discussing.  
She stands up from the bed and goes to stand in front of Stefan "I wish that it could be a coincidence because if it's not, then that means Elena's birth mother is dead."

Stefan takes a step closer to Buffy and places his hands on her shoulders trying to comfort her "Did Jenna explain to Elena what happened to Alaric's wife."  
Buffy shakes her head then remembers what Ric had told her and Stefan. She gasps her hand moving to cover her mouth in horror as she remembers the truth "Oh, God. Damon killed her. Stefan what are we going do?"

Stefan takes Buffy's hands on his own and looks at her intently "Buffy I know you don't believe in coincidences but it's too much. I'll find out the truth okay."  
Buffy nods weakly before allowing Stefan to wrap his arms around her, as she leans her head against his chest she sighs, she hated this because deep down she knew the truth and it was going to kill Elena when she found out.

* * *

Buffy was downstairs in the gym cleaning one of her swords when her phone begins to ring.  
"Hello?" Buffy asks as she answers the phone distractedly as she spots a mark of dried blood on her sword.  
 _"Hey Buffy."_ Willow says from the other side of the line.

Buffy smiles at hearing her best friend's voice and places the sword on the table "Hey, Will what's up?"  
 _"Buffy something's happened."  
_ "Geez you sound morbid Willow, who died." Buffy pauses as she realises that this was Sunnydale they were talking about, death was more common that Starbucks' in New Work "Oh God, who died?"  
Willow takes a deep breath _"Buffy, the other slayer, Faith... she killed a man. A human man."_

Buffy stands up from her seat knocking over the table "What?" She asks in astonishment. As she asks the question she remembers the time where she herself thought that she had killed someone, that guilt had almost killed her, God knows what Faith was going through. She couldn't help but sympathise with the other Slayer.  
 _"It was an accident, she was getting help but then her watcher Wesley found out and had her taken by the council. She escaped and she almost killed Xander."  
_ Buffy's breathing picks up, all sympathetic thoughts now gone "Oh, God is Xander ok?"

 _"Yeah, he's fine just a little shaken up. But Buffy it gets worse."  
_ Buffy couldn't help but get confused and worried "Will, how can it get worse?"  
 _"Buffy the Mayor he's evil, and she's kind of working for him."  
_ Buffy's jaw flops open in shock "Wait, the Mayor is evil?"  
 _"Yeah. He's planning something known as an Ascension."_

In that moment Buffy knew what she had to do, all thoughts of Damon and Stefan were gone, all that mattered were protecting her friends "Willow I'm coming to Sunnydale ok."  
 _"Wait no. Buffy not yet. If you show up now who knows what will happen. Giles said there is a demon who lives near Mystic Falls who has access to some books. Giles asks if you can get the books."_

Buffy nods even though Willow couldn't see her "Of course, I'll go right away. But Will the moment you find out when this Ascension thingy is you tell me and I will be there."  
 _"Absolutely. It's not like we can win without you, you're our Buffy, we need you. Talk to you soon."  
_ "Bye Will Love you. Be careful."  
 _"Love ya too. And we will."_

After Willow hangs up the phone Buffy quickly hides all the weapons back in the chest before heading up stairs to get ready, as she does not once does the worry for her friend dissipate.

* * *

After getting ready Buffy heads down stairs where she sees Jenna "Hey, where's Elena" Buffy asks her aunt.  
Jenna smiles, "Oh, she went to see that woman Trudie she left while you were downstairs." She tells her before heading upstairs.

Buffy sighs, she was worried about Elena.  
Buffy shakes herself knowing it was too late to go down there so she decided to continue on her mission to find the demon with the books and make sure her friends would have everything they needed to defeat the mayor.

Buffy got into her car and drove to the demon bar, once she pulled over she quickly grabs a knife and a small sword. She hides the small sword in her boot while she tucks the knife into her sleeve.  
As she climbs out of the car and heads for the entrance she pauses, there was a presence behind her, and whatever it was it was clearly not human.

Buffy spins around quickly and punches the horned demon standing behind her, causing him to fall against the back wall of the bar.  
The demon groans in pain "Ow! What are you, nuts? Going around punching people?"  
"People?" Buffy asks as she pulls his hat off revealing the horns and pointed ears.

The demon stands and dusts off his jacket before looking at her, clearly insulted "So what, I'm a demon. That makes it ok?"

Buffy raises her knife threatening him, the demon raises his hands in surrender "Hold it! Whoa! Stab me now and you'll never find out what I got for you. Huh? Think about it. Demon seeks Slayer. Highly unusual?" Buffy looks at him skeptically but lets him continue "Your watcher, Giles right? Well he talked to a contact of mine about the books of Ascension. Your man paid a lot of money for them, I'm guessing you will wanna get your hands on them. They deal with some dark stuff, and the mayor of old Sunnyhell, well he would hate it if somebody got ahold of them before he—well, you know."

Buffy crosses her arms, this demon was getting on her nerves "Fine, where are the books?"  
The demon walks over to a black bag on the ground and picks it up handing it to Buffy. Buffy looks at him sceptically before she opens the bag and inspects the books "Seems solid."

The demon smiles "If you excuse me I've got things to do." The demon turns and Buffy starts to head for her car. But as she does something hard slams into her back "Sorry girly, just got a better offer for the books, so you gotta go."  
Buffy spins around and kicks the demon in the stomach, he runs at her trying to claw at her face but she grabs his arm and twists it behind his back then snaps his neck. The body falls to the ground and Buffy moans in annoyance "Oh, come on. Your not gonna go poof." She says to the body before throwing up her hands in annoyance "Great now I'm gonna have to bury you. You know you should really consider how much burying you is an inconvenience to me."

Buffy shrugs and quickly throws the books in her car before grabbing the demon's body and throwing him over her shoulder before wondering into the woods to find somewhere to stash him.

* * *

"Stupid demons. Backstabbing horned gross demons. Too lazy to go poof." Buffy moans as she dusts the mud off her jacket while she walks into Stefan's room.  
"Stefan." She calls.  
"Better." Damon says as he steps out of the bathroom and enters the room shirtless "Me."  
Buffy stares at Damon, watching as he wobbled towards her "Wow, you look like—"  
"Dashing?" Damon interrupts as he moves closer "Gorgeous?" He starts to lean in close to Buffy "Irresistible?"

Buffy pushes him always slightly "I was gonna go with trashed, wrecked or completely drunk off your ass."  
Damon shrugs "No reason why. Do you know that I am one of Mystic Falls' most eligible bachelors?"  
"Are they really that desperate?" Buffy jokes.  
Damon smirks then walks over to the mirror, Buffy sighs, she wasn't really good with the mushy stuff "So, how's everything?"  
"Never better." Damon says as he puts his shirt on "Yep. What can I do for you? I'm a barrel of favours today. It's my newfound purpose—how can I help people?"

"I'm meeting Stefan." She tells him as she shrugs off her jacket which was really starting to smell "Elena is making us make an appearance at the fundraiser."  
Damon turns around and points to his unbuttoned shirt "Help a guy out, will you? Can't get this."  
Buffy rolls her eyes before tossing her jacket on the bed and walking over to Damon. As she tosses her jacket on the bed Damon grins "Is that a hint."  
Buffy glares at him before slapping him in the chest making him wince slightly, she grins before starting to button up his shirt.

As she does Damon watches her closely "You have mud on your jacket and you smell like demon. Did you do something bad?" Damon asks with a smirk.  
Buffy sighs "Giles wanted me to pick up some books from a demon. I went, I was back stabbed by said demon who then tried to kill me. So I snapped his neck and buried him."  
Damon pouts, clearly disappointed that he had missed her snapped a demon's neck "You killed something without me? Not fair."  
Buffy laughs "What are you 12?"

Buffy continues to button up his shirt when Stefan appears "Stefan." Buffy backs away from Damon and walks over to her boyfriend "Uhh. I need a bigger jacket." Damon says from behind the couple "Wow. You know, an occasional sorority girl might, um, you know, help fill you out a little bit." Damon says to Stefan before leaving the room.

Buffy watches Damon go before turning to Stefan "You have got to be kidding me. It's like nothing happened." Buffy shakes her head then looks up at Stefan, a begging look in her eyes, she had had so much bad news today she couldn't handle any more "Tell me that he didn't kill Elena's mom."  
Stefan looks away, immediately answering her question without a word "Alaric had a picture of Isobel it matched the one Elena and Jenna found. It's true, Elena's mother was Alaric's wife."

Buffy runs her hands through her hair clawing at the strands "Oh, God. Does Elena know?"  
"Not yet. Buffy please, don't tell her yet."  
Buffy looks at him in disbelief, she couldn't believe he would ask this of her, ask her to lie to her family "You can't be serious."  
"I will tell her tonight Buffy but we can't risk setting Damon off, he's still emotional."  
Buffy huffs "Fine. Right now Damon is lucky I'm not setting him on fire, But Stefan you have to tell her. I won't lie to her."

* * *

"Where'd our girlfriend go?" Damon asks when he sees Stefan walking towards him.  
"She's on her way to the grill. I, uh, wanted to talk to you." Stefan hands Damon the photo "This is the woman, Isobel, from North Carolina. Remember her now?"  
Damon looks away from the photo and back at his brother "Who wants to know?"  
"I do."  
Damon looks at Stefan seriously "Who else wants to know?"

When Stefan doesn't answer Damon shrugs "Sorry. Don't know her." Damon walks around Stefan "Hey, are you comin'? The real housewives of Mystic Falls await."

* * *

Buffy walks over to Matt, Caroline and Elena when she comes to The Grill. Elena turns to her cousin and smiles, "It seems that Matt is cougar bait, well according to Caroline."  
Buffy laughs and looked over at Matt "Really? You didn't cast a love spell or something that went wrong did you?"  
Matt laughs "Pretty sure I didn't." He says as he pushes Buffy slightly who merely grins back at him.

"Hi, Mrs Donovan." Caroline says as Matt's mom walks towards the group.  
Matt's mom Kelly, ignored Caroline and turned to Elena with a huge smile on her face "Elena, honey."  
Elena hugs the woman tightly making Caroline's smile fall "Hi, Kelly. How are you doing?"  
"Same old." Kelly smiles then turns her attention to Buffy, immediately a look of shock covers her face before she begins grinning like crazy "No way. Buffy Anne Summers last time I saw you, you were barely walking." She takes Buffy's hands and spreads her arms apart to get a better look at the young girl "Wow you look so much like your mom."

Buffy smiles and hugs Kelly, it was nice to see another one of her mother's friends, and Kelly was the troublemaker character in a lot of her mother's stories. "It's good to see you Mrs. Donovan."  
Kelly smiles "Honey, please call me Kelly."  
Buffy chuckled "Kelly it is then."

Kelly turns back to Elena "Oh, Matty tells me you broke his heart."  
"Mom." Matt interjects.  
"Just kidding. Calm down. He found his rebound girl." Kelly glances over at Caroline "Oh. Here you go sweetheart." She hands Caroline money for the raffles "How ever many that will buy. I just hope I don't get bachelor 3. I dated him in high school. Not impressive." Kelly chuckles then whispers "In any way." She says grinning like a cat.  
Caroline hands Kelly the tickets "Very exciting." Kelly says sarcastically as she takes the tickets and walks off.

Buffy shakes her head in amusement before turning back to the group, as she does she notices Elena watching Alaric who quickly walks off in the other direction when he spots her. Elena turns to Buffy sadly and the blonde rubbed her cousin's arm trying to comfort her.

* * *

Right as the raffle starts Buffy's phone starts to ring. She lifts the caller I.D to see Giles. Buffy sighs and turns to Elena and Jenna "Hey I got to take this I will be right back."  
She gives them a quick wave before standing and heading to the corner of the room out of sight.

"Hey, Giles." She says as she answers her phone.  
 _"Buffy. Hello, were you able to acquire the books?"  
_ "Yeah, except that demon kinda tried to back out of the deal and make a meal out of me."  
 _"My, god."_ Giles replies, Buffy could have sworn she could hear him cleaning his glasses. _"Are you okay?"  
_ "Yeah, Giles I'm good. But I got the books and that demon won't be a problem any longer."  
 _"Good. These books will help us with the ascension, I assume Willow informed you."  
_ Buffy nods "Yep. Just let me know when you need me and I'll come down there for the fight."

 _"Yes, well I will come to Mystic Falls to collect the books with in the next few weeks and will inform you on everything else you need to know."  
_ Buffy pauses for a moment, Giles was coming here, to Mystic Falls, as much as she wanted to see him now wasn't the best time, it wasn't safe. With a panic she sighs before forcing on her cheerful voice, it was too late she wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise without drawing attention "Cool, see ya, Giles."  
 _"Good day, Buffy."_

Buffy hangs up the phone and freezes when she hears Damon speaking about Alaric's wife on stage. And it was painfully obvious from the way that he was speaking what had happened.  
"Oh, god." Buffy whispers; she turns to Elena running out of the room.

Buffy quickly runs after her just as Stefan appears and follows her out.  
"Elena." Buffy calls.  
Elena turns to Buffy and Stefan, tears flowing down her cheeks as she processes everything she had just heard "He killed her? Damon was the vampire that killed her?"  
Stefan steps towards Elena "I don't know what happened. Alaric said that they never found a body."  
"Oh, My god. Did you know?" Elena asks as she turns to Buffy, a look of betrayal crossing her features.

Buffy takes a deep breath before approaching her cousin and takes her hands "I'm so sorry, I wanted to tell you but I had to be sure, I wanted to make sure that it was true before you found out."  
Elena sighs before shaking her head angrily and pulling away from her cousin "I was feeling sorry for him, hoping that this whole Mary thing would change him."  
"He doesn't know about the connection to you." Stefan tells her "I thought about confronting him, but he's already so on edge."

"Why are you protecting him, Stefan?" Buffy asks, her anger seeping through as she watches her distraught cousin.  
"Because you guys aren't the only ones hoping that he might actually change."

Elena looks away tears filling her eyes. When she looks back at Buffy and Stefan something catches her eye "That Man." She gestures behind the couple "I saw that man outside of Trudie's."  
"Get back inside." Stefan tells the two of them "Come on."

The three head back inside where Elena crashes into Damon "Whoa. Easy there. Buy a ticket like everyone else." He says grinning lightly.  
Elena glares at him "Did you enjoy that. Rubbing it in to Alaric Saltzman? Just as I was starting to think that there was something redeemable about you."  
"Elena." Stefan says shaking his head. Elena glares at Damon before pushing past him angrily.  
Damon looks over at Buffy confused "What's wrong with little Ms. Self righteous. Am I missing something here?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes and glares at Damon "Elena's birth mother, her name was Isobel. So why don't you go ahead and continue to gloat about the fact that you killed her."  
"What?"  
Buffy glares at Damon "I suggest you stay the hell away from Elena, otherwise you will be meeting the sharp end of my axe." Buffy warns him before walking off to go after Elena.

* * *

Buffy finds Elena outside "Hey, come on let's get out of here." She says as she offers Elena her hand.  
Elena looks at the hand hesitantly before nodding, as she takes the hand she hugs her cousin tightly for a few brief moments.  
As they pull away from each other and move to head for the car Stefan comes out of the door "Buffy, wait."

However before Buffy could respond the man from earlier appears right in front of the three of them "I have a message for you." He says to Elena.  
"What?"  
Stefan moves to stand in front of the girls "Who are you?"  
"Stop looking." The man says, his focus still on Elena.  
"Stop looking for what?" Elena asks confused.  
"She doesn't want to know you. She doesn't want to talk to you."  
"Isobel?"  
"You need to stop looking. Do you understand?"

Buffy looks over at the man "Wait if she's alive that means—" Buffy looks carefully at the man then realises something. "Stefan?"  
Stefan nods in understanding "He's under compulsion."  
"Do you understand?" the man asks Elena again.  
"Yes. I do."  
"Good. I'm done now." The man glances at the busy road behind him before taking a step backwards. Not a second later does a car come speeding down the road and crash into him.


	26. Date Night

Buffy and Stefan were in the hallway at school as he filled her in on what had been happening since Elena found out about Isobel.  
"Damon hasn't said a word to me. Every time I try to talk to him, he shuts me down."  
Buffy nods "Do you think he's still in search mode for the witch that is Mary? And her little get out of death free walking card known as Katherine."  
"I don't know. He waited 145 years to bring Mary back, only to find out that she was resurrected God knows how long ago and could not care less. I mean, that's got to hurt, right?"  
"And it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy." Buffy adds sarcastically "oh, wait it could have happened to Spike. I would have paid a lot to see that."  
Stefan chuckles "You and Elena have every right to be upset with him."

Buffy scoffs, he was right after what Damon had done to Elena, there was no way in hell forgiveness was anywhere near the horizon "Yep."  
"Have you thought any more about what you're going to do?"

Buffy shrugs before moving to her locker and turning to face him "Thoughts seems to keep flying out of my head. Elena's birth mother is a vampire that is related to Elena's vampire ancestor Katherine, who was best friends with a witch who looked exactly like me for some unknown reason. And said witch, screwed over your vampire brother. I think I prefer the thoughts going out of my head, if I think about all this my brain is going to explode."

Stefan smiles "I'm sorry I brought it up."  
"You know it would be nice if I could have a normal day you know school, slaying, kid stuff. With none of the other vampire drama stuff."  
"Does that included all vampires?"  
Buffy smirks "I don't know, I think I can make an exception. Hey what about fun, do you remember how to do that?"  
Stefan smiles and nods "I think so. When do we start?" Buffy giggles and the two walks off to class.

* * *

Buffy is standing at her locker with Elena who is currently texting with a smile on her face. Buffy watches her cousin carefully then sighs "Okay, you have a secret, which is so not allowed. Spill?"  
Elena shakes her head "It's nothing, really?"  
Buffy smiles "Oh, yes it is your blushing which means it's about a guy so come on spill."  
Elena rolls her eyes but can't help but grin "Look, it's nothing really but you know how I told you I have been talking to this guy since the funeral." Buffy nods "Well he's in town tonight, and wants to hang out."

Buffy smiles "Ahh the mystery guy so who is he?"  
"He's just a friend okay. He's names Liam. He's a med student at Whitmore College."  
"Ohh, a college guy very impressive Elena."  
"Buffy—"  
Buffy just goes on "Come on, it's not like you can complain that he's too old for you. I mean look at my dating history, everyone has been over 100 years old."

The two of them laugh as Caroline walks over "What are you guys talking about?"  
Buffy turns to Caroline "Elena's, college boyfriend who is visiting tonight."  
Caroline smiles stunned "What? You're dating a college man, Elena?"  
Elena shakes her head "No. I'm not, we're just friends. As I told Buffy, just friends."  
Buffy smiles "That's what she keeps saying, yet she can't stop that goofy smile that appears on her face every time she talks about him."

Elena blushes and turned to Caroline "Did you wanna say some something?"  
Caroline smiles "Yes and know with this news it will be even easier to convince you both. I was thinking we could all go out tonight, Elena bring your not so secret not college boyfriend and Buffy bring Stefan. I was thinking nothing huge, just dinner at The Grill, maybe a late night movie."  
"You mean like a triple date?" Buffy asks sceptically.  
Caroline nods just as Stefan appears behind Buffy "3 pairs—"

"We're not a pair." Elena insists.  
Caroline rolls her eyes "Fine 2 pairs and Elena and her 'friend' out on a Friday night, coupled yeah, triplish date."  
"Caroline I don't know." Buffy said  
"Why not? We all haven't gone out together before, plus I'm sure we would all like to meet Elena's so called friend and I don't want it to be uncomfortable for us. Like, the couple dynamics have changed, and there's been a little awkwardness between Matt, Elena, and me, and I just think it's important that we get over it. Plus we can have Buffy there as emotional support."

Stefan turns to Caroline "You know what. I—I think that sounds like a great idea."  
"Huh? You do?" Buffy asks her boyfriend.  
"Yeah, a nice evening out with friends. Sounds fun, as in fun. Hmm?"  
"And Normal." Buffy says directing the comment at Elena who smiles.  
Elena turns to Caroline "I'll talk to Liam. So a triple date it is."  
Caroline smiles "Ok, so, we will see you tonight."

* * *

Damon was sat on the couch opposite Pearl who had just informed him about the tomb and the vampires. "All 25 vampires?" Damon asks.  
Pearl shakes her head "Not all. Some. I imagine that a few have already left town. Others are probably still in the woods or, like us, acclimating." Pearl looks over at Anna who is standing next to her chair before turning back to Damon.  
Damon looks at the woman confused "How'd they get out of the tomb?"  
"I think the witch screwed up." Anna said "That part of her hocus-pocus."  
"Ohh."

Pearl draws back Damon's attention "I understand from Anna that the founding families still have a secret council?"  
"And you're apart of it." Anna adds.  
Damon scoffs "That's ridiculous."  
"I've been in Mystic Falls since the comet, Damon. I'm up to speed. On everything except what your brother's little girlfriend is."  
"As am I." Pearl says "And now that you've infiltrated the council, I'll need to know everything they know. Starting with a list of names of all the council members and their families."  
"And everyone you've supplied with vervain." Anna tells Damon.

"Yes, that will have to stop immediately. Also, I will need everything you know about this Buffy girl. I need to know exactly what she is."  
Damon glares at the two of them "What exactly are you trying to achieve?"  
"Mystic Falls is our home, Damon" Pearl tells him "They took that from us. Our land, our home. It's time we rebuild."  
"What, are you crazy? That was 1864. Wake up, woman the world has moved on."  
"As a reward for your help, I'm willing to give you what you want most."  
"I want nothing."  
"Mary."

Damon freezes for a split second "You wouldn't ever know where she was. You've been under the ground for the last 1 ½ centuries."  
"Katherine and I were best friends, long before we came to Mystic Falls, Damon. Mary and her are practically sisters. Where one is so is the other. I know how Katherine thinks. I know her patterns. I know where to find her, and with her comes Mary."

Damon leans forward in his seat "I no longer have any desire to see Mary ever again. And there's no way in hell I'm gonna play the role of your little minion. Let alone give you information on Buffy." When Damon starts to Stand Pearl shoves him back down "I'm not asking for your help, Damon. Finding Mary was just a mere gesture of kindness. The rest is non-negotiable." Pearl then digs her fingers into Damon's eyes causing him to groan in pain. When she releases him Damon falls to the ground "I have 400 years on you, little boy. I'll rip you from limb to limb without even blinking and you know it. I'll be in touch." Pearl and Anna then turn and exit the boarding house.

* * *

Buffy opens the front door to see Stefan holding a bouquet of flowers "Wow, who are those for?"  
Stefan smiles as he steps inside the house "You."  
Buffy mocks a shocked expression "Really, me?"  
"Well, I figured this was a date. Why not do it right?" Stefan leans down and kisses Buffy softly before she pulls away and heads for the kitchen "I would have driven, too" Stefan tells her as he follows the blonde "But you're the one with the car."

Buffy looks back at Stefan as she places the flower in a vase "You know here's where I'm stuck, your technically old shouldn't you have one."  
Stefan chuckles "Oh, I have one. I just never drive it. So where's Elena?"  
"She went to pick up Liam. You know, it's not too late to cancel."  
"Why would we do that?"  
"I'm a Slayer and you're a vampire. I don't think either of us was meant for any of that traditional dating stuff."

"That's exactly why we're going to do it. We're already breaking every rule in existence why not another. We're going to go out, have some fun, and try to remember that we don't have to be so serious. Listen, when I decided to stay here and to get to know you, it was so that I could do things like this. I could bring my girlfriend flowers, take her out on a date, try to be normal."

Buffy sighs "You do realise I'm not exactly normal right? Plus have you ever even been on a double slash triple date before?"  
Stefan nods "Oh, absolutely, um, 1972. Hef and the twins."  
"What?" Buffy asks with a smile as Stefan holds out his arm.  
"Yeah. Playmates. I got Miss June."  
"Everything your saying worries me." Buffy says as she giggles and placing her arm through Stefan's.

* * *

After Elena had introduced them all to Liam, Buffy, Stefan, Elena, Liam, Caroline and Matt were sitting at one of the tables at The Grill.  
Elena turns to Matt "So, uh, Matt, how do you like working here?"  
"Uh, it's not that bad. Wait staff tips out pretty good. You know, they can't keep a bartender to save their lives. But...I actually put my mom up for the job."  
"How's that been? Having Kelly back?"  
Matt shrugs "You know, the same old Kelly. She's, uh, she's trying, sort of."

Elena turns to Liam and Stefan "Kelly, my mom and Buffy's mom were all best friends growing up. That's how me and Buffy met Matt."  
"Matt and she even shared a crib." Buffy adds.  
"You're kidding." Stefan says.  
"No, we've, uh, known each other our whole lives. Buffy was moved out of here young though, she doesn't have a lot of memories of Mystic Falls."

The group than hear laughing from the bar and see Kelly, Damon and Jenna all drinking together.  
"You got to be kidding me." Matt says annoyed.  
Liam turns to Elena "Am I missing something?"  
"That's Jenna with Matt's mom and Stefan's brother." Elena tells him giving him a small smile, which he returns.

* * *

All of them are playing pool when they see the grown-ups continuing to drink. "Well, at least they're having fun." Caroline comments.  
"They're drunk." Elena tells her.  
All of them turn to Buffy who just appears next to Stefan holding several $20 bills in her hand. Liam looks shocked "How'd you manage that?"  
Buffy shrugs "Well, while you lot were watching the misery drinking game over there." Buffy points at the adults "I just won about $200 off a couple guys at the other pool table."  
Matt laughs "I forgot how good you are at this game."

Liam watches Buffy grin "You hustled them."  
Buffy nods "Yep."  
Stefan turns to Buffy "Where did you learn to do that?"  
"There are a lot of things I learnt in Sunnydale."

Matt smiles and turns to the group "Remember when Elena's parents busted us here after homecoming?"  
Caroline began to laugh "Oh, my god. Yes!"  
Buffy looks at Elena, Caroline and Matt confused "Uh, explain for those that do not know, please." Buffy said gesturing to herself, Liam and Stefan.  
Elena smiles "We were wasted. It was the first time I ever got drunk. I blame Matt."  
Matt turns to Buffy "Her parents got seated at the next booth."  
"Oh, and Matt had me pretend that I was choking so we could get away."  
"Except her dad was a doctor, so, he jumped up to save her."

"And I ran and slipped on the wet floor. And bit it. In front of everyone. Do you remember that? 3 stitches, a hangover for days, and I was grounded from seeing this one for a week."  
Caroline forces a smile on her face "Well, I'm gonna go to the restroom. Elena?" Elena walks after Caroline.

* * *

"Is there anything you're not good at?" Matt asks Stefan as they play pool while Buffy and Liam watch.  
Stefan shrugs "Double slash triple dating. This is all kind of new to me. I usually keep to myself. I don't always fit in."  
"I second that." Buffy says from her seat.  
Matt smiles before turning to Stefan "That's because you're that guy."  
"What guy?" Stefan asks  
"The guy who seems like he has everything. So the people who don't kind of run the other way."  
"Is that what I seem like?"  
"Yep." Liam says  
"Pretty much." Matt adds.  
Stefan nods "Hmm. What a dick."  
"Yeah."

"Uh...I'm gonna go check on the girls. So I can avoid this whole guy talk thing cause I don't speak guy" Buffy says before quickly walking towards the bathroom as she does a man grabs her arm "Mary."  
Buffy stops "Sorry, nope. Not a Mary."

At that moment Elena and Caroline come out the bathroom the man stares at Elena stunned then turned back to Buffy. "Buffy, Elena, come on." Caroline says.  
The two nodded and Buffy turns to the man who was now removing his grasp on her "My mistake." Buffy and Elena follow Caroline back over to the pool tables.

"How's everything going?" Elena asks as Buffy went to stand by Stefan who wrapped an arm around her.  
"I'm pretty sure Matt's cheating." Liam tells her.  
Matt smiles "No need. I'm awesome."

Buffy got out her phone and starts to write out a message "Is everything okay?" Stefan asks.  
"Absolutely." Buffy lifts her phone and shows Stefan the message _'Guy over there called me Mary'._

* * *

Buffy and Stefan were in her car driving over to the boarding house. As they drove Stefan turns to her "So you didn't recognise him? You haven't seen him before?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Nope. Couldn't place his face. But he did keep staring at me and Elena."  
"Alright, let's call it a night." Stefan suggests "You know? Send Matt and Caroline home? And Elena and Liam?"

Buffy shrugs "And here I thought the point of tonight was to not have to go into all worrying and research mode. To push all the drama to the back of our heads. I think that this will be our first and only chance to actually have a normal night."  
"You sure?"  
Buffy shrugs "Nope, I have a sureness of zero. But if there is another vampire we can find him after our normal night has ended."  
"Ok."

The two hear a car approaching "That's them." Stefan tells them as two cars come into view. Stefan turns back to Buffy "Come here." He says before pulling her into a kiss.

* * *

"Yeah. Uh, yeah, this is much better than watching Damon visit cougar town. No offence." Caroline says to Matt as six of them enter the living room at Stefan's house.  
Matt moans "Don't remind me. Man, I've always wanted to see what it looks like in this place."  
Stefan walks around the room "Yeah, I guess it's, uh, a bit much."  
Matt laughed "Ha! Yeah, my entire house could fit in here, like twice."  
Caroline who was looking around the house frowns "I feel like I've been here before. It's weird."

Buffy and Elena look at each other worried so Buffy turns to Stefan "SO what do you guys wanna do. Movie?"  
Matt walks around the group towards the glass shelves filled with small versions of old sports cars, "Whoa. These are great."  
Liam looks over and follows Matt "Damn, these are awesome."  
Stefan shrugs "That', uh, just a little hobby of mine."  
Matt turns to Stefan "I did the entire mustang series when I was 9."  
"You like cars?"  
Matt smirks "That's an understatement."  
Stefan nods "Come with me." He says before walking off.

* * *

Everyone follows Stefan into the garage where a car sits with a sheet over the top of it. Stefan turns to Matt "Prepare yourself, my friend."  
Stefan pulls the sheet up to reveal a beautiful red sports car "Whoa. Wait." Matt says stunned "How do you have this?"  
"Got passed down through the family."  
"Why don't—I mean—why don't you drive it?"

Liam looks at the car "It seems cruel to the car not to take it out, man."  
Stefan smiles "Well, it, uh, doesn't run. I mean, it's not that I could figure it out."  
Caroline looks at him confused "Why would you keep a car that doesn't run?"  
Matt turns to Caroline "Be more of a girl right now."

Stefan looks at Matt "Hey, why don't you come take a look at this for me?" Stefan gestures to the engine.  
Matt moves around to the back of the car "Elena, remember that old Camaro. Your dad used to have?"  
Elena nods "Of course."  
"Yeah. I built and rebuilt that engine 20 times."  
"Wow." Stefan says.  
Caroline leans forward "Well, I don't like sports cars. They're too hard to make out in."

Matt shakes his head "Nah, it wasn't that bad." Elena and Buffy turn to Matt. Elena quickly went after Caroline who had walked off while Buffy turns to Matt "Really?"  
Matt sighs "I know." Matt then turns to Liam "Hey, I'm sorry man."

Liam shakes his head "No, no you and Elena have history plus me and her are just friends."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Really? Yeah, just friends."  
Matt and Stefan chuckle then turn back to the engine.

* * *

"Piece of cake." Matt says as he steps out of the car.  
Buffy scoffed "Of please I did all the heavy lifting literally, I lifted the heavy things."  
Liam laughs "She's right man."  
Stefan looks between Matt and Caroline before tossing Matt the keys "You know what? Why don't you guys go ahead and take it for a spin?"  
Matt smiles "Really?"  
"Yeah."  
Matt opens the door "Caroline." Caroline smiles before getting in the car. Matt gets in the driver seat and the two drive off.

Liam turns to Elena "I got to get going soon, so do you wanna go for a walk."  
Elena smiles and nods before her and Liam walk off.

Buffy smiles at her cousin as she left before turning to Stefan who smiles at her and wraps his arm around her.

* * *

Everyone heads back into the house. They all freeze in the hallway when Matt looks horrified down the hall "Mom."  
The rest of the group look where Matt is focused and see Damon and Kelly making out in the hallway.  
"Damon?" Caroline says.  
Kelly pulls away from Damon "Oh, my God. Matt. Oh, my God." Kelly grabs her bag and starts to head for the door. Matt turns to Caroline "I got to—"  
"It's fine." Caroline assures him "Just go."

Liam turns to Matt, "I'm taking Elena home, we'll drop her off on the way."  
Matt nods in thanks then turns to Stefan and hands him back the car keys "Thanks, man." He says before walking off.

* * *

After Caroline and Elena left, Buffy was sat in the living room with Damon. "You know your a pig, right?" Buffy asks just as Stefan walks in.  
Damon ignores Buffy and looks over at Stefan before rolling his eyes "Oh, don't look at me like that."  
Stefan glares at him brother "Are you crazy?"  
"Save the lecture. Look—"

Before he could finish his sentence someone came busting through the window and crashing into Stefan, the man stabs stabs him in the chest with a piece of glass. Buffy grabs the man and threw him across the room before crouching next to Stefan and pulling out the glass, while Damon turns to the man who had attacked Stefan. The two began to fight just as a woman runs into the room, the woman tackles Buffy, she then kicks Buffy sending her flying across the room. Buffy lands on one of the tables. Buffy grunts in pain but jumps back up when she notices the woman running back at her, Buffy sends a crescent kick at the woman's face then a spinning hook kick which sends the woman flying back at Stefan who now has a stake in his hand.  
Once she was in front of him Stefan drove the stake into her heart before running over to Buffy who was now stood beside Damon who had just tossed the man to the opposite side of the room. The man stands and looks over at the woman's body then back at the three of them, before quickly running out the window.

"Damn it." Damon exclaims.  
Buffy turns to Stefan to check his wound and listen as he speaks "I remember them...from 1864. They were in the tomb."  
Damon looks at the two of them awkwardly "Yeah. About that."

Buffy turns to Damon "Be careful what you say otherwise you will be getting punched again, this time by me." Buffy looks over at Stefan "I'm guessing our normal date night, is now officially, over."


	27. Save Stefan

Buffy, Elena, Stefan and Damon were in the living room at the Salvatore house, Buffy had just told Elena what had happened when her Damon and Stefan were attacked.  
Damon finishes boarding up the window and turns to the group "I say we go to Pearl's bust down the door and annihilate the idiot that attacked us last night."  
Stefan shakes his head "Yeah. And then what we turn to the rest of the house of vampires and say, oops. Sorry?"  
Damon shrugs "Oh, come on we can take them, we have a vampire slayer on our side."

Buffy glares at Damon "You know I'm still in shock that you were such a moron and made a deal with oh, madam Pearl. I mean were you born this much a pain in the ass? Or was it a gradual thing?"  
"It was more like a helpful exchange of information. And it was not like I had a choice. She's...scary. Although, not as scary as you. Besides she's gonna help me get Mary back."  
Elena scoffs "Of course she is. Damon gets what he wants, as usual. No matter who he hurts in the process."

Damon turns to Elena "You don't have to be snarky about it."  
"I woke up this morning to learn that all the vampires have been released from the tomb. I've earned snarky."  
Damon sighs "Oh, come on. Buffy's not being snarky, slightly bitchy though, but that's normal."  
Buffy glares at Damon "Oh, I would be snarky, but I'm imagining you being set on fire, it's surprisingly calming."  
"How long are you two going to blame me for turning Elena's birth mother into a vampire?"

Elena smiles "I'm not blaming you, Damon. I've accepted the fact that you're a self- serving psychopath with no redeeming qualities."  
Buffy laughs "Ditto."  
Damon shrugs "Ouch."

Stefan steps forward closer to Buffy "This isn't being very productive. We're gonna figure out a way to deal with Pearl and the vampires. Yeah?"  
Buffy stands from her seat "I have an idea. I'm gonna kill them all." She says with a slight dangerous smirk on her face, one that hadn't appeared since she had killed all of the Anointed one's minions when they had attempted to revive the master.

Damon smirks "You are getting more interesting day by day. And more violent. I like it." Damon turns to Stefan "See Stef, listen to your girl, she's the expert." Damon smiles once more before leaving the room.  
Stefan places an arm on Buffy's shoulder "Buffy, you can't go up against that many, it's too dangerous."

Elena turns towards the two "I'm sorry guys he just makes me so cranky."  
Stefan smiles "He has that effect on everyone."  
Elena smiles at him before turning to Buffy "So what are we going to do?"  
"Damon, Stefan and I are going to deal. Don't worry about it."  
"Well, what about me?" Elena asks. "I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"That's exactly what you're gonna do," Stefan tells her "Because it's gonna keep you safe. Trust me, if I could convince Buffy she would be staying out of this and safe. Only she's stronger than me, so I don't think she'd let me."  
"You got that right." Buffy says with a smirk on her face before kissing his cheek.

Elena sighs "None of that means anything if you guys are not safe, too."  
Buffy smiles as does Stefan who turns to Elena "We are completely safe, we have Damon, they self-serving psychopath on our side."  
"Well, that's comforting." Buffy laughs as Elena mops and flops on the couch, while Buffy leans against Stefan who wraps his arms around her.

* * *

Later Buffy grabs her phone when she sees Damon's name on the caller I.D she ignores the call.  
She is about the walk up the stairs when she hears someone walking onto the porch, she knew straight away it was Damon.

Buffy sighs and then walks over to the door opening it before Damon could knock. Damon looks at her confused "How—" Buffy points at her ears and Damon nods "Oh, yeah. Slayer. I'm guessing super hearing comes with the package."  
Buffy smirks "It's a blessing and a curse."  
Damon then walks straight past her and into the house "You're ignoring me."

Buffy closes the door and turns to Damon "Damn your clingy, I mean with the 6 missed calls. Calls that I so did not hit ignore on." Buffy says sarcastically.  
"Is Stefan here?"  
Buffy tensed slightly, something was wrong "Nope? Why? What's wrong?"  
Damon looks over at Buffy "He went out to the woods and didn't come back. I can't get him on his phone. I figured he was here with you."

Buffy quickly dials Stefan's number "Dammit." Buffy exclaims "It's going straight to voicemail. Where could he be?"  
"You're not going to like what I'm thinking.

* * *

Buffy and Damon are standing outside Pearl's door as Damon bangs on the door "Pearl! Pearl open this door or I swear to God I'll bust through and rip your head off."

Suddenly the door opens the reveal the man that attacked Buffy, Stefan and Damon at the house "Pearl's not home." The vampire pokes his head out the door "Hmm. Beautiful weather. Not a ray of sun in the sky. And a beautiful girl." He eyes Buffy who continues to glare "You know, I think Anna was right the blonde, does work better. Hmm, I bet you are just delicious."

Buffy smirks "Why don't you come and find out then, I'm sure you'll understand the whole biting off more than you can chew thing."  
The vampire smiles "As much as I would love to I prefer it in here."  
Damon glares at the man "Where's my brother?"

The vampire pulls the door open some more "Billy." He calls. Suddenly two men appear dragging Stefan with them, Stefan groans in pain "Stefan!" Buffy exclaims.  
"You're dead." Damon growls as he tries to step inside but can't.  
"Whoa. I'm sorry. You haven't been invited in."  
Buffy steps in front of Damon "Well, I don't need an invitation." Buffy is about to step inside when Damon grabs her holding her back.

The vampire at the door smirks "That's right I suggest you keep your brother's girl under control, cause I'm guessing a lot of the guys in here would love to get a hold of her."  
Buffy growls at the vampire "I'm gonna kill you. And I'm gonna enjoy it."  
The vampire smiles "You've got spunk kid. I like that." The vampire then turns to Damon "Miss Gibbons?" He calls.

Suddenly a woman with bite marks all down her neck appears "Yes, Frederick, Honey?"  
"Never let these bad people in."  
Miss Gibbons nods "I'll never let them in." The woman smiles before walking off.

Fredrick turns his focus back to Damon "145 years left starving in a tomb, thanks to Katherine's infatuation with you and your brother. No, wait... her infatuation with taking men that want Mary. First few weeks, every single nerve in your body screams with fire. The kind of pain that can drive a person mad. Well...I thought your brother might've wanted to get a taste of that before I killed him. Billy."

Suddenly Billy stabs Stefan in the stomach, Stefan groans in pain and falls to the ground.

"You have a nice day." Fredrick says before closing the door in Buffy and Damon's faces'. Buffy was about to kick the door down when Damon grabs her and throws her over his shoulder, quickly running back to the car.

"Get the hell off of me!" Buffy yells as Damon places her back on the ground. Buffy stares at Damon in disbelief "What the hell is a matter with you? Why did you bring me here? I'm going to go get Stefan."  
Buffy tries to move past Damon but he grabs her "You're not going in there."  
"Oh yes, I am."  
"No."  
Buffy shoves Damon off her "You're forgetting I'm a hell of a lot stronger than you." Buffy sighs "Why are they doing this?"  
"Revenge. They want revenge."  
"We have to do something."  
"I know."

Buffy starts to move past him again but Damon grabs her "What are you doing?" He demands.  
Buffy looks him in the eye "I can get in, and I'll get Stefan."  
"Buffy, no. Look you may be stronger but we don't know how many of them are in there. If there are too many they will kill you."  
"But we can't let them hurt him, we have to get him out."

Damon places a hand on her cheek "I know. Buffy, I know. But you and I aren't enough to get him out, especially if I can't get in."

* * *

After quickly dropping by the house so Buffy could pick up her weapons, Buffy, Damon and Elena who had begged to come along and help headed over to the school.  
As Damon and Alaric have a stare off in the hall Elena and Buffy walk out of the classroom "Mr Saltzman. We need your help." Elena tells him.

The four of them were now in the classroom. "Stefan's in the house." Buffy tells Alaric "Unfortunately, Damon has not got a come in and party invitation."  
Alaric looks up at Buffy "What about you? You're the Slayer. Why don't you just go in?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Oh, I'm going. But I don't know how many of them there are. There is at least around 15. I'm good, but I don't know if I'm that good."  
Elena turns to Alaric "We need your help."  
Buffy leans against one of the desks "I would go in alone but—"  
"Your life is valuable." Damon adds "Yours, on the hand..."

Buffy turns away from Damon and back to Alaric "Stefan told me about your weird mojo resurrectus ring."  
"What about it?" Alaric asks, still being very vague.  
Damon walks away from the window and towards the teacher "Let me recap—you tried to kill me. I defended myself. You died. Then according to my brother, your ring brought you back to life. Am I leaving anything out?"  
"Yeah. The part where I try and kill you again. Only this time I don't miss."  
When Alaric stands and steps towards Damon Elena steps in front of the teacher "Mr Saltzman. Please."  
"I'm sorry, Elena Buffy. But it's not my problem."

"That's a shame." Damon tells him "Because the woman in charge of the crowd can help you find your wife."  
"You're lying."  
"Am I? Why don't you ask her yourself? Coward."  
"Shut your mouth, Damon." Buffy hisses at the vampire.

Damon smirks and turns to the Slayer "Oh, come on." Buffy gives him a pointed to look causing Damon to roll his eyes  
"Fine. Let's go."

As the three of them approach the door Alaric calls out "Wait. I'll go."

* * *

Alaric places his weapons bag on the table, at the sight of it Buffy whistles while Damon smirks "Teacher by day, vampire hunter by night."  
Alaric looks over at Damon "I've you to thank for that."

Buffy lifts her own bag onto the table and places an assortment of knives, stakes, and axes on the table as well as a sword and a crossbow. "I'm a little more medieval with weaponry, but that's not my fault it's how I'm trained."  
Alaric stares wide-eyed at Buffy's weapons "Damn."

Damon turns to Buffy "And it looks like we have the student by day, vampire slayer by night."  
Buffy smirks "Yeah, except I can still beat the crap out of you during the day."

Alaric laughs but then turns to Elena who is now holding one of the darts "What are these?" She asks.  
"Those are tranquilliser darts filled with vervain."  
Buffy picks up one of the darts and inspects it "You know these are cool, but you should get some with holy water in them as well just in case you run into a demonic vampire."  
Alaric turns to the small blonde "How am I supposed to know the difference?"

"Well when they try to kill you they go all 'grr argh' and their face goes all bumpy." Buffy does an impression of the vampire's face before turning to Damon who is now speaking "Just get me in. I'll get Stefan out."  
Elena looked at Damon sceptically "That's your plan? You're just gonna take them all on yourself?"  
"Of course not. The little Slayer here will be joining me. Plus we will be a little stealthier than that, hopefully." Damon turns to Buffy "You know Stefan's gonna lecture me for putting you in danger."

Buffy shrugs "Well, we both know that without me in there, your toast. Plus, Slayer definition means always in danger."  
Damon nods "Just as long as you don't kill me."  
Buffy pouts "Take away all my fun why don't you."  
Alaric smirks at Buffy while Damon just glares at her for a moment.

Buffy turns to Elena who is pulling one of the darts out of the bag, Alaric notices as well and turns to the teenager "Whoa. What are you doing?"  
"I'm going with you guys."  
Buffy steps towards Elena "No, you're not Elena. Not a chance in hell."  
Elena looks at her younger cousin "You need me. I'll get in. You three distract them and then I'll get Stefan out."  
"You'll get yourself killed." Damon tells her.  
Buffy nods "Damon's right. I won't risk my friends and family again. You're not going in there."  
"Buffy, I can help you."

Damon turns to Alaric "So when you get me in, get out as quickly as you can. I know how to sneak around where they can't hear me. And Buffy here can be scary quiet when needed. You'll basically just be in the way."  
Alaric glares at Damon "You expect me just to leave Buffy in there with you."  
Buffy sighs "Mr Saltzman, I'll be fine, I've died before it can't get any worse than that."  
Alaric looks at the blonde shocked "Wait, what?"  
Buffy sighs "I'll explain my exploits of slayage in Sunnydale another time."

Elena turns to her cousin "Buffy, now is not the time for you and Damon to play the lone rangers."  
Buffy shrugs "Technically it's not lone ranger if we are working together and as long as he doesn't piss me off Damon will not be meeting the end of Mr Pointy like the rest of them."  
"Buffy please—"  
Damon sighs getting frustrated and interrupts "Fine. Elena, you can drive the getaway car."

Buffy closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before turning to her cousin "Fine. But you're not going anywhere near that house."  
"Buffy, please, I want to help I don't want you to have to go through what happened with Angel again."  
Buffy looks over at her cousin sadly "There is a difference here, Stefan is not Angel. I will not have to drive a sword through his heart."  
Damon turns to Elena "Buffy, will be fine Elena. She's got me the homicidal crazy vampire on her side."  
Elena glares at Damon "Could you not joke around for two seconds."  
Buffy steps closer to Elena "I can't protect you, Elena. We don't know how many vampires are in there."

Damon suddenly snaps his fingers "That's how long it takes you to get you head ripped off. We need to be able to get in and get out. I can't have Buffy getting distracted with your safety or this will end up a bloodbath that none of us walks away from...including Stefan."  
Alaric draws the groups attention "If we're gonna go, let's go."

* * *

Buffy and Damon wait outside the house as Alaric goes in "How long is this gonna take?" Buffy whispers.  
"Depends on how good the teacher is." Damon whispers back. The two stand in silence for a few moment before Damon brakes it "So you killed your ex?"  
Buffy turns to him shocked "What?"  
"You mentioned to Elena that you drove a sword through Angel's heart. Why? Did he cheat on you? Spill something on your shoes? Honestly never thought you would kill someone, unless..."  
Buffy glares at Damon before sighing "Angel was a vampire."  
Damon smirks "I see you have a type."

Buffy rolls her eyes "You want to hear the story, now?" Damon smiles and nods.  
Buffy sighs "Fine. Long story short he had a soul, he was good. Then he lost his soul and started killing my friends and tormenting me. He tried to end the world so to stop him I drove a sword through his heart and killed him."  
Damon watches her carefully "I'm guessing there is more to it than that."  
Buffy looks away "Yeah. There is."

Suddenly the back door opens "Saved by the vampire hunter." Buffy mumbles under her breath. Buffy quickly headed inside clutching her axe and stake and made sure the crossbow on her back was secure "Good job, Ric." Buffy says before sneaking into the house leaving Alaric and the woman alone with Damon.

Buffy makes her way into the hallway when she sees one of the vampires heading back into the kitchen she heads after him, she was about to kill him when Damon appears and stakes him. Buffy huffs "Hey, I wanted to kill that one."  
Damon smirks "You can have the next one. Come on."

The two slowly head downstairs they see the guard by Stefan's room stand and start to head into the hall. Buffy turns to Damon "My turn." Damon smiles and gestured for Buffy to go ahead.  
Buffy walks up to the vampire "Hi, how are you doing?" The vampire spins around to face her, Buffy kicks him causing him to fly into the wall. Buffy then spins the axe, the vampire glares "You don't have the balls—"  
Buffy brought the axe between the vampire's legs, she smirks "Who does now these days?" She brings the axe up and slices the vampire in two.

Damon walks over to her "Damn."  
Buffy smiles "He had to split." Buffy then burst out into laughter but then turns to see Elena staring shocked. Damon looks over as well "Are you insane?"

* * *

Buffy kicks down the door to Stefan's cell and runs over to him "Buffy..." Stefan breathes as he stares at her "You shouldn't be here—"  
Buffy stares at the man currently hanging from the ceiling bleeding "Enough of that, we are gonna get you out of here."  
"We?"

"Hello, Brother." Damon says as he walks over to the two of them.  
"Oh, my god." Elena breathes as she sees the state Stefan's in.  
Damon rolls his eyes and turns to his brother "That one was supposed to stay in the car." He says gesturing to Elena.

Just as Damon is about to stake the vampire currently tied to the chair Stefan cries out "No. No. No. Not him."  
"Whatever. Let's get you down."  
"There's vervain on the ropes."

Damon walks away from the ropes "Elena make yourself useful, pull that. Buffy be prepared to catch your boyfriend."  
Elena pulls on the ropes and Stefan starts to fall, Buffy catches him holding him up. Damon turns back towards the door "All right, let's go. Clothes on."

"Wait." Stefan groans in pain.  
"What? Guys, come on. We have to get out of here."  
"Buffy, please." Stefan points to the vampire in the chair, Buffy sighs "Elena could you help Stefan?"  
Elena nods and walks over helping Stefan stand.

As she does Buffy walks over to the vampire and yanks to the two stakes, currently lodged in his legs out.  
"Come on we gotta go." Damon says trying to hurry the group along.

Buffy turns to Elena "Can you get him in the car?"  
Elena nods "Yeah."  
Damon turns to Elena "All right, go."  
"What about you two."  
"You rescue, we'll distract. Go."  
Stefan turns to Buffy a worried look on his face "Buffy, I'm not just gonna leave you here."  
Buffy steps towards Stefan "I'll be fine but you won't be so please, go." She quickly places a soft kiss on his lips before nodding at Elena to take him. Elena pulls Stefan away while Buffy follows Damon up the stairs.

Buffy and Damon head up the stairs, Buffy grabs her crossbow and fires at the female vampire currently in front of the room with the pool table. Once they hear the vampires start to panic, Buffy and Damon made their way silently around the house and hide preparing to attack.

* * *

Elena continues to pull Stefan through the woods "Uhh. Can you make it?" Stefan falls to the ground pulling Elena down with him who cuts her hand on some wood. "You Ok?" Stefan asks.  
Elena nods "Yeah. Come on, we gotta keep going. Come on. Come on." She pulls Stefan back up to his feet and the two continue to head for the car.

* * *

Buffy who had climbed onto the ceiling and was currently hanging on the chandelier drops down on the vampire below and drives her stake through his heart. "You're rather impressive you know that." Damon comments as he enters the room.  
Damon lifts the body and placed in on the table making sure that Fredrick would see it when he walked by.

When Fredrick appears Damon jumps at him and shoves against the wall the two fight and Damon managed to get Fredrick on his back.  
Damon punches him repeatedly until two vampires come and grab Damon.  
Buffy runs into the room and tackles one of them to the ground, Buffy punches the vampire and was about to stake him when he threw her onto the table. Buffy stands on the table and does a backflip kicking him in the face as she does. She sends a jab at his face then a spinning back fist. She then does a butterfly kick sending him flying to the other side of the room. She quickly grabs her stake and tosses it at him, it goes straight through his heart. Buffy turns around to see Alaric and Damon staring at her stunned, Buffy smirks "I told you I was good."

Buffy smiles for another second before running for the door where she saw Fredrick take off "I'm going after Fredrick." She hisses before she runs off.  
"Wait up." Damon calls as he runs after her.

* * *

"Come on, it's right over here." Elena tells the weak Stefan as she pulls him towards the car.

Once she places him inside she gets into the driver's seat. She is about to start the engine when she notices the keys are gone "Stefan..."

Suddenly Fredrick punches his arm through the window and pulls Stefan through the window and throws him on the ground. He continues to beat on Stefan then grabs a stake, he lifts Stefan off the ground "This is for Bethanne. First, you, then your little girlfriend." He stabs Stefan near the heart, Stefan groaned in pain as Fredrick removes the stack before shoving it back in "And this is for the tomb."

Fredrick groans suddenly before collapsing to the ground as Elena injects him with the vervain dart. "Stefan.." Elena leans over and pulls the wood from Stefan's chest. When she realises Stefan was unconscious she begins to panic "Stefan. Stefan!"

* * *

"Frederick's gone." Damon says to Alaric as he enters the room, Buffy following him.  
"Let's get out of here." Alaric says.  
Damon huffs in anger "I'm gonna kill him."  
"Get in line." Buffy says while equal amounts of anger.

The three of them step outside the house only to freeze when they saw how many vampires were outside. "How many of those vervain darts do you have left?" Damon asks Alaric.  
"One."  
"Not gonna be enough." Buffy says as the three of them slowly walk back into the house.

* * *

"Stefan, come on wake up." Elena says as she tries to wake him up "Please, Buffy needs you, you have to wake up."

When Elena spots the cut on her hand she realises what Stefan needs. She turns back quickly to see Frederick starting to recover and knew she had no choice. Elena put some on the blood on Stefan's lips and sighs a relief breath when her friend begins to move. "Elena, you have to run."

"No. Stefan you're my friend I'm not gonna leave you here. Please, Stefan. My wrists. Take my wrist. You need more blood."  
Stefan turns away "No, Elena just run."  
"NO, Buffy trusts you, so do I too, please."  
Stefan hesitates before biting into Elena's wrists.

* * *

"So what you said to get me to do this, about my wife. It was a lie, wasn't it?" Alaric asks as the three of them stare at the door.  
Damon nods "Yep."

Suddenly the thumping on the door stops "Stop." A woman yells "What's going on here?"  
The door opens and Pearl and Anna stepped inside. Pearl looks around the room shocked "What did you do?" She asks Damon.

"Me? Your merry little band of vampires spent the day torturing my brother."  
"Trust me. The parties responsible for this will be dealt with."  
Damon looks at Pearl annoyed "Our little arrangement doesn't work unless you learn to control them. You know I have half a mind to let Buffy here kill you for the fun of it."  
"This wasn't supposed to happen."  
"Well, it did. If I had a good side...not a way to get on it."

The three of them walked past Pearl and Anna, as they did Buffy turns to Pearl "I should warn you it's a mess downstairs, I may have cut one of your guys in half. Hell of a cleanup job. Night-night." Buffy gave Pearl a small smile, before stepping outside.  
"Stefan." Buffy says quietly before running into the woods as Damon and Alaric run after her.

* * *

"Stefan!" Buffy yells as she sees Stefan stabbing the now dead Frederick over and over. Buffy grabs Stefan's arm forcing him to stop, Stefan growls at her as the blood rushes to his eyes "Stefan." Buffy whispers.  
Slowly Stefan's face turns back to normal. He drops the stake and looks at Buffy horrified at what he had done.

* * *

After dropping Elena off at home Buffy was standing in Stefan's room. She turns when she hears him enter "Hey, how's it going?"  
"I'm ok." Stefan tells her "The wounds have mostly healed. Is Elena ok?"  
"She's Good."  
"Buffy...what you did today, coming to help me...you could have been killed."  
Buffy sighs "Stefan, I've been dead before. I know the risks."  
"And what I did, I'm sorry that...I'm sorry that you had to see it."  
"I've seen worse. Even though you acted like another person, but it's not exactly the first time I've seen something like that."

Stefan steps closer to Buffy and places a hand on her cheek "I know you have, and I wish that you didn't have to live like that. But everything's gonna be ok."  
"Stefan, that was like major jinks you do know that right?"  
Stefan chuckles "My bad."

Suddenly Buffy's phone starts ringing, Buffy quickly grabs it and answers "Hey Elena What's going on?"  
 _"Buffy they found Vicki's body."  
_ Buffy's eyes widen in shock and guilt "Oh, god."

* * *

After Buffy went home to check on Jeremy and Elena Damon walks into Stefan's room to see tonnes of empty blood bags in the room. Damon walks further into the room where he finds a crying Stefan currently drinking from a blood bag.


	28. Control

Buffy and Elena are heading for the door "Come on Jer, heading out the door now." Elena calls to her brother  
"You forgot this." Jenna says to Buffy as she hands her the history book.  
"Thanks." Buffy says.

As Elena opens the door the three of them come face to face with John Gilbert. Immediately Elena groans in annoyance this was so not the time.  
"Elena." John said with a smile.  
"Uncle John. Hi."  
John turns to look at Jenna "Jenna."

He then looks at Buffy "Let me guess, Joyce's daughter, Buffy. Look at you, all grown up."  
Buffy nods forcing a smile on her face "Hi, John."  
Jenna glares at the man "John. You made it."  
"Said I would be in by noon."  
"Oh, what you say and what you do are typically 2 very different things." Jenna says as John walks past the three of them and into the house.

"Uncle John. What's up?" Jeremy says as he walks down the stairs before heading straight out the door.  
"Hey. I had some business in town. I thought a visit was in order."  
Elena turns to John "How long are you staying?"  
John shrugs "I don't know yet."  
Buffy nods "That's great and all but Elena and I gotta book. So bye-bye."

Buffy quickly pulls on Elena's arm and the two of them quickly escape the house and head to the car. Buffy looks over to Elena "I never thought I would be grateful for school in my entire life." Elena starts to laugh as they jump into the car and head to school.

* * *

Buffy looks at the paper Alaric had handed her "I made a copy of a paper that Jeremy wrote me. I think you should take a look at it."  
Buffy looks at the title _'Fact or Fiction: Vampires of Mystic Falls.'_ Buffy's eyes widen "Jeremy wrote this? Like Jeremy Gilbert, Jeremy?"  
Alaric nods "He's very clear that he didn't think it was real."

Buffy sighs "I hope so, Elena did a lot to make sure he was protected from this. And I really don't want to have to add in another dumbass kid who is curious about vampires that I will have to protect. My life is complicated enough as it is."  
Buffy hands Alaric back the paper, once she did Alaric turns to face her "So how do you deal with it?"  
"Yeah, I'm coming up blank here, could you elaborate?"  
"I don't know, with all the lies and the secrets. You have to lie to everyone who's important to you."

Buffy shrugs "When I was called, I was 15 and when I saw my first vampires I seriously wigged. But then I watched a vampire kill my first watcher and my friend Pike was seriously hurt. I had friends in Sunnydale who knew and during the whole battle with Angel most of them ended up in the hospital. One of my friends even died. People being in this world, knowing about what we deal with puts them in danger, because they want to help, even when they can't. So keeping it from them allows me to protect them without putting them endanger. I won't make that mistake again."

Alaric nods and stands "I think Stefan's a good guy, but, uh...at the end of the day, he's still a vampire. And you're still The Slayer."

Buffy chuckles "Trust me I get it. It's weird but honestly, Stefan's different. And anyway it's not like I can date a human, if he pisses me off I could end up squishing him like a bug." Alaric chuckles for a moment before Buffy continues "Being the slayer comes with an early death. I died once when I was 16 and as much as I would love to pretend that my life expectancy is a long way away, like a chetto I know that it's likely I won't live past 20. So it's not like I have to worry about the no ageing thing, cause I won't live long enough to worry."  
"You're slightly morbid and blunt." Alaric tells her.

Buffy shrugs "I wasn't always, but after my mom, I became more realistic."

* * *

Buffy lies on her bed while Stefan sits next to her "Why would he write a report on vampires? No offence but they are not that interesting. What about that mind mojo thing Elena had Damon do, could it be wearing off?"  
Stefan shakes his head "Damon took away those memories for good. You don't have to worry about that. Did you tell Elena?"  
Buffy nods "Yep, to say she is panicking is an understatement like a major understatement. Elena's gonna ask him, see what he says."

Suddenly Buffy's phone buzzes, she looks over to see a message from Willow. Buffy sighs and throws the phone onto the opposite chair. "What's wrong?" Stefan asks.  
Buffy shrugs "It's just Willow, I just don't know how to talk to her at the moment, we use to be really close but now with all the secrets, mine and hers..."  
"What do you mean?"

Buffy sits up "I mean, they are keeping something from me, something big and it doesn't have to deal with the Mayor's ascension. Every time we talk I can hear it in her voice, it's like she wants to tell me something but just can't. And I can't help but feel guilty about all of my secrets.  
Stefan smiles "Maybe it's time you talk to her, trying and opening up to her again. I'm not saying you should tell her everything, but at least try to find out what she is keeping from you and be prepared for it."  
Buffy chuckles "Easy for you to say. You won't have to listen to Willow babble."

Stefan smiles down at Buffy. Buffy looks up at the vampire "So what about yourself, how is Stefan doing?"  
"I'm much, much better. Yeah, I'm—I'm still, you know, a little, uh—a little jittery, a little bit on edge, but, uh... I'm –I'm gonna be ok."  
"I've been very much of the worried when it comes to you. Plus I may have maybe, missed you. Just a little."  
Stefan smiles "I just needed to lay low for a little while, and, uh, let my body readjust. It's only been a few days."

Buffy smiles and leans down and kisses him.  
"I missed you too," Stefan says before kissing her again.

The two continue to kiss as Stefan lowers Buffy onto her back, Buffy quickly flips them over so she was on top and kisses him. Suddenly Stefan rolls them back over and kisses her. When he pulls away Buffy looks up at him confused "Stefan, what's wrong?" Buffy looks up to see the blood rushing to Stefan's face as his fangs begin to drop. Stefan shoves himself away from Buffy and crashes into the opposite wall smashing one of the lamps.

* * *

Buffy answers the door to see Damon standing there "I called you an hour ago. What were you doing fixing your hair?"  
Damon smirks "You ask, I come. I'm easy like that."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Shh." She tells him as she gestures to Jeremy who was currently working at the dining table.

Buffy starts to pull him upstairs when Damon yells dramatically "No, Buffy, I will not...go to your bedroom with you."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and drags Damon up the stairs.

As they enter Buffy's room Damon smiles "Ahh. Just like I remembered."  
Buffy turns to Damon as she shuts the door "Damon, shut your mouth. Before I have to gag you."  
Damon smirks "Ohh, kinky. I like it."

Damon picks up the stuffed pig known as Mr Gordo, currently on Buffy's bedside table and inspects it as he lies down on her bed "You know that, your uncle's been kickin' it with the founder's council?"  
Buffy looks over at Damon "First of all John not my uncle. Thank God. And secondly huh?"  
"Yep."  
Buffy sighs "Great so that list I've been making now need to be dramatically alerted. It's gonna end up being 'Buffy's list of a billion problems'."  
Damon looks over at the crushed lamp "What happened right there?"  
Buffy looks over at the lamp and shrugs "I was pretending it was you. And well I broke it."

When Damon looks at Buffy sceptically, the blonde rolls her eyes "Damon, I have been maybe a little, worried about Stefan. He is saying everything is ok, but I can tell it's not. He's craving, I can see it in his eyes. How long till he has control again?"  
Damon shrugs "Few days give or take. What's the big deal?"  
Buffy sighs as Damon walks over to her "You seem to forget I know what happens when a vampire who hasn't had human blood for as long as Stefan has will act."

Damon hands Buffy back the pig before walking over to the draws "Look, Buffy problem is he's spent too long not being himself. We're vampires, we hunt we drink. Stefan is refusing to an annoyingly obsessive level to give into nature, so he has no control when he does give in."  
Buffy sighs as Damon starts going through her draws when he picks up one of her bra's Buffy quickly snaps his wrist and puts the piece of underwear back. "I suggest you stop being a pain in the ass Damon."

Damon glares at Buffy for a moment as he put his hand back into place "You know you seem to get more violent every time I see you. I've said it once and I'll say it again. I like it."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and folds her arms as Damon continues "Look, you're not clueless. You know exactly what can happen, what the other side is like. Hell, you dated the scourge of Europe."  
"Damon—" Buffy warns him.  
"Look, I know you don't want to admit it, but deep down he is exactly like me. He just tries not to be."

* * *

Buffy is sitting in her room staring at the phone. She knew Stefan was right she had to talk to Willow, find out what everyone was keeping from her. Buffy takes a deep breath before she dials the number _"Hey,_ _Buffy."_ Willow answers in her normal cheerful tone.  
"Hey, Will. You're not busy, are you? I kinda need to talk."  
 _"I'm free. What do you wanna talk about?"_

After filling Willow in on as much as she could, leaving out the vampire part. Buffy decides it was time to try and get some answers "Will, I need you, to be honest with me. What have you and the gang been keeping from me? And don't say nothing cause I can hear it in your babbling that you're keeping something."

Willow sighs she knew it wasn't the right time to tell Buffy about Angel, but she had to tell her something _"Buffy, I can't. Look Giles will be there soon to pick up the books of ascension and he can explain everything."  
_ "Will—" Buffy tries but Willow doesn't let her finish.  
 _"Buffy, I can't. Giles, will explain everything ok? Look I have to go I'm meeting Oz for dinner with my mom. Bye."_

Before Buffy could say anything Willow abruptly hung up the phone. Buffy sighs, she was even more positive now that they were keeping something from her. Something she needed to find out.

* * *

At the Founder's party, Buffy spots Stefan drinking by the bar "Hey." She says as she walks towards him.  
Stefan smiles and leans in kissing Buffy on the check "Hey. How are you?"  
Buffy looks at Stefan intently "Working on your impression of Ron burgundy I see."  
Stefan chuckles "Um...ok, I know it's a little weird, but it's really helping me. The alcohol, it, uh...takes the edge off."  
Buffy smiles "You're that high school kid that sneaks booze the whole party."  
"I totally am. Yeah."  
"On a scale to one to ten. What should my worryness level be."  
"Zero. You don't need to be worried. It's just until, um, the cravings go away. Listen. How about we enjoy it while it lasts? Would you like to dance with me?"

Buffy looks at him shocked "Who are you and what have you done with my brooding boyfriend." Buffy jokes.  
Stefan smiles "The drunk me is less brooding, more about fun."  
"Stefan look at the dance floor, it's vacant like Sunnydale high when ghost decide it's time to come out and play."  
"That's because they need something better to dance to. Be right back." Stefan walks over to the DJ while

Kelly walks over to Buffy "Yeah, that's not gonna work. I already tried to bribe the guy with 20 bucks and a date. He said Carol Lockwood has complete control over music choices."  
Buffy watches Stefan intently before realising how he is getting what he wants "Stefan can be very...persuasive."

Suddenly some more upbeat music begins to play. Kelly smiles "Thank God." She says before making her way onto the dance floor. Stefan smiles at Buffy and does the same as Kelly.

Buffy watches people dance as Damon walks over to her "Have I entered an alternative universe where Stefan is fun?"  
Buffy sighs "Is Stefan going to be ok?"  
"Eventually. One way or another."

* * *

Buffy was talking with Jenna and Elena when Elena turns to Jenna "History teacher 3 o'clock."  
Jenna looks quickly before turning back to the two girls "How do I look?"  
"Beautiful." Both girls say.  
"Ah, I been lookin' for you." Alaric says as he walks over to them his focus on Jenna.  
Jenna smiles "Here I am. I haven't seen you in a while."  
"Yeah. Well, uh, things have been a little crazy. Heh. But I'm here now. Do you wanna get a drink?"  
"Sure."  
"Okay. Great."

Buffy and Elena watch their aunt go before laughing. As Buffy laughs she spots Liam walk into the party. Buffy turns to her cousin "Cutie college guy slash Elena's potential boyfriend."  
Elena spins around quickly to see Liam walking into the party, she turns back to Buffy, a smile on her face. "Go." Buffy tells her giving her cousin a slight push towards Liam.

Buffy smiles as she watched her cousin talking to Liam. "When did this happen?" Matt asks as he walks over to the blonde gesturing to the now upbeat music playing and all the people dancing.  
"I think the DeeJay finally realised he was boring people to an early grave."  
"Wanna dance?"  
Buffy shakes her head "I don't know. Not a good idea."  
Matt smiles "Yes. Yes."  
Matt starts to pull her onto the dance floor "Matt. Matt." She protests but laughs as he pulls her into a dance.

* * *

Once her and Matt had finished dancing Buffy turns to see Stefan "Please Dance with your alcoholic vampire boyfriend."  
Buffy smiles and takes his hands, Stefan immediately spins her. Buffy giggles and when he spins her again she accidentally crashes into the guy behind her.  
"Watch it." The man says as he turns to face Buffy.  
Buffy smiles "Sorry. My two left feet tend to be a curse."  
"Heh. Then get off the dance floor."

Stefan glares at him and steps around Buffy to stare at the man "That's no way to talk to a lady."  
The man rolls his eyes "Whatever." When the man tries to walk off Stefan grabs his arm. He looks into the man's eyes "I think you need to apologise."  
The man looked at Buffy "I'm sorry."  
"Now say it like you mean it."  
The man turns to Buffy again "I'm really, really sorry."  
Buffy nods "Stefan, chill. No harm no foul."  
"Now walk away." Stefan says to the man.

Stefan turns to Buffy and places a hand on her cheek "Are you okay?"

* * *

Buffy walks over to the bar where Damon is currently drinking a glass of Bourbon "Have you noticed what you're Ron burgundy of a brother had been up to?"  
Damon shakes his head and turns to the slayer "Nope. I've been too preoccupied with your cousin's."

When Buffy gives him an odd look, Damon elaborates "Jeremy's been asking questions about Vicki Donovan's death."  
Buffy sighs "What sort of questions?"  
"Ahh..'oh, but, sheriff, someone buried her. Who would do that?' I know. I know. Me. You killed her, I buried her."  
Buffy glares at him "Can you not remind me of that please."  
Damon nods. "I could compel him, but he's wearing vervain."

Buffy turns to face him "Look Elena says she doesn't want him being compelled. He's her brother, so her choice."  
"If he keeps asking questions..."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Damon, no. Look I'll talk to Elena, he's her problem." Buffy starts to chuckle.  
Damon looks at her confused "What?"  
"It's just, he's the first person I've ever seen actually answering questions. I have seen people be attacked by vampires and demons and act like it never happened. Apparently, denial is a big thing in Sunnydale. Well, denial or just plain ignorance."

Damon chuckles before picking up a rose and handing it to Buffy "About Jeremy, don't say I didn't warn you."  
Buffy takes the rose and looks up at Damon for a moment before he walks away.

* * *

Buffy heads over to Liam and Elena and looks at Liam "Hi, Liam can I quickly borrow your date for a moment?"  
Liam nods before walking off to go get something to drink.  
"Buffy, what is it?" Elena asks.

Buffy sighs and quickly pulls Elena into the other room "Elena, Jeremy's been asking questions about Vi—Vicki's death. First the paper and now this. Elena, he's your brother and I know you don't want him compelled so you have to talk to him."  
Elena's eyes widened "Oh, god. I'll go now. Thanks." Buffy gave her cousin's shoulder a quick reassuring squeeze before letting her go.

After Buffy leaves Elena she starts to head back into the party when she sees Matt "Who knew I'd be missing all the fun at the founder's parties?"  
Buffy shrugs "Elena says it's rare but I'm still considered new here. So what does little old me know?"  
Matt follows her as she walks "Is it bad that I'm, uh, enjoying myself?"  
Buffy tries to bury her guilt as she turns to Matt "No. I don't think so. Enjoying ourselves it's how we try to adjust and move on. Oh, by the way, thanks for making me dance. Although if you do it again I may hurt you."

Matt laughs and gives Buffy a hug "You're welcome." When he pulls away he chuckles "Uh, air...air. I need some air. Um, come with me?"  
"Sure."  
"You haven't seen my mom have you."  
"Nope, not for a bit. We chatted then she went poof and disappeared on the dance floor."

The two head outside when they see Tyler and Kelly kissing "Raise your hand if ew." Buffy mutters as Matt runs over to them and pulls Tyler off his mother. "What the hell are you doin', man?!"  
"Matt—" Kelly tries but Matt cuts her off.  
"Mom!"  
"Whoa. Dude, calm down." Tyler tells him but Matt ignores him and sent his fist crashing into Tyler's face.

Tyler punches Matt causing him to bump into Kelly who falls against the table and falls to the ground. Tyler punches Matt again sending him to the ground, before Tyler can get to Matt Buffy grabs Tyler's arm and shoves him away. Tyler goes to hit Buffy but she ducks the hit, she grabs his arm and knees him in the stomach, she then twists his arm behind his back, she starts to bend his arm forcing him to growl in pain. "Tyler, I told you once how easy it would be for me to break your arm, so I suggest you don't piss me off."

Suddenly Alaric along with the mayor appear.  
Alaric runs over to Buffy "Buffy, let him go."  
Buffy huffs "Fine." She let Tyler go causing him to fall to the ground  
"Bitch." He muttered when he rises and tries to go at her again Alaric slams him against the wall.

Shortly after the Mayor pulls Tyler out of the room, while Buffy goes over to Matt. "Are you ok?" Buffy asks as she looks at the blood on his face.  
"Where is she?" Matt asks.  
Buffy shrugs "Not sure, I was busy with Mr Punchy over there. Now come on, put your head up." Matt lifts his head allowing Buffy to examine the wound.

* * *

After helping Matt Buffy goes inside and heads over to Alaric who was listening as John speaks to the party guests "Where's the dumbass?" Buffy asks referring to Tyler.  
"More probably off icing that arm of his, you almost dislocated it you know that."  
Buffy nods "Yeah, I didn't mean to use that much strength, it's just sometimes..."  
"You can lose control." Alaric says with a sympathetic gaze.  
Buffy smiles "Yep. I try not to do it. An out of control Buffy is a bad bad thing."

"Did I hear you knocked Tyler Lockwood flat on his ass again?" Damon asks Buffy as he walks over to them, a smirk on his face.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Technically, I knocked him on his front. Cause he landed face down after I threatened to pull his arm from its socket."  
Damon chuckles before getting to the reason he came over to Buffy and Alaric "Look at his right hand."  
"Whose?" Alaric asks confused.  
"The town's favourite son. Look at his ring."  
Buffy looks carefully at John's ring "You have got to be kidding me."

Alaric looks at the two confused "It looks like mine, so what?"  
Damon leans in closer "Yeah, and that would be a big coincidence if he didn't just come back from the dead 5 minutes ago. Where the hell did you get that ring?"  
Buffy cuts in "Dead? What did you do?"  
Damon turns to Buffy "Why do you assume it was me?"  
Buffy raises an eyebrow causing Damon to roll his eyes "Fine it was me okay. But can we get to the issue now." Damon turns back to Alaric "Who gave it to you?"  
"Isobel," Alaric tells the two of them "My wife."

Damon chuckles "Who gave birth to Elena under the medical care of the esteemed Dr Grayson Gilbert, John's brother."  
"Oh. You think John knew Isobel?"  
Buffy sighs when she realises what Damon was getting at "He thinks that John knows a lot of things."

The three of them watch as John heads out the door Damon and Alaric go after him Buffy walks after them but Damon turns to her "Oh, no. You're not coming." Buffy scoffs "Damon, we've had this talk. Don't tell me what to do."  
Damon rolls his eyes "Look, John knows what I am and he's obviously not a fan. Look we don't know if he knows about you. But if he doesn't, let's try and keep it that way."  
"But—"  
Alaric steps over to blonde vampire slayer "Buffy, for once the jackass is right."  
Buffy sighs "Fine. Just don't kill him. I'll get an earful off Elena if you do." Buffy jokes before heading out the other door.

* * *

Buffy starts to walk to her car when she sees someone lying on the ground, Buffy runs over to him "Hey, are you okay?"  
The man groans and turns to Buffy "My arm. I lost my balance and fell. I think I have two left feet." Buffy sighs "Crap." She mutters releasing that Stefan had compelled him.

* * *

Buffy heads home to see Elena walking away from Jeremy's room looking rather upset. "Are you okay?" Buffy asks.  
Elena gives her a small smile "I'm fine." She says "Night." Elena walks into her room and closes the door. Buffy sighs and heads into her room.

She walks over to the mirror when she hears someone behind her. Buffy looks in the mirror and sees Stefan "You know I am never going to get used to the whole vampire with a reflection thing. It makes me have to do more work. I don't like it."  
Buffy turns around to face her boyfriend who gives her a soft smile "I'm sorry that I—I ran off earlier."  
Buffy steps closer "Stefan, tell me the truth, what's going on?"

"Uh..." Stefan sits down on the bed "I tried...so hard to keep it together tonight. And it was working. It was working, uh, but—but then Matt's mom, she, uh, got hurt, she was bleeding and I had her—her blood on my hands."  
"Then what?"  
"And then that—that guy in the parking lot, I wanted to feed on him, and it took everything inside of me not to do it."  
"This story doesn't have a bloody ending does it?" Buffy asks worriedly.

Stefan shakes his head "No, but I wanted to." Stefan sighs "God. Buffy, I—my—my head is pounding, I feel like my—my skin is on—is on fire. I have this hunger inside of me that I've never—I've never felt before in my entire life, and all I can keep thinking about is how I promised that I would never keep anything from you, and so I'm telling you this."  
Buffy crouches down next to him "Hey, it's ok. Look I'm not a weak little girl Stefan, I need to know these things. For you to tell me."  
Stefan shakes his head "I know that you're the Slayer and you think you can handle this, but I don't want you to see me like this. I don't want you to know that this side of me exists."

"Stefan, everyone vampire has two sides. The one that's good that's the one that takes strength. Strength to do the right thing and fight the darkness inside. It's the side you choose and you are strong Stefan, I know it. You will pull through this, I'll help you."

Buffy leans closer but Stefan pulls away "No, no no no no." He babbles as he walks to the opposite side of the room. "No, I'm sorry. I—I can't." He says "I'm afraid of what I could do to you."  
Buffy tilts her head "I'm not. If I had ever thought that, then we wouldn't be together right now." Buffy walks over to him and takes his face in her hands "I'm not. I have never been." She kisses him softly before pulling him into a hug.  
Stefan hugs her back as he cries "I love you so much."

Buffy's eyes widen she realises that although he had said it to her she had never said I love you back. "I—" Buffy tries to say it back but she freezes "I know. It's going to be okay." She whispers as she clings to him.


	29. Miss Mystic Falls

"So you're telling me you still haven't said it back?" Elena asks Buffy stunned.  
Buffy nods as she runs her fingers through her hair "I know, I know. It's bad. Like epic bad. But every time I try and say the words, I just freeze up. Then I start to babble and he babbles and it becomes this whole babble fest."  
Elena walks over to Buffy "What's making you freeze?"  
Buffy sighs "Every time I think about saying it, that night pops back into my head."  
Elena looks at her confused "What night?"

Buffy takes a breath she was nervous about telling Elena the truth, it was difficult enough just thinking about it, speaking about it was 10 times worse "The night I killed Angel. I was about to take him out and something went through him and he was Angel again. But it was too late. And I had too. So I told him that I loved him and I killed him."  
Elena pauses and looks at her cousin sadly before grasping her hand in support "That was the last thing you said to him." Elena says as the realisation hits her.  
Buffy nods "Well, technically the last thing I said was 'close your eyes' but you get the picture. 'I love you' was also one of the last things I said to my mom."

Elena's eyes widen "You're scared that if you say it, you'll lose him."  
Buffy nods tears threatening to fall "I think that I'm cursed. It's like oh, Buffy loves someone must get rid of them and make Buffy miserable again."  
Elena hugs her cousin "Buffy, you are not cursed. You just have a complicated life, to put it simply."

Buffy smiles and the two sit in silence for a moment before Elena speaks again "I'm sorry."  
Buffy looks at her confused, Elena explains "Stefan wouldn't be struggling with the hunger if it wasn't for me. If I hadn't given him the blood th—"

Buffy cuts her off "It is not your fault. You saved him. So thank you."  
The two smile at each other before continuing to eat breakfast.

"Buffy, there is someone here to see you." Jenna says as she walks into the kitchen and over to the coffee pot.  
Buffy gets up from her seat and walks over to the door.  
"Giles." Buffy says as she answers the door "How are you watcher of mine?"  
Giles smiles "It's good to see you, Buffy."

Buffy gives the older man a smile before stepping on the porch. The two of them then sit on the bench "I'm guessing you're here for the books." Buffy says after a moment.  
Giles removes his glasses "Well yes. The Ascension is nearing and we will need as much information as possible. I assume you are still willing to come and help with the battle."  
Buffy nods "Count me in. Giles?"  
"Yes."  
"What are you and the gang not telling me?" She asks deciding to just bite the bullet.  
Giles's eyes widen in panic "I'm not sure—I don't..."

Buffy cuts him off "Uh uh, no more secrets. I'm not an idiot, every time I talk to you guys it's easy to tell that there is something you're keeping from me."  
Giles sighs "Buffy, for now, I need you to trust me. Once the Ascension has been dealt with I will tell you."  
Buffy tries to argue but she knows Giles was right there were more important things going on at the moment. "What about the other slayer? Faith? Do you need me to come and deal with her?"  
Giles shakes his head "No, we have—a friend dealing with that. It is best that you stay clear of Sunnydale until the Ascension, we don't want to risk the Mayor finding out. For now, you are our—secret weapon."  
Buffy laughs "I like that. Very cool Giles."

Buffy quickly heads upstairs to grab the books and brings them outside to Giles "You know I hate to part with these, I did have to fight for them. But here." Buffy says.  
Giles takes the books and gives the Slayer a small smile "Be careful, Buffy. And if you need anything..."  
Buffy nods "I know."  
As Giles heads towards his car Buffy calls out to him "Hey! If the apocalypse comes, beep me."  
Giles chuckles before turning back to his car "The earth is definitely doomed."

* * *

Once Buffy gets to school she sees Stefan's car driving into the parking lot. As the car parks, Buffy walks over to Stefan "Nice wheels." she says gesturing to the shiny red sports car.  
Stefan smiles "I thought it was a waste to leave it sitting in the garage." Stefan says before giving Buffy a kiss.  
Buffy smiles at Stefan "You know, I'm surprised you came back today. If it was me I would avoid school for as long as possible."  
Stefan chuckles "You know, I woke up this morning and I was feeling great, and I figured it was time for me to get back into things."  
"So does that mean you fit into the ok category now? With the cravings and stuff?"

Stefan nods "Yes, I'm in that category. The worst part is over. So...now all I want to do is just spend as much time with you as possible."  
Buffy smiles "I think that can be arranged." She says before giving Stefan another kiss.  
"Thank you. For helping me get through the—the rough patch."  
Buffy nods "Don't mention it. Anyway as much as I hate to say it, we have to go to class."  
"Ok, um, you know what, I'll catch up with you I'm gonna grab my stuff. I'll be right behind you."  
Buffy nods "Ok." She says before heading off.

Stefan waits till Buffy is out of sight before opening the trunk of his car, revealing many empty blood bags inside. Stefan grabs his bag ignoring the blood bags; he quickly closes the trunk and heads after Buffy.

* * *

"Ok." Alaric says as he enters the classroom "This week we're going to set aside our regular curriculum for a lesson in local history as we approach founder's day. Apparently, the community leaders feel that's more important than World War II, but hey what do I know."

Suddenly the classroom door opens and Bonnie steps inside "Sorry I'm late."  
"Looks like we will be at full occupancy today. Welcome home, Bonnie."

As Bonnie sits down both Elena and Buffy turn to her and smile, she smiles back but it immediately falls when she sees Stefan. Buffy and Elena look at each slightly confused but go back to listening to Alaric.

* * *

At lunch, Buffy and Elena walks over to Bonnie "Bonnie, Hey." Elena says.  
"Hey."  
Buffy looks over at the witch "We tried to grab you after class, but you shot out of there like the room was going to explode."  
Bonnie stops and Elena turns to her "How are you? How's your family?"  
Bonnie shrugs "We're dealing. It's been hard."  
Elena nods "Everyone here really missed you."  
"Yeah, I just had so much to deal with after Grams' funeral, and honestly after Buffy told me that the tomb spell failed, I just didn't really want to come back."

Buffy turns to the witch "I get that. But I thought you would wanna know about all the crazy ass vamps before you came home."  
Bonnie nods "Yeah, I understand why. I just wish I didn't know."  
"I know it's been really hard—" Elena starts but is cut off by a loud girlish scream.

The three of them turn to see Caroline heading towards them "Bonnie! Bonnie! Thank god you're home!" The blonde says as she wraps her arms around Bonnie in a hug "I know we talked every day, but I missed you! How are you doing?"  
Bonnie nods "Better. Just better. You know, just glad to be back and try to keep myself busy." busy."  
Caroline smiles "Well, I can help with that. Major wardrobe help needed ASAP. You need to help me pick the perfect dress for the founder's court."  
"The what?" Buffy asks confused.  
"Did I miss something?" Elena asks also confused.  
"The founder's court." Caroline explains, "You know, Miss Mystic Falls. They announced it today, and, um, you, me and Buffy are on it."

Buffy starts to cough "Huh?" She asks as she stands there in horror.  
Elena nods, finally remembering "Oh, my god, we sighed up for that so long ago. I completely forgot."  
Caroline scoffs "Yeah."  
Buffy shakes her head "Hey I'm still confused over here. Why am I on this list? I didn't sign up."

Elena turns to Buffy "Mom and I signed you up. Her and Joyce did it together and she was hoping that maybe Joyce and you might come back for a while."  
Buffy's eyes widen stunned. Caroline looks between the two of them "So are you guys dropping out, then?"  
Elena and Buffy look at each other, from one look Buffy knows why they can't.  
"We can't." Elena tells the cheerleader.  
Caroline looks at them confused and slightly disappointed, though she would never admit that "No?"

Bonnie turns to Caroline "Elena's mom is the one who wanted them to enter. Plus Buffy's mom wanted to sign her up when she was old enough, but then they moved."

* * *

Later at home, Buffy dials Stefan's number "I have a major problem." Buffy says as Stefan answers, _"What is it?"_ He asks worried.  
Buffy sighs "Unfortunately this is not an end of the world problem. Which sucks cause I'm really good at that. Turns out my aunt sighed me up for that stupid Founder's court when I was still in Sunnydale, apparently my mom had wanted me to do it when I was younger. So here's the thing I know it's short notice but—"  
 _"You need an escort."_ Stefan finishes chuckling slightly.  
"Yep."  
 _"Well, I will be happy to escort you anywhere."  
_ "Thanks. Trust me if my mom and aunt had not been with the whole loving of Miss Mystic Falls there is no way that I would be doing this. But I want to do it for them."  
 _"Well, it'll be great. We'll have fun."  
_ "Ok, I'll see you tomorrow. I have to go patrol." Buffy says.  
"Be careful. I love you."

Buffy smiles "Always am." She says before hanging up the phone, groaning slightly she throws herself back on the bed before putting a pillow over her head and screaming into it. She was frustrated, every time the damn 'L' word comes up she froze. It was infuriating.

* * *

Sunnydale, California

Angel walks into the library to inform Willow, Xander and Giles of what he discovered about Faith. "Where's Giles?" Angel asks as he enters the room.  
Willow turns to face Angel nervously having no idea of how to explain "He, ah. He was right here...I'm sure he's around here somewhere."  
Xander turns to Angel "What is it?"

Angel walks over to the two of them "It's Faith, she tried to have a demonic priest of sorts remove my soul." Angel smirks "I tricked her got her to talk before she realised I was playing her. She told me everything she knew, about the Ascension."

At that moment Giles walks in through the door and moans "Bloody hell, stuck with bleeding irritating child kicking my chair throughout the whole flight on the way back from Virg—"  
Giles cuts himself off when he sees Angel "What is going on?" Giles asks.  
Angel watches Giles suspiciously, wondering where he had gone but tries to focus on the most important thing "The Ascension, will take place on graduation day."

Willow's eyes widen "That's a little over a month away. What are we going to do?"  
Giles takes a deep breath and turns to the red head "Luckily as you lot are juniors we will not have to worry about that, we can just focus on the Ascension."  
Xander clears his throat "Ah, Giles. Here's the thing, the commencement speaker for the graduation. Is the Mayor."  
Giles takes off his glasses and sits down in one of the chairs "Oh, dear lord."

* * *

Mystic Falls, Virginia

"Honour your Partner." Mrs Lockwood says to the group.  
Buffy and Elena both bow to their partners, Buffy desperately trying not to roll her eyes as she does.  
"Let's focus. Right hand around."

Buffy and Stefan both raise their hands "This is ridiculous." Buffy whispers.

"Flirt with your eyes." Mrs Lockwood tells them.

Buffy and Stefan laugh slightly as they continue to follow the instructions. Stefan smiles at Buffy "You're only saying that because you don't know how to do it."  
Buffy smirks enjoying the banter "Listen here old man, it's not my fault I wasn't learning it first hand from the inventor."  
Stefan chuckles "Ouch!"  
Stefan grabs Buffy and spins her causing her to giggle. Mrs Lockwood walks over to them "Oh, no, no, no, no. There's no touching during this part. It's about the simple intimacy of the near-touch."  
Buffy chuckles "Near touch got it. A no with the actual touchy."  
Stefan looks back at Buffy "If you ask me, the near touch is overrated."  
Buffy smiles while Elena laughs at the two of them before continuing to dance.

Buffy turns to Stefan "You know your mood is different. It's like it's reached the scale labelled good mood."  
"Is that a bad thing? Would you prefer me to be brooding and tortured?"  
Buffy chuckles "Ok, I'm not with the complaining here. Although the brooding is a bit sexy."  
Stefan grins at that "Really?" He says as he attempts to touch her again making her laugh, as she does she hears Mrs Lockwood clear her throat loudly from the other side of the room.  
Buffy and Stefan look over to see Mrs Lockwood glaring at them, the two laugh before continuing with the dance.

* * *

Buffy and Elena walk over to Bonnie and Caroline "Bonnie. Hey." Buffy says to the witch. Bonnie looks at the cousins "Hey. How are you?" Elena asks. Bonnie doesn't answer as she sees Stefan currently talking to one of the other guys.  
Caroline sensing the awkwardness cuts in "I begged Bonnie to fill in for Matt. He had to work today. So whose your partner Elena?"  
Elena turns to Caroline "I asked Liam to come as a favour but he can't come until tomorrow so I'm using one of the fill in's for practice."  
Caroline smirks "So you and Liam huh?"  
Elena shrugs "It's nothing, Caroline. We are not together."  
Caroline raises her hands in surrender "If you say so."

Elena and Buffy both turn to Bonnie "Bonnie, can we chat for a sec?" Buffy asks.  
Bonnie hesitates "We only have 30 minutes for rehearsal."  
"It'll only take a minute." Elena assures her "Please?"

Bonnie nods and the three of them quickly head into the hall "So Bonnie, what's the problem, what's going on?" Buffy asks.  
Bonnie shrugs "It's not worth talking about."  
Elena looks at the witch confused "What do you mean not worth it? You've barely said 10 words to me, or Buffy. Plus you won't even look at Stefan."  
Buffy watches the teenage witch closely when she realises something "Is this about Stefan?"

Bonnie sighs "Listen. Buffy, Elena, I can't just pretend like everything is ok. Everything my Grams did was to protect us from those vampires in the tomb. And now they're out, which means she died for nothing."  
Buffy looks at Bonnie sadly "Bonnie, I'm so so, like zillion times sorry. Is there anything I can do to make it better."  
"Something we can both do." Elena adds.  
Bonnie shakes her head "That's just it. There's nothing you can do. I blame him. Him and Damon. And I'm not going to put Buffy in a situation where she has to choose sides. And Elena, she's your cousin and Stefan is your friend. So I don't want to do that to you either. I'm just having a hard time with it. Ok?"

* * *

Buffy walks down the stairs holding her garment bag as Elena follows struggling to hold her own. Buffy sighs and turns to her cousin "Hand it over." Elena gives her a grateful smile before handing Buffy the bag "Thank you."  
Buffy smiles "Slayer strength has its benefits."  
Elena chuckles just as there is a knock at the door, Elena opens the door to see Alaric "Hi."  
"Hi." Alaric says then turns to Buffy and raises an eyebrow "Are they just loading you up so you have to carry everything."  
Buffy nods "I think that's the plan. So you're driving?"  
Alaric chuckles softly "Yeah, I am. Let me help you so you're no longer the human luggage machine."  
Buffy smiles "Thank you." She says as she hands him one of the bags while he walks inside the house.  
Once the door is closed both girls start to head for the kitchen but Alaric's voice stops them "Um, how, uh—how is Stefan?"  
Elena turns to Buffy "That is a Buffy question so I'm gonna—go."

Once Elena leaves the room Buffy turns to Alaric "So what's the what?"  
Alaric walks over to her "You know, he seems on edge."  
Buffy nods "There was a rough patch but there seems to be a bounce in his step now. But I don't know. I get what you mean about something, which seems off. But I've seen worse."

Alaric nods in understanding knowing she was talking about Angel but before he could respond John walks into the room "Alaric. Hey, Buffy. What are you doing here?" John asks Rick.  
Buffy looks between the two "I'm gonna-"  
Buffy quickly walks towards the room where Elena had escaped to.

"Well, I'm the chauffeur." Alaric says as he watches John intently who was still looking in the direction that Buffy ran off in.  
John turns back to Alaric "Oh, I thought I was driving."

At that moment Jenna walks down the stars "Oh, no need. We're going with Rick. Are we ready? Jeremy can ride with you."

Buffy turns to Elena as they hide in the kitchen "Okay if we wanna escape we have to go... now Jenna is opening the front door in 3, 2, 1." Buffy girls shoot up from their seats and quickly walk past John and head after Jenna.

* * *

Later Buffy and Elena were getting ready with Jenna's help. While Buffy has Caroline help her apply her makeup, Jenna was curling Elena's hair. "Thanks for helping me." Elena says to Jenna.  
Jenna chuckles "Don't thank me until you're sure your hair isn't going to burn off. Buffy was smart enough to not let me near it."

Buffy looks over at the till "Hey, I would but Caroline made it clear she wanted to play with me hair, said something about loving hair that has stepped foot in California."  
"Hold still." Caroline says forcing Buffy's head back to face her.  
Elena and Jenna both laugh, Buffy pouts mouthing "Help." into the mirror.

Elena looks over at Jenna "I remember when my mom and I were first applying for this. She was so excited told me all about when she and Aunt Joyce did it. It's the reason she signed Buffy up as well she wanted us to relive what they went through together."  
Buffy smiles at Elena then looks over at Jenna who was speaking "If I recall, you were also excited."

Elena sighs "I was. She just made it sound like so much fun. Plus she said that it would definitely mean that there would be a reason for you to come home." Elena says to Buffy.  
Buffy smiles at her sadly "A lot's changed."  
Jenna looks at the two of them "Well, I hate to break it to the two of you, but it's a little late for cold feet."  
Buffy shakes her head "I have none of the cold feet."  
Elena nods in agreement "I don't have cold feet. I just...I think I'd...we would both enjoy it a lot more if they were here with us."

The three of them look down sadly so Jenna tries to brighten the mood "I'll tell you one thing your hair would have a better chance if they were. Plus Buffy would not be at the mercy of Caroline's makeup box." The three of them chuckle just as Caroline finishes Buffy's make up "Done." Caroline examines the blonde slayer "Damn, I am good." Caroline smirks before turning back to finish her own hair.  
Buffy chuckles then turns to Elena and Jenna "I'm gonna go get ready."  
Elena nods "I should do the same." Elena turns to Jenna "Be careful with that thing." She gestures to the curling iron "Don't hurt anybody."

* * *

Buffy and Elena head into the changing room to see Amber panicking "Are you ok, Amber?" Elena asks.  
Amber continues to pace around the room "I hate being the centre of attention. I get panic attacks."  
"Do you need some privacy so you can change?"  
"Actually, I'm just—I'm just going to go get some air."  
The two watch her leave before turning to their dresses.

While Elena turns to the blue dress by the mirror, Buffy turns to the red satin and silk dress hanging on the door. A second later Buffy hears the floor's screech outside the door. Buffy sighs as she turns to face the door "Damon, enough with the creepy stalker stuff."

Elena turns around to see Damon "You can't be back here."  
Damon rolls his eyes then turns to Buffy "Slayer, we need to talk."  
Buffy sighs "And the time for that has to be now?"  
Elena looks between the two "Buffy, I'm gonna..."  
Buffy nods "Thanks."

Elena gives her a smile before quickly leaving the room. Once the door closes behind her Buffy turns to Damon "So..."  
Damon nods "Normally I would have a completely different outlook on what I'm about to tell you but since it could really inconvenience me, I'll squeal."  
Buffy looks at him confused "Yeah, stop with the riddles please."

"Stefan's still drinking human blood."  
Buffy's eyes widen "You have got to be kidding me—You're not joking are you?"  
Damon shakes his head "Nope. A month ago, I would have rejoiced but with the council back on the alert, it is not a good time for Stefan to fly off the handle."  
Buffy runs her fingers through her hair "I knew it. I knew something was up I should have followed my gut. After what happened with Angel...how bad is it?"

"He has a fridge full of stolen blood bank contraband in the house. He has no idea what normal is. You know that his entire existence isn't normal."  
Buffy nods "Normal to a vampire is drinking human blood, yeah I know."  
Damon nods in agreement "He's spent all this time fighting it when he should have been learning how to control it. And now it's controlling him instead."

Buffy sighs "If I hadn't seen everything that I have seen, I wouldn't believe it. But I know that there can be a completely different person inside someone buried deep underneath denial and grief. And I'm guessing that Stefan's other person appears when he's on human blood."  
"Your right." Damon tells her.  
"Score one for the Slayer." Buffy jokes.  
Damon steps closer to her "Look Stefan on human blood, Buffy. He may not be as bad as Angelus but: he'll do anything, he'll say anything, because he's not going to want to stop. Trust me."

Before Buffy could respond the door opens to reveal Stefan "Uh...what's going on in here?"  
Damon turns to his brother "Just filling Buffy in on your extracurricular activities."  
Stefan scoffs "What are you talking about?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Really denial? You do know I like invented that right? Stefan, I know about the blood. If I think back, the signs are all there."  
Damon looks at the blonde "I'm gonna—I'll be downstairs, drinking."

Once Damon leaves the room Stefan begins to chuckle, he turns to Buffy "I was going to tell you."  
Buffy looks over at her boyfriend "And this would be when? A quarter to never? A half past a chance in hell?"  
Stefan walks towards Buffy trying to reassure her "I'm fine. I'm fine. The blood, it doesn't change anything."

Buffy looks at him in disbelief "Wow, you don't even see it do you it's changing you. Stefan, you forget who you're talking too. The blood changes you like it does to every vampire."  
"Why, because I kept it a secret from you? Come on, Buffy. Look, given the way that you're reacting right now, can you really blame me for doing that?"  
Buffy scoffs "Wow, your brain's not even connected to your mouth right now, is it? And you know exactly why I'm reacting this way right now." Buffy sighs "Stefan you've been stealing blood and lying, that's your definition of fine? Cause seriously that is not fine."

Stefan looks at Buffy intently "Look I get you said you don't want to repeat history but you don't have to worry cause that's not what's happening now."  
Buffy shakes her head "Sure as hell feels that way."  
"So you and Damon, all of a sudden have everything figured out then?"  
"Since when is this about Damon? This is about you and what the blood is causing you to become."  
"I know," Stefan exclaims "And I'm telling you that I'm fine. I'm fine. Please, come on. Buffy, I thought you believed in me."

Before Buffy could say anything Mrs Lockwood walks into the room "Buffy? Let's go. The lineup's starting."  
Buffy turns to her "Yep. Sorry just- I need a sec."  
"You're not even dressed yet. Escorts wait downstairs, Stefan." Stefan looks at Buffy once more before leaving the room.

* * *

Stefan walks into one of the bathrooms seething "God!" He grunts before punching the glass. Suddenly the door opens "Oh, sorry." Amber says as she opens the door. When she looks up she freezes terrified as she watches the blood rush to Stefan's eyes.

* * *

Buffy, Elena and Caroline stand at the top of the stairs watching as Tina Fell walks down the stairs. "Has anyone seen Amber?" Mrs Lockwood asks as she walks into the hall.  
The girls shake her head and Buffy looks down at the escorts "Hey, where's Stefan? Have you guys seen him down there?"

Elena and Caroline walk over to Buffy and look down "Nope." Caroline says "Just my boring fill-in escort and Elena's cuttie college boyfriend."  
Elena chuckles "1- he's not my boyfriend and 2 - what happened to Matt?"  
Caroline sighs "They wouldn't let him out of work." Caroline turns to Buffy "Hey, what happened to Stefan?"

Buffy shrugs "Beats me. We got into an argument. He yelled I yelled it was a whole big yelling thing. Then poof he disappeared." Buffy takes a breath "I can't do this. I'm not this person, never was. I didn't grow up here, this isn't me. My life is violence and pain I don't do things like this, I can't." Buffy starts to head for the door as Elena does the same "Elena! What are you doing?" Caroline asks confused  
Elena turns to Caroline "I'm with Buffy. I'm not this person anymore. I should never have gone through with this."

Caroline shakes her head "Uh, no, no, no, no, no way, no. You both had your chance to drop out. And believe me, I was all for it. Because there is no way that I can beat Elena, and Buffy I know how much of a socialite you were in L.A I knew that you would just make it that much harder. Elena Buffy, you are both doing this because of both of your mothers. It was important to them."

Both girls nod just as the announcer calls out "Ms Caroline Forbes and her escort Jeffery Lockwood Hamilton." The crowd clap and Buffy and Elena watch as Caroline slowly descends the stairs.

Mrs Lockwood turns to the cousins "Elena, you're next. Come on." Elena squeezes Buffy's hand and smiles at her before she walks over and waits "Ms Elena Gilbert, and her escort Liam Davis." The announcer calls.  
Elena looks over at Buffy nervously but Buffy gives her a soft smile and pushes her towards the staircase. Elena chuckles before slowly walking down the stairs.  
As Elena walks down the stairs she notices Stefan not there. She looks over at Damon who shrugs. Elena sighs before walking over to Liam.

Buffy walks towards the staircase and waits "Ms Buffy Summers, escorted by Mr. Stefan Salvatore." Once Buffy hears the applause she plasters a smile on her face and walks down the stairs, as she walks she notices Stefan is not there. This wasn't good, something had to have happened. She looks over at Damon who quickly moves to stand in front of her "Where's Stefan?" Buffy asks as she takes his hand.

"I don't know." Damon whispers.  
The two make their way outside and get into position to start the dance. As they bow Buffy whispers "I think we need a what to do plan. Right about now."  
"Right now we just have to get through this." Damon whispers back. Buffy nods and the two step back. After a second they both raise their right hands and begin the dance their eyes connecting as they do.

* * *

Buffy and Damon quickly exit the dance floor, when Mrs Lockwood notices Buffy walking away from the other contestants she calls to her "Buffy dear, you need to head to the stage."  
Buffy tries to get away but the woman grabs her arm, Buffy looks over at Damon "Damon..."  
Damon nods "I know."

* * *

After the winner is announced Buffy quickly walks back over to Damon "What happened? You have a something happened look."  
Damon pulls her into a corner, out earshot from the other guests "There were signs of a struggle in the upstairs bathroom. There was blood. And that Amber girl is missing."  
Buffy's breathing begins to pick up, she felt like she was about to have a panic attack, she couldn't do this again "Oh, God. It's happening all over again. I can't—We need to find him before..."  
Damon nods "I know. Come on we're gonna find him let's grab your coat."

As the two quickly head out they don't notice Bonnie follow them or Elena follow Bonnie.

* * *

"Stefan!" Buffy screams as she sees him trying to bite Amber. Stefan lets the girl go and turns to face Buffy and Damon. Damon walks closer hesitantly trying not to anger his brother "Come on. Get control of it. Come on. It's ok. Come on. Breathe through it man."

When Damon tries to touch him Stefan throws him into the tree, Buffy runs over and pins Stefan to one of the other trees "Stefan! You have to stop."  
Stefan growls then catching Buffy off guard throws her into the opposite tree. "Buffy!" Elena yells as she runs over to her cousin.

Suddenly Stefan falls to the ground and starts to groan in pain, everyone turns to Bonnie who was looking at Stefan intently. A few minutes later Stefan seems to calm, he looks down at Buffy, guilt filling his eyes. "It's ok." Damon says as he tries to move closer. Stefan shakes his head and runs off.

After he runs Damon sighs before running over to Buffy whose head had been cut when she was thrown at the tree. He picks her up and moves her away from the scene.

* * *

"She doesn't remember anything." Liz says as she walks towards the three girls and Damon "It's a good thing the girls got here when they did." Damon says "She lost a lot of blood."  
Liz turns to the girls, where Elena and Bonnie where currently helping the slightly dizzy Buffy stand. "You didn't see anything."  
Elena shakes her head "No. We just found her and then called Damon."  
"She gonna be ok?" Bonnie asks the sheriff.

Liz nods "Looks like it, yeah." Liz turns to Buffy "What about you?"  
Buffy nods "I'm fine, just hit my head when we saw Amber. Honestly, I'll be fine just focus on her."  
Liz gives the girl a smile "Why don't you girls get back to the party. Damon and I can take it from here."

The girls' nod and Bonnie and Elena help Buffy as they walk away from the scene.  
"Bonnie, can we talk about this?" Elena asks as she helps Buffy.  
Bonnie shakes her head "There's nothing to talk about."  
"Bonnie, please." Buffy asks.

Bonnie stops walking and turns to face them "I told you both, I wasn't going to make you choose. But I need to make the choice for myself. Please just leave me alone."  
The two watch as Bonnie heads to her car.

Buffy looks up at her cousin "I'm sorry Elena. This is my fault, darkness follows me wherever I go."  
Elena shakes her head "It's not your fault if I hadn't convinced Bonnie and her Grams to help us. If I hadn't given Stefan the blood. None of this would be happening."

* * *

"You shouldn't be here." Stefan says as Buffy walks into his room.  
Buffy nods "Probably, but you know me. I like doing things I'm not supposed too."  
"Now you know."  
"That wasn't you."  
Stefan turns to Buffy "Oh, it was absolutely me. I'm a monster, a predator. It's who I am, Buffy. You know this, you've seen it."

Buffy nods "Yeah I have seen it. But what I saw was not you, that's a part of you that the blood makes you."  
"The blood brings out that part of me inside and if you think any differently then you're an idiot."  
Buffy scoffs "Really going for boyfriend of the year there aren't we? Look, Stefan, everyone has two sides especially vampires but one side is the real you, and tonight that was not it."  
"I wanted to drain every ounce of blood from that girl's body. I threw you into a tree, could have killed you."

Buffy shakes her head "Okay, first I'm not that breakable despite being tiny and secondly...I don't scare easy."  
"Why would you come here?"  
"Because for some reason I care about you. And I won't watch someone else I care about turn into a different person. You are not that person."

"Stop saying that!" Stefan yells as he throws several books across the room.  
Buffy slowly walks closer causing Stefan to react negativity "Don't get any closer to me."  
Buffy ignores him "No, I am not going to let this happen to someone else I care about."  
"Stop."  
"Nope. Sorry, I'm stubborn, when I decide I'm not giving up on something I stick with it. And this time that's you."

"Stop!" Stefan yells he walks over to her and slams her against the wardrobe pinning her against it "Stop!" He yells again.  
Stefan freezes realising what he was doing "I'm so sorry."  
Buffy looks at him sadly "It's ok."  
Stefan leans into her embrace and cries "I don't know what's happening to me."  
"Hey, it's gonna be ok. You are gonna be ok."

Buffy closes her eyes for a second before wrapping her arms around the back of his neck "I'm sorry." Buffy says before snapping his neck, Stefan falls to the ground at her feet as Damon walks into the room "You know you could have vervained him."  
Buffy turns to Damon holding back tears "We both know this will keep him down longer."  
"Sure you want to do this?"  
Buffy nods "Sure as can be."

* * *

Buffy watches as Damon locks Stefan in the cellar "There's no guarantee this is going to work."  
Buffy nods "I know that. But I'll take what I can get. I really don't want to have to kill another boyfriend." Buffy jokes but can't even laugh at her own joke.

Damon nods and starts to head for the exit, he stops when he notices Buffy not moving "You comin'?"  
Buffy shakes her head "And what leave this wonderful basement? Nope. I'm good."  
Buffy leans against the wall and sits down on the ground. After a moment Damon sits opposite her and the two sit there in a comfortable silence.

* * *

Buffy's gown - /images/4mpYmb


	30. Weakness

Mystic Falls, 1864

Stefan chases Damon as his brother runs madly through the streets "Damon wait!"  
Damon stops and turns to his brother "They killed her. They killed Mary, burnt her at the stake."  
"I know, but there's nothing we can do now."

Damon takes a deep breath, then remembers what Mary had told him earlier "Katherine. They took her. Mary, wouldn't want us to let her die. We have to save her."  
Stefan nods in agreement "We will, come on."

The two of them go into the woods, and watch as the town's people load Katherine into a carriage "We have to get the the church, they're waiting." Jonathan Gilbert says to the men.  
Stefan turns to Damon "Circle around that way. I'll distract them. Go."  
Damon nods and goes off, while Stefan goes over to the men "Over here! There's another one! Quick!" He calls "Help me!" He says before running into the woods.

As Stefan leads the men away Damon hits the guard by Katherine's cell with a wooden log, and grabs the keys. "We don't have long." Stefan says as he runs over after ditching the men. The two get the gate open "Katherine." Damon says as he lifts her out. Stefan and Damon place her on the ground and pull the muzzle off her face. "We're gonna get you out of here." Damon assures her.  
"Mary." Katherine coughs "Where-?"

Damon continues to help; Stefan unwraps the ropes on her hands as he answers "They took her, burned her alive."  
Katherine cries gasping loudly as tears roll down her cheeks. "No."  
"Damon, hurry. Hurry." Stefan urges him on.  
Once her hands are free, Katherine reaches for her amulet, but she is too weak. Suddenly a loud bang goes off and Damon falls back.

"Damon! No." Stefan exclaims as he goes over to him, to try and stop the bleeding from the bullet wound.  
However, Stefan couldn't stop it and Damon quickly dies, Stefan out of rage grabs the gun and stands but before he can fire, he is hit with a bullet and falls to the ground.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present Day

"Stefan." Buffy calls as she and Damon stand over Stefan, who was full of vervain now. After a moment Damon grabs Buffy's arms and pulls her towards the exit.  
"It's weird seeing him like this. Locked up and well... locked up." Buffy says, as she stares at Stefan through the cell bars once more before heading upstairs with Damon.

As they walk into the living room Damon smiles "You're the one who locked him up. After you snapped his neck."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Shut it, you helped."  
"I couldn't have him running around chewing on people while the town was looking for vampires, now, could I?"  
Buffy smirks "Oh, okay so your still in the, I don't give an actual crap zone."  
"Yep. I happen to like that zone." Damon says before moving over to the desk and picking up the small golden object.

"Did you ever figure out what that doda does?" Buffy asks as she watches Damon examine the object Pearl had given him.  
"Nope." He answers, "Whatever it is, it doesn't work. Oh, I know why don't you ask your Watcher?"  
Buffy glares at him "First of all, my people in Sunnydale have an Ascension to deal with. Plus that would mean explaining about your kind, which would get them all killed."  
Damon looks at her curiously "Ascension, what the hell is that?"  
Buffy sighs "Sort of an end of the world deal. I'm gonna head down to Sunnydale in a couple weeks to help with the battle."  
Damon looks at her worried for a second, before turning back to the object.

"So Madam Pearl did fess up anything else?" Buffy asks.  
"Just that she thought she was stealing his vampire compass, but it was a pocket watch. That Jonathan Gilbert was a crazy scientist. Have you spoken to your uncle lately."  
Buffy scoffs "Again not my uncle, thank god. And both Elena and I have been doing the avoiding dance when it comes to John. Considering you told me he knows about vampires it's a good thing I stay here majority of the time, I really would rather he not find out I'm the magical legend in books under slayer, comma the."

"So, you'll be here again tonight?" Smirking slightly.  
"Yep. Unless you can find me a vampire lead, I have nothing to do but babysit." Buffy grabs her bag "Look I gotta book, bye." She says before heading off.

* * *

Buffy was grabbing some more clothes when her phone starts to ring "Hello." Buffy says as she answers the phone.  
 _"Hey, it's me."_ Damon says on the other end.  
Buffy sighs "What?"  
 _"You said you wanted a vampire lead I found one. Isobel might be in Grove Hill."  
_ Buffy eyes widen in shock "Wait huh? Step back slightly, confused here."  
 _"Rick says, he traced a new number that John's been calling back to an address in Grove Hill, he thinks it might be Isobel. So you up for a road trip, we could use a little muscle. Rick, doesn't count."  
_ "Sure, but what about Stefan?"

Damon exhales contemplating for a moment _"Ask your cousin to babysit, it's not like she'll be in any danger right now. Plus I'm sure she would love to get away from John."  
_ Buffy nods "Hold on a sec."

Buffy pulls the phone away from her ear and grabs her bag before quickly walking into Elena's room "Hey" Buffy says to her cousin "I need a favour."  
Elena jumps up from her bed and walks over to Buffy "Sure anything, what is it?"  
Buffy shrugs "Nothing big, I just need you to babysit Stefan. He's locked up so you don't need to worry."  
Elena smiles "If it gets me out the house and away from John I'll do it."

Buffy smiles "Awesome. Hold on a second." Buffy grabs her phone and puts it back to her ear "Elena's in. Has he fed?"  
Damon sighs _"Nope, he's being all broody."  
_ Buffy shrugs "Ok, well what type of animal blood does he prefer? I can pick some up from the butchers on the way."  
Damon laughs _"Ew. Gross."  
_ Buffy scoffs "Please it's not like it's the first time I've done something like this."

* * *

At the Salvatore house, Damon smirks, this conversation was getting more interesting by the second "Are you telling me you used to get blood for you ex? Interesting."  
As Buffy groans in annoyance Damon chuckles he could imagine her rolling her eyes _"Your joking is really irritating me."  
_ "Fine. Just hurry up. I want to get on the road soon, so get the babysitter here so we can go. Oh and by the way, Stefan likes puppy blood. Little golden retriever puppies with cute, fluffy ears. That's his favourite."

* * *

Buffy scoffs then hangs up the phone and turns to Elena, who was stuffing some clothes in a bag "Ready?"  
Elena nods "Yep."  
The two turn to the door only to spot John "Uncle John." Elena says surprised "I didn't see you there."  
John steps into the room and looks at the two girls "I thought we could all talk, catch up."  
Buffy shakes her head "We gotta book actually, so..."  
"Well, it won't take long."  
"What did you want to talk about?" Elena asks.  
"Well...I know you both know."  
"And that knowing would be about what exactly?" Buffy asks.

"It's really silly to keep pretending. Especially for you Buffy, considering you spent the last two years in Sunnydale. Oh, Buffy what do you think your Watcher would say if he knew you were dating a vampire?"  
Buffy's eyes widen she tries to step forward but Elena holds her back as they continue to listen to John. Buffy groans in annoyance "Wouldn't be the first time." She mumbles under her breath before glaring at John as he turns to Elena.  
"And Elena, what would your mother say if she knew you were friends with a vampire."  
Elena glares at him "Which mother?"  
The two girls give him a dirty look before leaving the room.

* * *

Mystic Falls, 1864

"I bet Jonathan Gilbert has told father by now." Stefan says as he and Damon sit by the lake "Wonder how he took the news that we're dead."  
Damon shakes his head "As if he cares. He betrayed us."  
"He thought he was protecting us, Damon." Stefan argues "He thought he was protecting this town."  
"God, the sun hurts my eyes."  
"It's part of it. The muscle aches the sick feeling, Emily says it's our bodies pushing us to feed, to complete the transition."  
"That's not gonna happen." Damon says.  
"Is that your choice, then? To die instead?"

Damon turns to Stefan "Isn't it yours? This was all to be with Mary. Months of tricking Katherine into giving her blood, to be with Mary. And now Mary's gone, burnt at the stake. I want it over."

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present Day

Buffy and Elena enter the Salvatore house, the moment they step inside Damon walks over to them and grabs Buffy's arm "Come on blondie, we got to go."  
Buffy sighs "Are you gonna be okay Elena?" Buffy asks her cousin.  
Elena nods before taking Buffy's bag off her "I'll be fine."  
Damon smirks "Good, see Slayer she'll be fine. Can we go?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Fine." She says, she gives Elena another smile, as Damon pulls her out the door and towards his car.

Once the door closes Elena dumps the bags on the couch and heads downstairs to check on Stefan.

* * *

Buffy hangs up her phone after speaking to Elena, and huffs "He's just being dramatic." Damon tells her "He's not gonna starve himself."  
Buffy turns to look at Damon "Why say it then? Trying to see who responds first?"  
"He feels bad about hurting that girl, and hurting you. It's very typical Stefan martyr stuff. It will pass."  
"Elena said she wasn't sure, said he was in a lot of pain, I mean a lot of pain."  
Damon nods "Yeah. Well, that will pass, too, once he eats."  
"I don't think she meant pain of the physical nature."  
"I know that."

Buffy sighs "I just hope Elena listens to me and doesn't go down there."  
"You know, you seem to be very cautious about this circumstance, more so than Elena, yet you're the one dating him. Does this have something to do with your ex? What exactly did Angel do to you?"  
Buffy looks over at Damon, after a moment of hesitation she speaks slowly "My relationship with Angel was complicated and painful. I watched him turn into a monster, who wanted nothing more than destruction and death. Who got pleasure out of beating me to a pulp and messing with my emotions. And you know exactly how that turned out."

Damon nods "You're cautious, 'cause you scared that Stefan's gonna end up exactly like Angel."

At that moment the car pulls over by Ric's "Hey Damon, Buffy." Ric says as he climbs into the car.  
Buffy breathes a relieved breath "Saved by the teacher."  
Ric notices the tense atmosphere "I interrupted something here didn't I?"  
Buffy smiles "Yep. And I thank you for it."

* * *

"This is the one here." Alaric says as the three of them walk towards the house "The records show this was paid 3 months in advance."  
As they step up to the door Damon stops "This is where it gets tricky."  
Buffy scoffs "Just for you."  
Alaric turns to Damon "Yeah, how does that work? You always have to be invited in?"  
"Yep." Damon and Buffy answer at the same time.  
Damon smirks before continuing "By the owner or the person of entitlement. Short- term rentals and hotels are a bit of a grey area. You kind of gotta play it by the ear."

Damon walks over to the door, as Alaric speaks "Could we not kill anyone tonight, please?"  
"I second that." Buffy says as she walks over, and tries to use the door handle.  
Damon turns to Alaric "You mean, you just brought me along for my company?"  
Alaric rolls his eyes then looks at Buffy "Door locked?"  
Buffy shakes her head "No it's not." She says as she breaks the lock and pushes the door open.

Both her and Alaric step inside "Doesn't look like anyone's home." Rick says as they walk around.  
"Yeah. I'm good." Damon says as he steps inside "No permanent residence, apparently."

The three of them walk through the house, Damon opens the fridge only to see several blood bags "Uh, Ric, Buff we have company."

Suddenly a vampire jumps at Ric, Buffy tackles the vampire to the ground and grabs the stake Ric throws her before shoving it into the vampire's stomach. The vampire groans in pain and Buffy jumps up pulling the vampire to his knees before throwing him to the opposite end of the room. The vampire growls at Buffy and tries to attack again, but Damon steps in front of her and pushes the vampire back to the ground "Okay, boys and girls, that' enough." Damon steps closer to the vampire "I know you."

The vampire looks at Damon and stands smiling slightly "Damon?"  
"Your name is Henry. You were in the tomb."  
Buffy turns to Damon "You know mister attack first, ask questions never?"  
Henry ignores Buffy and looks at Damon "Yes, sir. What are you doing here?"

* * *

"So, how do you guys know John Gilbert?" Henry asks as he pours himself some blood.  
Damon shrugs "Well, I've known him for years, he's a good friend. Buffy here, known him her whole life."  
Henry turns to Buffy and smiled "Really?"  
Buffy sighs "Yep, however I had no choice in the matter. So how do you know the old man?"  
"I met him right after I got out of the tomb. He's been helping me out."  
"Helping you out how?" Alaric asks.  
"Adapting. It's a whole new world—cars, computers, . There's so much to learn. He helped me get this place."  
"So, you live here alone, or is there someone else here."  
Damon interjects "That's my friend's very...passive-aggressive way of asking, uh, do you know a woman named Isobel."

Henry shakes his head "Uh, no. No, I don't know an Isobel. I know John, he's my only real friend. He really showed me the ropes—how to use a microwave, separate my whites."  
"So what else do you do for dear old John?" Buffy asks.  
"I help keep an eye on things—you know, with the others."  
"The others?" Damons asks confused.

"You know from the tomb. They're still pissed at the founding families for trying to burn them alive. I'm cool. I mean we all got off lucky compared to what they did to Mary and Emily. But those tomb boys, they want revenge."  
"What does John want with them?" Alaric asks the vampire.  
"He's just keeping an eye on them, you know? Trying to make sure they stay out of trouble."  
Damon nods "Well, that's John. Heh. He's such a do-gooder. Isn't that right blondie?"  
Buffy glares at Damon momentarily before nodding "Such a great guy. A real inspiration."

Suddenly the three of them turn to Henry as his phone starts to ring "Heh. That's John now." He tells them.  
Damon stands from his seat and walks over "Oh. Hey, let me talk to him."  
"All right, yeah." Henry says handing Damon the phone.

After a moment Damon still continues to let the phone ring, Henry looks at him confused "Are you going to answer that?"  
Damon looks over at Buffy "Am I gonna...answer that?"  
"A world of no." Buffy says as Alaric shakes his head.  
Henry starts to panic "What's going on?"  
Damon turns to Buffy "Slayer, do your thang."

Suddenly Henry jumps at Buffy but she grabs him flipping him over her shoulder and onto the table, while Buffy holds the vampire Alaric comes over and stakes him.  
"Let's not kill anyone tonight." Damon says looking at Buffy and Alaric "Your words, just pointing that out."

* * *

Buffy and Damon walk back into the Salvatore house to see Elena writing in her diary as she sits in one of the chairs "Uh, you're still here?" Damon says.  
"Were you expecting anything else? Buffy asked for my help so I'm here."  
Buffy smiles then crashes onto the couch putting her feet up. The moment she does Damon lifts up her feet and places them on his lap as he sits down. "So how was the errand?" Elena asks Buffy.  
"Violent." Buffy says the same time Damon says "Futile. But we also witnessed the teacher having an existential crisis."

Buffy turns to her cousin "Has Stefan eaten yet?"  
"I think he's getting there. But he's got a lot of guilt that he has to deal with. And it doesn't help that Damon has spent the last 145 years punishing him for Mary and Katherine getting caught."  
Damon raises an eyebrow and turns to Elena "This is my fault now."  
"No, it's no one's fault, Damon. I'm just...I'm saying you're not exactly innocent."

Buffy turns to Damon "You did say that you made it your own little life mission to make him oh so miserable."  
Damon stands and looks over at Elena "So Stefan's been telling you the story right. Let me ask you a question. In all this important soul-searching and cleansing of the demons of Stefan's past, did you ever manage to get the rest of the story."

Buffy shrugs "Ok, I'm confused here, what did Stefan tell you Elena?" When Damon tries to leave to room Buffy goes after him, she grabs his arm "Hey, Damon, spill. Tell me."

* * *

After Damon told her the rest, the two of them were talking in the living room when Elena runs in "Buffy!"  
Buffy turns to Elena "Elena, what's wrong?"  
"He's gone." Elena says holding up Stefan's ring.

* * *

Buffy runs to the field that Elena told her about, where she sees Stefan standing by the lake. "Stefan." Stefan turns to her stunned "Elena and Damon filled me in on the little jump to the past."  
"I should have died that night." Stefan says "Just like I had chosen. I should have let Damon die too."  
Buffy looks around, realising they don't have long "Stefan, please you have to get inside, the sun will be up soon."  
"Every single person that's been hurt...every single life that's been lost, it's because of me. I'm weak and I let people get hurt. It's my fault.

Buffy looks at him sadly "You're weak. Everybody is. Everybody fails. Everybody feels guilty for things that they have no control over that occur because of the choices they make. My first watcher wouldn't have died if it was not for me, Jenny, Kendra are dead because of my choices. Because I was weak. But we have to live with that and try to make amends."  
Stefan shakes his head "I made a choice, Buffy. And because of that choice, a lot of people were hurt."

Buffy nods "Yeah, you did. But you also made the choice to go against your nature to help others. To use the power inside you for good."

"Don't. It hurts me, Buffy. It hurts me, knowing what I've done, and that pain—that pain is with me all the time." Stefan says as Buffy steps closer "And every day, I think that if I just—if I just give myself over to the blood I can make that pain stop. It would be that easy, and every day, I fight that. I'm so terrified that one day I'm not gonna want to fight that anymore, Buffy."

Buffy sighs sadly and closes her eyes "I was the reason, Angel lost his soul. It was my fault that a monster was released onto this world. Like you I live with the pain, I was responsible for the deaths of everyone he killed. But I fight that urge to just give up, which is what you do. Fighting it's hard and it's painful and it's everyday. It's what we have to do. And we can do it together."

Stefan shakes his head "No, I don't deserve to live."

Buffy runs over to him and grabs his arm "You are not staying here. I won't let you."

Stefan shoves her off and she falls to the ground, he then walks over to her and grabs her arm "Look at me, I'm a monster! Do I really deserve to live? The world would be better off without me."

Buffy looks at him, tears in her eyes "What about me? I love you so much." Buffy shoves him away "And I hate it!" She yells "I tried to ignore it, it's why I wouldn't say it, cause of what happened last time. I kept you at arms distance trying to keep you out. But it didn't help. I hate that it's so hard...and that you can hurt me so much, but you also helped me heal, I was broken when I meet you and somehow no matter what I did to try and keep you out, you wormed your way into my heart."

Buffy stands and looks at him sadly "But if you're too much of a coward to keep fighting then take this..." Buffy hands him his ring "...and throw it in the quarry and burn. If I can't convince you that you belong in this world then I don't know what can. But don't expect me to watch or to mourn for you." Buffy looks at him once more as tears falls down her face. She turns away and starts to leave but stops when she hears Stefan "Buffy."

Buffy turns to see Stefan tears in his own eyes, she watches as he slips the ring back on then walks over to her and pulls her into a kiss.

* * *

"Little boy lost." Damon says as Buffy and Stefan walk into the living room. Buffy looks around the room "Where's Elena?"  
Damon shrugs "She went home, something to do with..." After a moment of trying to remember he shrugs "I wasn't listening."  
Buffy scoffs before turning to Stefan "I'm gonna—be upstairs."  
"Ok." Stefan says as he nods.  
Buffy turns to Damon "Night, Dumbass."

Damon smirks before turning Stefan.  
Once Buffy was out of the room Stefan turns to Damon "Thank you."  
"No, Stefan, thank you. You're back on Bambi blood and I'm the big badass brother again. All is right in the world."  
Stefan sits down in the chairs next to Damon "I mean it. Thank you. For...helping her take care of me."  
"You brood too much." Damon tells him "Everything on this planet is not your fault. My actions, what I do, it's not your fault. I own them. They belong to me. You are not allowed to feel my guilt."  
"Do you feel guilt?"

"If I wanted to it's there." Damon says as he has another drink. Just as Stefan stands Damon goes on "Emily waited till after I turned to tell me she's been successful in protecting Katherine with her spell. And therefore, Mary. She didn't want me to know about the tomb. She thought it would impact my decision."  
"She didn't want either one of us to turn." Stefan tells him "She said it was a curse, said she couldn't understand how a witch like Mary could ever condone it."  
"Bennet witches—Judgy little things."  
"Why didn't you tell me?" Stefan asks.  
"Cause I didn't want you to know. I hated you and I still do."  
"I know."  
"But not because you forced me to turn."  
Stefan looks at him confused "Then why?"

Damon stands and walks over to his brother "Because she tricked Katherine into turning you too. It was just supposed to be me Stefan...just me." Damon glares at his brother before walking out of the room.


	31. Isobel

Buffy climbs in through her window after patrol and collapses on the bed exhausted. Just as she is about to fall asleep her alarm goes off, Buffy moans and smashes the alarm with her hand. "Buffy, come on." Elena says as she pokes her head into the room, "We have to go help build the Miss Mystic Float for the Founder's day parade."

"No. Sleep." Buffy moans as she pulls the blanket over her head. Elena sighs "Let me put it this way, you don't get up and go, we both get the wrath of Caroline."  
Buffy huffs in annoyance "Fine." She says causing Elena to smile.

Once Elena leaves the room Buffy quickly dresses then grabs her phone.  
"Hey." She says as Damon answers the phone.  
 _"Well, hello to you too, blondie. What can I do for you?"  
_ Buffy, rolls her eyes at his nickname for her but goes on anyway "Look, just calling to check in."  
 _"Well, I'm doing great thanks for asking."_

Buffy sighs "Damon I'm exhausted, and not in a good mood so could you actually get with the program. Hint, checking in with Stefan."  
 _"Oh, him? Oh. He's—he's terrible. He's just back to boring, strait-laced, off the junk. You've successfully cured him of anything that was interesting about his personality."  
_ Buffy smiles "Oh, yes. Remind me who helped again?"  
 _"I hate myself."_ Damon chuckles _"Hey, did uncle John mention anything to you or Elena about our field trip with the history teacher?"_

"Nope. It seems whatever he's hiding, he does not want us anywhere near it." Buffy adjusts the phone to balance it on her shoulder so she could put on her combat boots "Oh, by the way, he knows about me."She says offhandedly.  
 _"Wait...what?"  
_ Buffy sits down on her chair as she continues "Yeah. He made a comment about my Watcher. You know I'm really not liking John."  
 _"Wel—"_

"Buffy come on! We have to go meet Caroline." Elena says as she yells from outside Buffy's door.  
Buffy huffs "I'm coming!"  
Buffy turns her attention back to her phone "Look Damon I gotta go."  
 _"Have fun with the Mystic Queen, I know I did."_ Damon says, causing Buffy to roll her eyes before hanging up the phone.

* * *

"Damon. Thanks for coming." Alaric says as Damon walks into the classroom where Buffy, Elena, Stefan and Rick were all waiting. "Sorry I'm late. The dog ate my, uh...never mind."  
Damon smiles then looks around the room noticing everyone's tense expressions "What's all the furrowed brows?"  
"I saw Isobel last night." Alaric tells him.  
"Isobel's here? In town?"  
"Did you ask about uncle John? Are they working together?" Damon asks.  
Alaric shakes his head "No."  
"No, they're not?"  
"No, I didn't ask."  
"What about the invention?"  
Alaric shakes his head "Didn't ask."  
"Does she know about the tomb of vampires?"  
"I don't know."  
"Did words completely escape you?"

"Damon, back off." Buffy says as she steps between him and the teacher.  
Damon rolls his eyes "What, he could have at least interrogated her a little bit. Why are you even defending him?"

Buffy glares at him "Ric, just saw he's dead vampire wife after going years thinking she was dead. Think about how would you react in that situation. I know if it was me and Angel showed up on my door alive. I would be a little wigged too, considering the last time I saw him was a year ago when I drove a sword into his gut. So back off! Before I make you!"  
The two stare down at each other for a moment both of them challenging the other before Buffy sighs "Elena." Buffy says.

Elena nods in understanding "She wants to see me, Damon."  
"Alaric is supposed to arrange a meeting." Stefan tells Damon "We don't know why or what she wants."  
Buffy turns to her cousin "I still say that you shouldn't have to see her if you don't want."  
"I don't really have a choice." Elena says sadly.

"She's threatened to go on a killing spree." Alaric tells them.  
Buffy huffs "Forgot about that."  
Damon nods "Oh. I'm take it that's...not ok with you guys."

"I want to do it." Elena says "I want to meet her. If I don't, I know I'll regret it."

* * *

Buffy and Stefan watch as Isobel walks over to Elena's table at The Grill. Once Isobel sits, the two of them listen to the conversation:

 _I: "You look just like her. It's eerie."_  
 _E: You've met Katherine?_  
 _I: She found me after I turned. Genetic curiosity I suppose. She would be fascinated by you._  
 _E: Is that how you can walk in the day?"_  
 _I: Mary made it for me. Out of Katherine's request. The two are quite close, like you and your cousin."_

Buffy's eyes widen 'Mary?' She mouths to Stefan who looks exactly as confused.

 _E: You know Mary as well?"_  
 _I: Of course. Those two girls are one in the same, where one is the other is not far behind._  
 _E: Why does Buffy look like Mary?_  
 _I: No. We are not here for your cousin._  
 _E: Fine. Who's my father?"_  
 _I: Not important. He was a teenage waste of space._  
 _E: A name would be nice._

As they listen Buffy's phone starts to ring, "I'll be right back." She says to Stefan before walking out into the hall "Hello." Buffy says as she answers the phone.  
 _"Buffy!"_ Willow exclaims _"We need your help."  
_ "Will, calm down what is it?" Buffy asks slightly panicked, Willow had never sounded this freaked.  
 _"Some creep summoned a bunch of hellhounds."  
_

Buffy gasps, this wasn't good "Oh, god. What do you need me to do?"  
 _"We need you to come to Sunnydale."  
_ Buffy sighs not sure what to do, with Isobel in town Elena would be in a lot of danger, she couldn't just leave. She rubs her forehead knowing that if she didn't go people could die "I'll be there soon." She says before hanging up the phone.

As she walks back over to Stefan she hears Isobel and Elena talking:  
 _E: I know other vampires. That's not true._  
 _I: You mean your cousin's boyfriend over there by the pool table. Stefan Salvatore. I'm curious what did she go for Stefan? Why not Damon? And I'm surprised that you didn't go for one of them or both like Katherine and Mary did. Although your cousin does have a darkness in her, her men have to have a little monster in them."_

Buffy glares at Isobel and her hands dig at the wood of the table where she and Stefan were sat. Stefan sighs and glances over at his girlfriend, he reaches out and takes her hand smiling at her slightly. Buffy squeezes his hand back before glancing back at her cousin.

 _I: It's inevitable. Buffy is going to get old and so are you. Stefan won't. Forever doesn't last very long when you're human. Although Buffy, from what I've heard people like her, they don't tend to live long enough to get old anyway. So maybe she won't need to learn that lesson."_  
 _E: How do you know so much about Buffy?"_  
 _I: Mary's been keeping an eye on her for the past two years, Mary tells Katherine everything, most of the time anyway. And Katherine warned me when the Slayer moved down here. Now I want the weapon."_  
 _E: I'm sorry but I don't have what you're looking for."_  
 _I: Sit down. And tell your cousin and her boytoy to walk away."_

When Isobel made a grab at Elena Buffy immediately starts to move but when Elena shakes her head, Stefan pulls the reluctant Slayer back.

 _I: I want the invention_  
 _E: I don't have it._  
 _I: I know that. But Damon does. And you're gonna get it for me. You're going to convince your short blonde cousin to get it from him._  
 _E: He's not gonna give it to her._  
 _I: Then the blood will be on both of your hands._

After Isobel leaves, Buffy spots the look on Elena's face, she was about to break down all the emotions she had been hiding were about to surface. Buffy stands and quickly walks over to Elena and hugs her, immediately Elena sobs and buries her head in Buffy's shoulder. Buffy takes a deep breath and looks at her cousin with a worried frown as she runs her hand through her hair trying to comfort her. Slowly Elena pulls away only to pause as she spots Bonnie watching the both of them sadly. Buffy frowns before turning, she pauses as she spots Bonnie, she smiles sadly at her friend who was staring at Elena with a look of misery. Bonnie stood there frozen for a moment however the second she spotted Stefan she backs away and runs out of The Grill.

* * *

Buffy is packing when hears someone knocking on her bedroom door "Come in." She calls.

A second later Elena and Bonnie walk inside "What's going on?" Elena asks as she stares at Buffy's half packed bag. Buffy turns around and looks between the two of them when she notices the smile on both girls faces her eyes widen and a bright grin covers her face "Did you two—"  
When both girls nod Buffy jumps in joy "Thank God!" She says before throwing her arms around her friends. "So now that we're all made up care to explain why you're packing." Bonnie says.

Buffy sighs "Some creep in Sunnydale summoned a bunch of hellhounds. I have to go. They need my help. So the moment we're done with the Isobel problem I'm heading down there." Buffy huffs, then an idea pops into her head "Bonnie, do you by chance know any teleportation spells or anything like that?"  
Bonnie thinks for a moment "There is a potion it can send you wherever you want to go, but for some reasons it can't be used on vampires."  
Buffy smiles "Well it's a good thing this is a one person trip."

Elena looks at her cousin worried "Buffy maybe it's not such a good idea, it could be dangerous."  
"Elena my entire world is dangerous, a few little hellhounds, that's nothing."

* * *

Later after leaving Bonnie and Elena, Buffy went to find Stefan "Hey." Buffy says when she finds him.  
"Buffy, what's wrong?" Stefan asks worried by the look on her face.  
Buffy sighs "I have to go to Sunnydale. Tonight."  
"Wait...what?" He asks frowning in confusion  
"Some kid summoned a bunch of hellhounds, and is going to set them loose."

Stefan looks at her worried, he didn't want her going alone the idea of her getting hurt terrified him more than anything "Well, I'll come with you. We will go after the meeting with Isobel."  
Buffy smiles softly "As sweet as that is I can handle this, plus I would rather have you here, protecting everyone else. We don't know how long the crazy birth mother is staying in town and I don't feel comfortable leaving Damon in charge."  
Stefan sighs "Fine. I'll stay but you promise to be careful."  
Buffy smiles "Always."  
Stefan hugs her "I love you." He tells her as he kisses the side of her head before cupping her cheeks in his palms.  
Buffy smiles happily "I love you too." she says before leaning up and kissing him softly.

"Buffy!" Elena yells as she and Bonnie run over to the couple causing them to pull apart "Isobel took Jeremy. She wants the device."

* * *

"Where's the device now?" Bonnie asks once the four of them go into one of the classrooms.  
"Damon has it." Stefan tells her "He's gonna be difficult to reason with."  
Elena begins to panic "Then we'll—we'll go to him." Elena thinks for a moment before she remembers something Isobel said "Buffy."  
Buffy looks up "Huh?"  
"You need to talk to him. Isobel said that we underestimate how much he cares about you. So it needs to be you."

Buffy shakes her head "That's not a good idea. Look of all people Damon would give it to, he would not give a weapon like that to a Vampire Slayer. Especially one who plays a running gag at threatening to rip off his body parts if he pisses me off."  
Stefan shakes his head "Buffy's right. He's not just gonna hand it over, especially if it's harmful to vampires."  
Elena thinks for a moment before turning to Bonnie "What if it's not?"

* * *

"Absolutely not." Damon says to Buffy.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Oh, come on."  
"I'm not gonna give the device to Isobel so she can give it to John who's gonna turn around and kill me. I like being a living dead person."  
Buffy steps forward "First of all, every time you talk that way, the Spike comparison gets bigger, and anyway it'll be useless. Bonnie will do a little hocus pocus, and poof powerless trinket."  
"I don't trust her." Damon tells Buffy.

"I can remove the original spell." Bonnie assures them.  
"John and Isobel will never know." Elena says.

"No." Damon shakes his head "I'll get Jeremy my own way. Mm-hmm."  
"Really?" Stefan asks sceptically "How are you gonna do that? Hmm? Because Isobel is a vampire, and Jeremy can be dead the second you walk in that door. Even if Buffy went with you, there's no guarantee that Jeremy will survive."

Damon turns to Bonnie "Are you even up for this? I mean, no offence. You're no Emily Bennet. Emily knew what she was doing."  
"I've been practising." Bonnie tells him.  
"It's not piano lessons, Honey."  
Bonnie glares at him angrily and stands from her seat and walks over to him "What's your favourite book?"  
"What?"  
"Name a book, any book."  
"Name a book. How about...'Call of the wild,' Jack London?"

Bonnie walks over to the book shelf and a moment later a book flies at his head. Damon catches the book and reads the spine "Jack London." Damon turns back to Bonnie "Great parlour trick."

Buffy rolls her eyes, she was getting slightly impatient now "Damon, we are doing this. And we're doing it now. Now give me the device, cause honestly I really don't want to cut off your hand."  
"Buffy." Elena hisses.  
Buffy sighs "Fine, I'll play nice." Buffy turns back to Damon "We're wasting time."

Damon looks over to the witch "I don't trust you. I tried to kill you."  
Bonnie smirks "Hmm. You're right. You can't trust me."

"But you can trust me." Buffy tells him as she steps closer and looks at him with begging eyes.  
Damon hesitates, but a moment later he places the device in Buffy's hands and wraps her fingers around it.

* * *

As Bonnie begins to start the spell she hands Buffy a small vial of a red liquid.  
"What's that?" Damon asks confused.  
Bonnie looks at Buffy as she answers "This is the teleportation spell, break this near you and it will send you wherever you want to go. But it only lasts 4 hours then you'll be brought back. I'm sorry I thought you would have more time."  
Buffy nods "It's fine. 4 hours is all I need to deal with the hellhounds. This was a last minute thing, hence the portal travel."

Damon looks at the two confused "Wait hellhounds?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes while Stefan speaks "Willow, called Buffy during Elena's meeting with Isobel. Apparently they will be having an attack tonight. With the other slayer having gone rogue they need Buffy's help."  
Damon nods "Oh. So—"

Bonnie interrupts "I'm ready." She says pointing at the device.  
The four of them watch as Bonnie levitates the device while causing the lights and fire to flicker. A moment later Bonnie turns to Buffy "Done."  
"Great." Damon comments "Now what?"  
"Now we give it to Isobel." Elena tells him.

* * *

Buffy, Stefan and Damon wait out of sight until they hear Elena "Do you really think I came alone?"  
The three of them walk forwards and Isobel turns to face them. When Isobel spots Buffy she smiles "Miss Summers, please join us."

Buffy looks at her sceptically before walking over to stand by Elena, she then glares as Isobel "Are you really so stupid as to invite me over here?"  
Isobel smiles "We both know you won't kill me for two reasons. The first is Jeremy."  
"And what's the second?" Buffy asks getting impatient.  
Isobel smirks "Because you want to know why you look like Mary."  
Buffy glares at the woman "What do you know?"

"Not much, just what her and Katherine tell me. But Mary she's been keeping an eye on you for a long time. She saw you called, she watched you and that friend of yours Pike burn down a building, she watched you die. She even watched you fall for that irritating vampire Angel, she watched as you both fought and they way you struggled in your mission to kill him. She watched as you killed him. Although be grateful that she gave you your space that night with the judge-"  
Buffy growls "I suggest you get to your point before I rip out your tongue."  
Isobel smiles "Let's just say that her connection to you, has to do with something bigger than you can imagine. And when you do learn the truth, I hope I'm there to see it."

"Where's my brother?" Elena demands  
Isobel rolls her eyes "For God's sake call home, ask to speak to your brother Jeremy."  
Elena quickly calls home and breaths a relived breath when she hears Jeremy's voice "I'll be home soon, alright?" Elena says before hanging up.  
Elena turns back to Isobel "You were never going to hurt him."  
"No. I was going to kill him. Don't look for any redeeming qualities in me. I don't have any."

Buffy turns to Isobel "Here's what I'm not getting if you don't care then why take the risk when you told Elena to get me to get the device off Damon. How did you know he was going to give it to me?"  
Isobel turns to Buffy "Cause he's in love with you." Buffy freezes her eyes widening in shock, that had not been what she was expecting.  
She watches as Elena hands the device to Isobel.

After Elena comes back to standing next to Buffy Isobel smiles "Goodbye Elena. Oh and Miss Summers, a warning, as long as you have a Salvatore on each arm, you're doomed. Mary was smart she got out. But we all know that you're not Mary. At least Elena was smart enough to stay dating within the human range."  
The two cousins glare at the woman as she walks away.

Elena wraps her arms around Buffy "I'm sorry, Elena." Buffy whispers. Buffy looks over her shoulder to see Damon watching her but she looks away.

* * *

Buffy after saying goodnight to Stefan and making sure that Elena could cover for her, quickly grabs her bag and throws the potion Bonnie gave her on the floor. When nothing happens Buffy looks down confused "What the f—"  
Buffy is cut off when the portal opens beneath her feet and she falls through.

* * *

"Would you like one?" Damon asks as Stefan enters the room while he pours himself a drink.  
When Stefan doesn't speak Damon goes on "Say it. Whatever it is, purge, get it out."  
Stefan sighs "It's about what Isobel said."  
Damon turns to face his brother "What about it?"  
"Well, I know that you and Buffy bonded, and I know that she cares about you no matter how many times she threatens to rip you limb from limb; and, uh, I know you care about her."  
Damon smirks "Well, this is going in an interesting direction."

Stefan rolls his eyes before crossing his arms, this wasn't exactly a conversation he was enjoying "I'm just concerned about Buffy being hurt. She considers you a friend."  
"Same here. Buffy's a very good friend. Actually, she might qualify as my only friend. Is that a problem?"  
Stefan walks closer "So, at the risk of sounding like a, um, like a jealous boyfriend—"  
Damon interjects "Oh, there's no risk. You do. Even when her dead ex is brought up."  
"History will not be repeating itself where Buffy's concerned." He says sternly "Do you understand what I'm saying?"  
"Sure. Sure." Damon says as he starts to walk away.

Stefan stops Damon by appearing in front of him "Do you...understand?"  
"Hey, whatever you say, man. I mean, honestly, we're just friends. And honestly I wasn't looking forward to telling her my little discovery when she gets back, anyway. So, I'll let you do it."  
Stefan looks at him confused "What truth?"

"About John. 'Cause I know you guys don't like to keep secrets from each other. Especially when it comes to her family. Although if you think about it, how much do you actually know about her. Because from the way Isobel said it it seems like there's more to her relationship with Angel than Buffy told you."

Stefan glares at Damon he was getting really sick of Damon trying to cause trouble "Damon, get back to your point."  
"Oh, right. Isobel. Hello? She dated John when she was 15 she gets pregnant and ends up at the doctors office of John's brother. Now, what do you think is John's role is in all of this, huh? I mean, go ahead, think about it. I'll wait. You get it? You there yet? Hmm?"

"So, you think that John is Elena's father."  
"Ding, ding, ding."  
"And what proof do you have of this?"  
"I don't need any proof. I have the DNA tests for John, Elena, and...but I know how well you deal with these big bombshells, so...sleep tight. Oh and when you do tell Buffy, and she has to tell Elena. Let her know if she needs a friend to talk to about anything...I'm here for her."

* * *

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh." Buffy screams as she continues to fall through the air. After what feels like a lifetime she lands on a hard surface with a 'thump."  
"I hate portals." Buffy moans as she looks up to see herself lying on the table in the middle of the Sunnydale High Library.  
Willow, Giles, Oz Xander and Cordelia stare in shock, Buffy groans as she sits up and looks at her friends "Hi guys."


	32. Hellhounds

"Buffy, how did you—" Xander starts to ask, but Buffy cuts him off.  
"Got a favour from a witch. She gave me a spell, which opened up the floor in my room with an endless Alice in Wonderland type trip down a hole." Buffy sits up pushing herself off the table before turning to her friends "I got four hours till the return portal opens, so why am I here?"

Giles rubs his forehead then begins to explain "A student Tucker has summoned hellhounds, and plans to release them."  
Buffy sighs "So what next?"

* * *

As the group continue to research Buffy sits on the staircase pretending to read one of the books, while she thinks about what Isobel said about Mary.  
"How's it going over there, Buff?" Xander asks.  
"Fine." Buffy responds as she turns the page.  
"Well, I just wanted to say your impersonation...of an inanimate object is really coming along."  
"Thanks."

Willow interrupts Buffy's train of thought "Ooh, ohh! I got into Tucker's e-mail account. Listen to this message Tucker sent to this kid...David Metz at school last week. _'The Sunnydale High lemmings have no idea what awaits them. Their big night will be their last night.'  
_ Giles looks at the computer screen "So we have a threat against the students on their big night, a hellhound trained to attack people in formal wear  
Cordelia interrupts "Oh. Are we all catching up now?"  
"This Tucker, is planning to attack the dance tonight."  
Oz nods "Once again the Hellmouth puts the special in special occasion."

Buffy looks at them all confused "Wait the dance? That's tonight."  
Xander nods "Why do I even buy tickets for these things, I ask you?"  
"I wonder if I can take my dress back?" Willow sighs sadly.  
"Don't you dare." Buffy tells her.  
"But Tucker's gonna—"

"No." Buffy says as she stands from her seat "Look you guys called me here for a reason. So I'm going to do my job and you guys are gonna have the dance, the kind of dance everyone should have. I'm gonna give you all a nice, fun, normal evening, if I have to kill every single person on the face of the earth to do it."  
Xander looks at her slightly terrified "Yah?"

Buffy turns to Oz "Oz, you said you know this David kid that Tucker e-mailed? Why don't you and Wil track him down. See what he knows, if he's involved."  
"We're on it." Willow says as her and Oz stand from their seats and head off.  
Buffy turns to Xander "Could you swing by the magic store?"  
Xander nods "Can do. What's the mission?"  
"See if anyone's been in buying supplies to raise a hellhound."  
"Got ya. Or check and see...who's been stocking up on hellhound snausages. I hear those pups do anything for a tasty treat."

Buffy turns to Giles "So what do the puppies eat?"  
Giles turns to Buffy as he cleans his glasses "Well, brains."  
Buffy nods "Then Tucker must be feeding it, right?"

* * *

"Yeah, yeah. This kid orders cow brains a couple times a week." The butcher tells Buffy "Oh, uh, it goes to this address." He says handing her a piece of paper with the address.  
The man chuckles "Good luck. He's a weird kid."  
"Thanks." Buffy says with a smile before turning towards the exit "Thanks a lot."

As she is leaving Angel walks in through the back entrance and sees the short Slayer walking out the front door, he freezes stunned. No one had told him Buffy was in town.  
He quickly follows and tries to catch up to her. However when she stops to answer her phone Angel stops in his tracks, and can't help but listen in on the conversation.

As Buffy walks her phone starts to ring, she stops so she can answer "Hello." Buffy says.  
 _"Hey, it's me."_ Stefan tells her.  
Buffy smiles "Hello, Mr. Salvatore. And what can I do for you. You guys didn't happen to get into any trouble while I've been gone have you?"  
Stefan chuckles _"No. Now that Bonnie dispelled the invention we should be drama free for a while."  
_ "Really? So what do people do when there is no trouble?"

 _"They take their girlfriend to a picnic in the park. I think."_ He teases.  
Buffy laughs, smiling sweetly at the idea of a nice afternoon date with her boyfriend "Are you sure? I thought that was just in the movies. Cause, in reality, I thought that they try to stop two brothers from killing the other while patrolling."  
Stefan chuckles _"I think that's just us. So where are you?"_ Stefan asks with a worried tone.  
Buffy sighs "Stefan, I'm going to be fine ok. I'm just gonna to go pay a visit to the kid who summoned the hellhounds. Got to stop him from pulling a Carrie at the dance. Just gotta head back to the library first."  
 _"Just be careful, please"  
_ "I promise. Come on I'll be back in a few hours, then we can celebrate our very few hours of drama free life."  
 _"Sounds like a plan."  
_ Buffy smiles "Look I got to go, got a creep to deal with."  
 _"Alright be careful. I love you."  
_ "U too." Buffy hangs up the phone. She takes a step intent on walking but freezes having an odd feeling, she turns only to see nothing.

As Buffy walks away Angel watches from the shadows confused, all he could think about was who this 'Stefan' person was.

* * *

Buffy walks into the library to see Oz, Willow and Xander sitting on the small staircase. "Zeroes all around, Buff." Xander tells her.  
"Sorry." Willow says.  
Buffy smiles "Make not with the long faces. I got the address. T—" Buffy is cut off when her phone starts to ring "Give me a sec."

Buffy quickly answers the phone to hear Damon _"Hello, Slayer. So how's life in Sunnyhell?"  
_ Buffy rolls her eyes "What do you want, Damon?"  
 _"Well, I was wondering how things are going with the hellhounds."  
_ Buffy sighs "Seriously Damon, what do you want?"  
Damon chuckles _"Okay, you caught me. I think that John is still up to something and I want your help to figure it out."_

Buffy groans in annoyance "I'll help when I get back."  
 _"But—"  
_ "Goodbye, Damon."

Buffy hangs up the phone and turns back to her friends, who look slightly confused "Who's Damon, Buff?" Xander asks.  
Buffy sighs "The annoying brother of my boyfriend. Sorry about that. Anyway the dance starts in a little while. I want you guys to go on. I'll put a lid on this jerk. If I don't see you after it's cause the portal took me back to Mystic Falls, if that happens I'll call you."  
Xander shakes his head "What? No way."  
Willow nods in agreement "We can't just leave you, Buff."

"Buffy, they're right." Giles says as he walks over to the group "You need—"  
Buffy cuts in "To see taillights. Hit the door. I have everything under control."  
Oz turns to the blonde slayer "Buffy, it makes sense to—"  
Buffy stares at them all pointedly "Have...a nice time."  
The three of them look at her slightly scared "Ok, then. See ya." They all say before quickly leaving the room.

As they leave Buffy turns to Giles "I want you at the gym. Keep an eye on them, till I get there." Buffy then walks towards the weapons.  
Giles steps towards her "I don't have to tell you you're being rather rash. Finding an address hardly adds up to case closed."  
"Look it's done. You wanna go after them and tell them they can't go?"  
Giles sighs before removing his glasses and looking at her seriously "You weren't even considering staying for the dance were you?"

Buffy shakes her head, honestly, she wanted to get out of this town as soon as possible, it killed her being here "It's hard being in this town, Giles. Hard being here in school. After everything that happened last year. With Angel and my mom."  
Giles looks at her sadly "Buffy, I'm sorry."  
Buffy shrugs "It's cool. Don't worry, plus there are problems back in Mystic Falls which I have to deal with."  
Giles looks at her worried "Anything I can help with?"  
Buffy shakes her head "No. I'm good. Look right know I just wanna deal with psycho boy. See you later."  
Buffy gives him a small smile before walking around him and out the door.

* * *

Buffy walks down the stairs in Tucker's house and sees him standing with one of the hellhounds. Buffy walks over and grabs him "Sorry. New plan!" Buffy says as she slams him against the wall. "The dance's a go, and you're pathetic."  
"Maybe." He says reaching for a vase, he slams it on Buffy's head but she just rolls her eyes.  
Buffy looks around the room and spots the television with prom videos beside it "So that's how you did it? That's how you brainwashed the hounds to go psycho on the dance?  
Tucker smirks "Neat, huh?"  
Buffy laughs "Let me guess, girl said no too many times. You're pathetic."

Buffy twists his arm behind his back and ties some wires on the floor around his wrists before shoving him in the other room. "Now I'm going to lock you in here and I'm going to have a nice free drama night with my b—"  
"Gotta have a redundancy system." Tucker says as Buffy opens to the door to reveal three empty cages. "My three fiercest babies are on their way to the dance right now. You think formal wear makes them crazy wait until they see the mirror ball."

* * *

Buffy shoots an arrow at the hounds, it hits one killing it instantly. As it falls the other two turn and run after Buffy. Buffy begins to run away "That's right. Follow Buffy. Good dogs." Buffy continues to run until she notices the hounds running back towards the dance "Oh, come on. That song sucks." Buffy runs after them, when she catches up one of the hounds jumps at her she kicks it knocking it down, as she does the other one jumps on her the two struggle and she stabs it in the chest.  
Buffy turns to see a guy coming out of the gym "Get down!" She yells before jumping on the hounds back.  
Buffy manages to get the upper hand and snaps his neck. Buffy breathes then looks up at the guy "Bathroom?" He stutters.  
Buffy points down the hall then looks down at the hound "Eww."

* * *

After Buffy dumps the bodies, she climbs in through the window at the dance and watches her friends with a smile. After a few moments, Buffy sighs and climbs back out of the window.

* * *

She walks around town for a while and somehow ends up at the mansion. She takes a deep breath and steps inside, she slowly walks into the centre of the room and removes the chain from around her neck. Although it killed her to do it, she knew that as long as she wears that ring above her heart she would never truly be able to let go.

She removes the ring from its chain and slowly bends down and places it on the very place where she killed Angel. "Goodbye." She whispers. She stares at the ground for another second before slowly exiting the mansion.

Buffy walks through the town and ends up in front of her old house.

* * *

Angel walks into the mansion and stops as he sees the ring he gave Buffy sitting on the ground. He turns and then runs out of the mansion trying to pick up her scent.

* * *

Buffy looks at the clock on her phone, she only had a minute until the portal opened. She stares at her old house and sighs sadly "I miss you mom." She whispers to herself.  
At that moment the portal opens and as Buffy falls through she thinks she sees someone who looks like Angel running towards her.

* * *

Buffy crashes onto the table in Elena's room causing Elena to scream in shock "Buffy!"  
Buffy stands looking around confused, she couldn't get the image of Angel's face running towards her out of her head.  
Elena walks over to her cousin "Buffy? Buffy are you ok?"  
After a moment Buffy is brought back to reality "Yeah, yeah. Fine just thought I saw... something while I was in Sunnydale. But can't be. It's impossible. I'm just going insane."


	33. Founder's Day

2 Weeks Later

"Ow. This dress hurts." Elena says as Jenna helps her and Buffy get ready for the founder's day parade.  
"I can't breath. And this cat on my head itches." Buffy says as gestures to the brunette wig on the top of her head.  
"Suck it in, girls." Jenna tells them laughing slightly in amusement by the pout they both give her.

At the Founder's day parade Damon walks over to the dressed up Stefan "Look at you, all retro." Damon says.  
"What are you doing here?" Stefan asks.  
Damon shrugs "Why wouldn't I be here? Bonnie deactivated the Gilbert Invention. Isobel's gone. And Buffy agreed to make sure John doesn't do anything stupid. Heh. And it's Founder's day. I'm here to eat cotton candy and steal your girl."  
Stefan scoffs "Don't start with me, Damon."

"Oh, you started it, Stefan. With that whole 'I'm insecure, leave Buffy alone' speech. I'm just enjoying that."  
"As long as you heard it."  
"Huh? What?" Stefan chuckles "You have no sense of humour, Stefan." Damon tells him.

"Actually, I just have no sense of Damon humour."  
Damon raises an eyebrow "Damon humour— Hey, look. I get it. I get it. I'm the better, hotter, superior choice, and you're scared now that Mary's out of the picture that I'm gonna turn all my attention to Buffy. But don't worry. Buffy is not Mary."  
Stefan nods "You're right. She's not."

At that moment the two see Buffy, in an 1800's dress with long dark hair. After Elena walks over to her, she spots them and smiles.  
Buffy, walks over and huffs "I hate these dresses. Had to wear one once not a fan."  
Damon smirks "Any why exactly were you wearing one?"  
"It was Halloween and anyway we all ended up getting turned into out costumes. Let's just say that put me off for life."

* * *

"Is that even possible?" Elena asks Stefan after he tells her and Buffy about John.  
"Well, there's no proof," He tells them "But he dated Isobel when she was a teenager, and he was the one that brought her to your dad's office for the delivery."  
Elena shakes her head "My whole life, I've never liked this man."  
"For good reason." Buffy mutters.  
"I...I."  
"I'm sorry." Stefan tells her "I just thought it would be better me telling you than Damon."  
"I just hope it's not true." Elena says.

* * *

After the parade, Buffy was finally able to ditch the dress. She makes her way into the grill when she runs into Damon "I like you better like this. The period look, the dark hair, it... didn't suit you."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Am I supposed to be insulted right now? Cause little old me a is slightly confused."  
"Actually, Buffy, it is a compliment of the highest order."  
Buffy sighs "Look, I know that Stefan is a bit wiggy about our 'friendship' slash frenemies relationship we have here."  
Damon smirks "Did he mention something to you, too?"  
"Nope. Why? You?"  
"No. Nothing worth repeating."

Buffy shrugs "Okay let's get with the program you have to stop with those stupid cliché flirty comments plus...that weird eye thingy you do. Which if I'm being honest, creeps me out and reminds me of Spike."  
"What eye thing?" Damon asks while demonstrating the eye thing.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "If you make me regret this I swear."

Buffy then looks over to see Jeremy walking away from an upset Elena "Jeremy, what the hell did you say to her?" Buffy asks as she walks over to her cousin.  
Jeremy turns on Buffy and glares at her "Don't you start. You don't have the right. You didn't stop her Buffy, hell you let her erase my memories. Plus you're the one that killed Vicki." Buffy's eyes widen sadly as Jeremy storms off.

* * *

"I have so many emotions." Damon says as he taunts Jeremy while following him through the crowd "But I don't have any way to express them. Being a teenager is so hard."  
"You dick," Jeremy says.  
"You do not talk to me like that. I'm not your cousin. And from now on" Damon grabs Jeremy's arm forcing him to look at him "You don't talk to your sister like that, let alone your cousin either."  
"So, what, you're gonna kill me just 'cause I reminded Buffy of what she did. And maybe hurt her feelings."  
"Cut her some slack."  
"She killed Vicki." Jeremy argues.  
"No, she killed the monster that Vicki became. And if she hadn't then both you and your sister would be dead. And plus if your gonna complain about them erasing your memories, I was the one who did that."

Jeremy tries to stump off again but Damon grabs him "Let go of me or I'll make a scene." Jeremy warns.  
"You'll be unconscious before you even got a word out."

"Let him. Go." Stefan says as he walks over. Damon releases him and Stefan turns to the teenager "You alright."  
Jeremy nods "Yeah."  
"What my brother is trying to say is don't blame Buffy or Elena for this. Damon turned Vicki. And the only reason Buffy killed her was because she tried to kill Elena. Buffy knew that she was a threat to you and to your sister. I'm sorry that it happened. I wish that it hadn't."  
Jeremy is silent for a moment before glaring at Stefan "Shouldn't have made me forget." He says before walking off.

"Good cop, bad cop—I like it." Damon says to his brother.  
Stefan turns to face Damon "What are you doing? Hmm?"  
"He was being a punk."  
"Buffy's relationship with her family is none of your business. So stay out of it."  
Damon glares at him "Oh, there's only one do-gooder hero role available. Oh, my bad. I'm sorry."  
"Get over yourself. We both know that you're not doing this for the right reasons."  
Damon frowns "See, there you go with that little jealousy act again. Uh, w-what are the right reasons, Stefan? Enlighten me. Please."

"Well, see, Damon, it's only real when it comes from your desire to the right thing for nothing in return."  
Damon nods crossing his arms "Right. Yeah."  
"And I know that that is an entirely foreign concept to you. I completely understand how you wouldn't get it." Stefan smiles before walking off.

* * *

Buffy and Stefan are walking around the town square when Damon walks over to them and grabs Buffy's hand. Buffy raises an eyebrow "Whatever you're doing, I suggest you quit it, or I'll remove something precious."  
Damon rolls his eyes "Look, we got vampires incoming. I warned Rick he's going to get weapons and I'm guessing, little Miss. Vampire Slayer that you have some in that trunk. Get them. Founding families are the target."  
Damon starts to walk off "What are you going to do?" Stefan asks.  
"Something dramatic."

Buffy's eyes widen "Elena, Jeremy. Stefan, I can't risk them if this gets messy."  
Stefan nods "Come on, let's get the weapons then we'll find them."

* * *

"Buffy! Stefan!" Elena yells as she runs over to them "What's going on?"  
Buffy grabs the bag full of weapons out of the truck and turns to Elena "We got a problem I need you and Jeremy to get somewhere safe."  
Elena looks at her confused "Buffy, what's going on?"

Suddenly both Buffy and Stefan falls to the ground "Ahhhh!" They both scream as they grab at their heads "Buffy? Stefan? What's going on? What's happening?"  
"My head." Buffy grunts in pain.  
"What?" Elena asks confused.  
"My head. Uhhh! Ahhh!"

The two continue to scream as the fireworks go off. Alaric runs over to them and picks up Buffy while Elena helps Stefan. They move the couple down the stairs out of sight. "I don't know what's happening. They just dropped." Elena tells Rick.  
"They're not the only ones. Cops are grabbing everyone who's gone down, injecting them with vervain."  
"What?"  
"They're rounding up the vampires." Buffy moans.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Elena asks Buffy and Stefan after they stop screaming.  
"It's like needles were piercing my skull, and then it just stopped?" Stefan tells her.  
Buffy nods in agreement as she cleans the blood from her ears and nose "Yeah, like needles the size of Texas. Big massive needles."  
Alaric runs over to them "I saw at least 5 vampires go down."  
"It's the Gilbert device. It has to be." Stefan says

Elena shakes her head "I don't get it. If it's supposed to take down vampires why did it hurt Buffy?"  
Buffy shakes her head "I'm not sure maybe because the Slayer is Supernatural, the device must attack anything, supernatural."  
Stefan strokes Buffy hair before turning to Rick "Where are they taking them?"  
"Elena and Buffy's family's old building."

Elena looks at them all still confused "Bonnie un-spelled it."  
Alaric shrugs "Maybe she didn't."  
"She did. We saw her do it."  
Buffy turns to Elena "Elena, think about it. We asked her to deactivate a device that could hurt vampires. If I didn't know that vampires could be good I would have done exactly the same thing. We asked her to protect vampires aka meaning Damon as well."

"Where is Damon?" Stefan asks.  
"I don't know." Alaric tells them "I haven't seen him since this started."  
"Can you get my brother, take him home?" Elena asks.  
"Of course."

"Let's go." Elena says but Buffy shakes her head.  
"You're not coming with. It's too dangers."  
Elena sighs before gesturing to the blood on Buffy's face "Buffy that device affected you worse than Stefan. So I'm coming."  
"But—"  
"No. I'm the oldest. That means I'm in charge. I'm going, now come on."  
Elena helps Buffy stand and the three of them make their way to the family's old building.

* * *

Buffy, Stefan and Elena head towards the building but Stefan stops "I can hear them."  
Buffy nods in agreement "The building it's flaming up."  
"What?" Elena asks.  
"The building's on fire."

The three of them start to run when they see John "Where's Damon?" Elena demands.  
"With the rest of them." John informs them "Where he should be. It's over for Damon."  
Buffy glares at him "You really are one crazy lunatic aren't you."

John turns to Buffy "I'm just doing what should have been done 145 years ago. Buffy, you know this is the right thing. You've seen what vampires do they have no remorse, a vampire killed your friend Kendra." John looks at Buffy carefully and smiles "You know I'm right. Don't you?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah. You're right, that they need to die, but unfortunately one of them in there is my jackass of a friend."

John notices Buffy and Stefan start to make a move "Go ahead. You won't make it out." John focuses on Stefan "It will save me the trouble of killing you myself."  
Buffy turns to Elena "Backup entrance now please?"  
Elena points to the building "Utility door. There's one around the side."  
Buffy and Stefan quickly run off to get to the door.

The two of them walk over to the door "Hey! You can't go in there." Bonnie yells as she runs over to them. Buffy turns to face her and Bonnie stares at the dried blood on Buffy's face "What-?"  
"The device." Buffy says before she rips the lock off the back door so Stefan can get inside. The two are about to step inside when Bonnie grabs Buffy's arm "The fire will take you out." She says to Stefan.

"He's my brother Bonnie." Stefan says before running inside, Buffy is about to run after him when Bonnie pulls on her arm "What the hell Bonnie?"  
"I'm sorry I lied to you." Bonnie says before beginning to chant. As the witch does her spell Elena runs over "What's going on?"  
"Shh." Buffy tells her so that Bonnie can focus on the spell.

A moment later Stefan runs outside with Damon "Thank god." Buffy says as she helps both guys stand.

* * *

"Fire's out." Buffy says to Stefan at the Grill "They're going with the old messed wiring thing again. Jeez you'd think they would come up with something new by now."  
Stefan nods "Did you see where Damon went?"  
Buffy shakes her head "No, he just kind of went poof."  
"I try so hard...to hate him. I guess it's just pointless."  
Buffy shrugs "You can't control who you care about if we could I imagine I would stop caring for vampires because it's a bit confusing killing and caring about them at the same time."  
Stefan chuckles "True. It would be easier."  
Buffy sighs "Look, I know you worry about Damon. But let me make one thing clear. I love you."  
"I just...you know, I-I know my brother."  
"Still not changing my answer. I love you, Stefan."  
"I know the trouble he can cause."

Buffy smiles and places both hands on the side of his face "You. You're the one that I love." Buffy then leans up and kisses him "You have to quit with the worrying. There is nothing to worry about."  
Buffy exhales "Look, Giles called the Ascension is soon, so I got to get going."  
Stefan shakes his head "I don't feel right with you going alone. It's not safe."  
"I know that. But nothing in my life ever is. But don't worry. I'm coming back to you."  
Stefan smiles and kisses the top of her head "I love you." He whispers into her hair as he pulls her into a hug.

* * *

A few hours later Elena and Buffy walk up the steps onto the porch just as Damon exits the house "What are you doing here?" Buffy asks.  
"A failed and feeble attempt at doing the right thing." Damon turns to Elena "Elena, do you mind if I talk to Buffy for a second?"  
Elena nods "Sure."  
Buffy moves forwards and opens the door for her "Go on. I'll be there in a minute."  
Elena nods then slowly steps inside, as the door closes Buffy turns to Damon "So what was this oh so...feebish attempt at doing the right thing."

Damon shakes his head "It's not important. I'll take this for you." Damon says as he grabs the garment bag in her arms and places it on the bench.  
Buffy watches him curiously "Thank you."  
"You know, I came to this town wanting to destroy it. Tonight, I...found myself wanting to protect it. How does that happen? I'm not a hero, Buffy. I don't do good. It's not in me."  
Buffy shrugs "I don't know, I believe that there is a little hero in all of us. Including you."  
Damon shakes his head again "No, it's reserved for my brother and—and you, and Bonnie. Even though she still has every reason to hate me she still helped you and Stefan save me."  
"Ok, I'm coming up blank here. What's with you being surprised by that?"  
"Because she did it for you." Damon starts to move closer to Buffy "Which means that somewhere along the way you decided that I was worth saving. And I wanted to...thank you for that."  
"No problem."

Damon then kisses her check and slowly pulls away, as he does he looks into Buffy's eyes and slowly leans down and kisses her lips.  
After a moment Buffy kisses him back but then the door opens revealing Jenna.

"Hey." Buffy says as she pulls away from Damon.  
Jenna nods "It's late you should probably come inside." Buffy nods and quickly grabs her stuff making her way inside. "What are you doing?" Jenna asks and she shuts the door.  
Buffy sighs "I don't know. Look I'm just gonna go sleep it off."

After Buffy hears Jenna head off she walks into the kitchen where Elena was standing next to John. Elena looks up at Buffy and smiles "Hello John." Buffy says.  
"Goodbye John." Elena says as she brings down the knife cutting off his fingers she then shoves him against the counter. John looks at her terrified "Katherine?" Katherine smiles as the blood rushes to her eyes. Buffy walks around the counter and pulls Katherine away.

"Buffy, we have to go now!" John grunts in pain as he runs over to her Buffy turns to him and smirks before raising her hand causing John to fly back towards the counter. "Mary?" John asks.

Mary smirks as her hair turns from the same blonde as Buffy's, back into it's original raven colour and her eyes transform from the traditional green to black."Did you miss me?" Mary says as Katherine comes to stand next to her.

Mary points her hand at the knife causing it to fly into her palm, she then passes it to Katherine. Katherine giggles before running over and stabbing John in the stomach.

* * *

Sunnydale California

Buffy heads into the library where she sees all her friends, Buffy waves at them then makes her way to the table where she sits next to Willow. The group of them continue to research for ages until around midnight when someone comes crashing into the library. Buffy turns to see a dark haired figure collapse on the ground. Buffy quickly runs over "Hey are you alright?" She asks.

Buffy then freezes as the figure turns "Buffy?" He moans before passing out.  
Buffy's eyes widen "Angel?"


	34. The Ascension

Buffy drags Angel up and helps him sit against the staircase. Buffy looks up at her friends, noticing their shortage of shock at his appearance a small amount of rage fills her. "You know, for such a shocking turn of events, none of you seem shocked with my dead ex popping up in the middle of the room."  
All of them look away "Buffy, we wanted to tell you but-" Willow says but Buffy cuts her off.  
"But what? What possible reason could you have for lying to my face! How long?"

Xander turns to Buffy "A few weeks after you moved to Mystic Falls."  
Giles quickly turns to the Slayer "Buffy, you have to understand after Joyce, you were so sad and broken. You needed to get away, to start anew."  
Buffy shakes her head "So that justifies lying to me. Going behind my back."  
Willow sighs "I was going to tell you. But then you were so happy with Stefan and I-I just couldn't."

Buffy raises her hand silencing them and turns to Angel. "What happened?"  
"Faith." Angel grunts.  
Buffy turns to the others confused, Wesley steps forward "The other Slayer. The one who works for the Mayor." He explains.  
Buffy bends down and grabs onto the arrow in Angel's shoulder "Just lucky she's a lousy shot." Buffy says before ripping the arrow out of Angel's shoulder.

As Buffy helps Angel she tells the others except for Giles and Wesley to head out.  
"Fascinating." Wesley says as he stares at one of the books.  
"What?"Giles asks.  
"It seems our Mr. Worth headed an expedition in Kauai, digging through old lava beds near a dormant volcano."  
"Way to bore a girl Wes." Buffy says.  
"He found something underneath. A carcass, buried by an eruption."  
"A carcass?" Giles asks confused  
"A very large one. Mr. Posits that it might be some heretofore undiscovered dinosaur."  
"A demon." Angel says.

Buffy nods "You guys said he was gonna transform or whatever. I'm thinking if it's like that old thing he's gonna wanna be discrete about it."  
Giles nods "True but also if it's dead, it means...well, he's only impervious to harm until the ascension."  
"Impervious to harm? Please tell me that's not what I think it means." Buffy says.  
"Yes but Buffy. That does not matter in its demon form, he can be killed."  
"Great. So all we need is a million tons of burning Lava. We're saved."

Buffy bends to help Angel stand "Well, it's a start anyway—" Angel says before stumbling.  
Buffy catches him "Have you been this big of a klutz since you came back? You need-"  
Angel's eyes glaze over "Damn." He says before collapsing on the ground.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Elena walks in through the front door and goes over to the stairs "Jeremy?" She calls "Are you up?"  
Elena sighs knowing he was likely still ignoring her, she moves to take a step up before then hears clattering coming from the kitchen. Frowning she turns and slowly walks inside. Instead of seeing Jenna Elena was horrified to find John on the ground bleeding heavily.

She gasps in shock before running over to him. As she dials the ambulance she doesn't notices Mary and Katherine watching her.  
"Behind you!" John grunts in pain as his eyes widen in horror.  
Elena swings around quickly but when she doesn't see anyone she quickly picks up the knife and walks into the hall. As she does the lights begin the flicker.

Elena swings around again only to hear the door slam shut. As the door closes the lights stop flickering. Elena breathes heavily, she was terrified. However,  
before her fear could settle in a thought comes to her, her brother "Jeremy!" She screams before running upstairs.

* * *

Sunnydale, California

Giles smells the arrow "We'll have to run some tests."  
"My shoulder's completely numb." Angel tells Buffy.  
Buffy places a hand on his forehead "You're burning up."  
"It's poison. I can feel it."

Giles turns to Buffy "I'll call the others back get them here. We'll need to move him to the safety of his own bed before the sun comes up."  
Buffy turns to Giles a worried look on her face "Will you be able to find out what this is?"  
"The council has all the known toxins on file, mystical or otherwise." Wesley informs her "I'll contact them immediately."  
"Thanks." Buffy turns back to Angel and strokes the side of his face "You're going to be okay."

Angel looks at her sadly "I missed you."

* * *

Buffy watches Angel as he tries to sleep. She slowly walks over and places a cool cloth on his head " It'll be ok. You'll be ok." When Buffy hears the door open she slowly walks away to see Wesley.

* * *

After yelling at Wesley, Buffy, heads back to school and listens as Willow explains what they found "Finding the poison wasn't that hard. It's a mystical compound. The Latin name translates roughly to killer of the dead. Used on vampires."  
Buffy nods "And now the part where you tell me about the cure."  
Oz nods "Buffy that's the problem. The cure is the blood of a slayer."  
Buffy thinks for a second before a thought comes to her head "You guys said Faith was a killer right. That she's killed innocents."  
Xander nods "Yep. She's a real psycho. Why?"  
"Cause that's good."  
"Good. What did I miss?"  
"I've watched him die once and I will not do it again, not after just finding out he's alive. So Angel needs the blood of the Slayer, then I'll bring him one."

Willow turns to Buffy "Buffy, if Angel drains Faith's blood it will kill her."  
"Not if she's already dead."

* * *

After getting the address from Willow, the group gives Buffy Faith's knife. Buffy heads to the other slayer's house and switches off the radio "Hello, Faith, I presume." Buffy says with a smile.  
Faith grins up as she climbs off her bed and stands opposite the blonde "Oh, the famous Buff. So is he dead yet?"  
"He's not gonna die." Buffy tells her "It's a good try though. Let me guess you found out I was heading to town, so you gave me a distraction."  
Faith nods "Mayor got me the poison. Said it was wicked painful."

Buffy glares at her "There's a cure."  
"Damn. What is it?"  
"Your blood." Buffy says flatly "From what I've heard it almost seems poetic. Don't you think?"  
"So what? Your gonna feed me to Angel? You know you're not gonna take me alive."  
"Not a problem."

Faith smirks "And here I heard you would never hurt a fly. Well look at you all dressed up in big sister's clothes."  
The two step closer and face off "You ready to cut lose?"  
"Try me." Buffy says.  
Faith smirks "Give us a kiss."

Buffy punches her in the face, the two continue to block each other's advances. Suddenly Faith pins Buffy "You're not getting tired, are you? I'm just starting to feel it." Buffy slams Faith into the opposite wall and then the two of them go crashing out the window and onto the balcony.

Buffy quickly handcuffs herself and Faith together "Stick around." Buffy says before Faith punches her.  
The two continue to fight, after Faith breaks the handcuffs Buffy pulls out the knife. Faith glares "That's mine."  
"You're about to get it back." Buffy says her voice shaking as she does.

Faith hits her hard causing Buffy, to land near the end of the balcony, Faith jumps over and lifts Buffy to her feet "Man, that was good. It's a shame I didn't get to know you sooner, would have been nice to do this again." Buffy twists out of Faith's grasp and drives the knife into her stomach.

Faith looks at her stunned "You did it." She says before punching Buffy in the face sending her to the ground. "You killed me." Faith says as she moves closer to the edge. "Still won't help your boy though. Should've been there B. Quite a ride." Faith says before she lets herself falls off the roof and into a moving van.

* * *

Buffy heads back inside the mansion and ignores Willow babble. "Did you find Faith?" Oz asks.  
Buffy asks ignoring his question "How is he?"  
"He comes in and out." Oz tells her "I think the pain is less...now."  
Buffy nods "I'd like to alone with him."

Before she leaves Willow turns to Buffy "Buffy we're sorry we didn't tell you."  
Buffy shrugs "It doesn't matter we all keep secrets for a reason. If you don't mind..."  
The two nod in understanding and head out.

Once their gone Buffy heads into Angel's room. Angel sees her "Buffy, it's you?  
"It's me."  
"I didn't wanna go without seeing you. You've been gone so long and now I can finally see you."  
"Angel I can cure you." Buffy tells him.  
"It's okay. I'm ready."  
"Angel, listen to me. Sit up. You're gonna live. You have to live."  
"What do I—"  
"Drink." Buffy tells him before taking off her jacket "Drink me."

* * *

Buffy runs into the living room, after Angel "I won't let you die. I just got you back. I can't."  
Angel falls down and Buffy pulls him back up "I won't let you die, not again."  
"Please." Angel begs.

Buffy hits him again and again until his face changes, she then pulls his face down to her neck. After a moment's hesitation Angel bites down.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Virginia

After checking on Elena, Stefan grabs his phone dialling Buffy. Stefan sighs, as the phone goes to voicemail again "Buffy please. Somethings happened John was attacked." Stefan sighs again "Buffy, I haven't heard from you since you left and I'm worried just—please call me. I need to know you're ok." Stefan hangs up the phone having no idea that at that moment in time Buffy was being rushed to the hospital.

* * *

Sunnydale, California

After leaving the hospital the next morning Buffy informs the group of her plan. "Too crazy?" Buffy asks.  
Willow shrugs "Well, crazy is such a strong word."  
"Let's not rule it out, though." Giles tells them  
"You don't think it can be done?"  
"Uh, I didn't say that. I might, but not yet."

Cordelia turns to Buffy "I personally don't think it's possible to come up with a crazier plan."  
"We attack the mayor with hummus." Oz suggests.  
The entire group turns to him "I stand corrected." Cordelia says.  
"Just keeping things in perspective."  
"Thank you. My point, however is, crazy or not, it's pretty much the only plan. Besides, it's Buffy's and she's slay-gal, you know, little Miss likes-to-fight, so—"  
"I think there was a "Yea" vote buried in there somewhere." Xander says.

Buffy smiles "I'm gonna need every single one of you on board. Especially you, Xander. You're sort of the key figure here."  
Xander grins "Key? Me? Okay, pride, humility...and here's the mind-numbing fear—what do I have to do?"  
"Okay you remember when you went all guns a blazing on Halloween. I was wondering if you still had any training."  
"Ohh! Rocket launcher?"  
"Nope. Gonna need something bigger."

Giles stands and turns to the Slayer "Um, Buffy, uh, all this is rather dependent...on you being able to control the mayor."  
"Faith told me to play on his human weakness."  
"Faith told you?" Willow asks confused "Was that before or after you put her in a coma?"  
"After."  
"Oh."  
"His weakness?" Giles asks.  
"Faith." Angel says "At the hospital he was grieving like homicidal type grieving."

As they set plans Buffy's phone rings "Hello."  
 _"Buffy. Are you ok?"_ Stefan asks.  
"Yeah I'm fine, just a little trip to the hos—never mind."  
 _"Hospital? Buffy what happened?"_

Buffy sighs "Nothing to worry about really. So what's up?"  
 _"A vampire got into the house and attacked John."  
_ "What!" Buffy yells causing everyone in the room turn to her "Is he ok?"  
 _"He's in the hospital. Elena found him."  
_ "Is Elena ok?"  
 _"She's fine, just a bit freaked out."_

Buffy sighs rubbing her temples "Watch her please. I'll be back tonight after this whole Ascension thing."  
 _"I will. Please be careful. I love you."_

Buffy looks up to see Angel watching her knowing that he could hear the conversation.  
"I'll be there soon."  
Buffy hangs up the phone before heading out to Faith's.

* * *

Buffy walks into Giles's office where Angel was currently fixing the crossbow. "You get what you needed?" Angel asks.  
"Yeah, I did."  
Buffy looks down at the weapons "This isn't gonna be enough."  
"Giles is on it." Buffy turns to the door she stops when she hears Angel "How are you?"  
"I heal fast. Like you. So, are we sure that everyone's good with—"

"I'm leaving Buffy."  
"What?"  
"I can't be apart of your life. I thought that I still could but then I saw you. When you came for the dance, you were happy. If I'm a part of your life I'll be holding you back from living your life. I love you too much to do that. So I'm gonna go. And I'm not gonna say good-bye."

Buffy looks down sadly, her heart breaking slightly, although she loved Stefan so much Angel was her first love and it still hurt knowing this would be their goodbye "Angel—"  
"No. If we get through this I'm just gonna go. You understand? There's just too much—"  
Buffy raises a hand silencing him after a moment Angel leaves the room leaving Buffy alone. Buffy looks down and pulls out Faith's knife, she needed to focus, try not to let her emotions take over.

* * *

Buffy, Willow, Xander, Oz and Cordelia watches the graduation from upstairs waiting for the Mayor to finish his speech. As the eclipse starts the mayor grunts in pain, the four of them quickly run down the stairs "It has begun—my destiny." The mayor says "It's a little sooner than I had expected I had this whole section on civic pride, but I guess we'll just have to skip to the big finish." The mayor's body begins to rip itself apart transforming into a giant snake.

Buffy runs forward into the middle of the student body "Now!" She yells.  
Suddenly all of the students remove their graduation gowns to reveal weapons as they do the rest of the student body runs over holding stakes and other weapons.

"Flame unit!" Buffy yells.  
All of the students with the flame throwers start-up aiming at the mayor.

The battle continues and the students aim weapons at the mayor and shoot arrows at him. "Fall back!" Buffy yells as she realises they weren't even slowing the Mayor down. Buffy stands on a chair and watches at principle Synder is eaten "Fall back!" Buffy screams causing the student to run.

"Go." Buffy says to Willow.  
"Good luck." Her friend says before running off.  
"Xander take em down." Buffy tells him.  
Xander nods "Everyone, hand-to-hand!"

As everyone moves away Buffy grabs the knife and runs over to the mayor "Hey!"  
Buffy says drawing the mayor's attention "You remember this? I took it from Faith. Stuck it in her gut. Just slid in her like she was butter. You want to get it back from me...dick?" Buffy smirks before running off. The mayor follows her destroying everything in its path.

Buffy runs into the library and makes her way to the back exit and jumps out the window. The moment she does her and Giles set off the explosives, causing the school to go up in flames.

* * *

Buffy and Xander walk around as the firemen deal with everything "Got off pretty cheap, considering."  
"Seems like we did." Buffy says as she continues to look around for Angel.  
"He made it through the fight." Xander tells her "Guess maybe he—he took off after."

Buffy sighs and Xander gives her a smile before walking off.  
A moment later Giles walks over "Are you all right?"  
"I'm tired."  
"I should imagine so."  
"Plus now I have to go deal with the drama in Mystic Falls."  
"You'll be fine. Just like you always are."

Buffy smiles as Giles squeezes her shoulder before walking away, as he does Buffy notices Angel watching her. The two stare at each other for a few moments before Angel backs away and walks away from her.

* * *

Buffy walks over to her friends and sits on the bench "Hey I'm curious about something. Where are you guys going to go to school now?"  
Xander turns to Buffy "Wait you mean we don't automatically graduate? Dammit. How is that fair?"  
Willow looks up at Buffy "Are you okay?'  
Buffy nods "Yeah. I just gotta get going, I have to get back to Mystic Falls. More drama."  
All of them turn to Buffy and hug her goodbye. Buffy smiles at them before making her way off.


	35. The Bitches Are Back

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Damon walks over to Bonnie and Elena and focuses on the Slayer's cousin "Where's Buffy? I need to talk to her..." He pauses still in shock about what had happened"...about something."  
Elena sighs "She headed to Sunnydale yesterday for the Ascension. Called a few hours ago, said she was on her way back." Damon starts to walk away when he hears the doors open.

At that moment a tired, injured Buffy walks in through the door "Bonnie, Elena." She says as she walks over.  
"Buffy, Oh my god. Are you ok?" The two ask seeing Buffy's cuts and bruises.

Buffy shakes her head "Not really, but we can discuss my damage later." She looks at them both seriously a worried frown on her face "How's Caroline?"  
"She's weak." Bonnie tells her "They don't know if she's gonna make it."

Buffy shakes her head her hand covering her mouth as she holds back a sob "What about a spell? Couldn't you just go presto and make her better."  
"She doesn't know how." Damon says as he walks back over "Do you?"  
Bonnie shakes her head glaring at him "No. I don't."  
"No, you don't because it took Emily years of training with Mary to learn that spell."  
Bonnie turns to Damon and glares "Oh, well, I can take down a vampire. That spell was easy to learn."

Damon ignores her and turns to Buffy "I can give Caroline some blood."  
"No. No way." Elena interjects.  
"Just enough to heal her. She'll be safe in the hospital, and it'll be out of her system in a day. She'll be better Buffy."  
Buffy sighs "It's risky. Too risky."

"Do it." Bonnie says shocking them all "This is Caroline. Ok? We can't let her die."  
Bonnie turns to Damon "Do it."  
Damon smiles "I do this you and me, call a truce."  
"No. But you'll do it anyway. For Buffy."  
Buffy sighs and turns to Elena "You pick. My head can't tell the difference between anything right now. I'm still processing stuff that happened in Sunnydale."  
Elena nods at Damon "Do it." She says before she and Bonnie walk off.

Damon turns to Buffy and sighs nervously he had no idea how to bring this up but he couldn't stop thinking about it "Uh—all right, I know this is probably the last thing you want to do right now, but we should talk about what happened last night."

Buffy nods "Yeah, Stefan called me when I was in Sunnydale, what's with the whole vampire getting into the house and attacking John thing?"  
Damon looks at her shocked "What—when? What are you talking about? After I left?"  
"Okay now I'm the one confused, what were you doing at my house?"  
Damon rolls his eyes "Come on, Buffy. You know why."

Buffy looks at him even more confused "Yeah, I'm still coming up blank here, when were you at the house?"  
"Really? Earlier. On the porch. We were talking, all cathartic, feelings exposed. Come on, we kissed, Buffy."  
Buffy laughs "Very funny. But I don't have time for this, I just spent the past 24 hours fighting I'm exhausted and one of my best friends is in the hospital."  
Buffy starts to walk past him but Damon grabs her arm "Hey. If you want to forget it happened, fine. But, I can't."

Buffy turns to Damon, he was seriously losing his mind there was no way that he was telling the truth she had left for Sunnydale in the afternoon and she would never do that to Stefan "Look crazy pants it wasn't me, considering I left yesterday afternoon. And last night, I was engaged in a fight to the death battle with Faith."  
Damon's eyes widen as everything clicks in his mind, this wasn't good "Ohh. Mmm, you gotta be kidding me." Damon pauses "Come with me." He says before grabbing Buffy's arm.

* * *

Mary walks into the Gilbert house, as Stefan comes down the stairs, she pauses for a moment before plastering a worried look on her face "Buffy you're back. Are you ok? You had me worried."  
Mary turns to him "I'm right as rain, everything's sorted."  
Mary smiles before pulling him into a hug.

Suddenly to her surprise Stefan growls and throws her across the room. Mary manages to catch herself though levitates above the ground before she could crash into anything. She smiles as her dark hair reappears over the blonde "Mary." Stefan hisses.  
Mary smirks "Looks like me and my girl were able to fool one of you."

Stefan runs at her but suddenly he's pinned to the ground by Katherine "Hello, Stefan." She says smirking slightly.  
The two girls smile at each other and disappear just as the front door opens.

Buffy and Damon walk inside and spot Stefan on the ground "What happened?" Buffy asks.  
"Mary and Katherine happened." Damon says.  
Buffy sighs "Great, first a giant snake, now this."

* * *

"Did they say what they wanted?" Damon asks his brother as the three of them sit in the kitchen.  
"No."  
"Those girls always know how to make an entrance."  
Buffy closes the fridge and turns to the two of them "You know I'm not big on big entrances, way too over dramatic."  
"Mary said that they fooled one of us. What does that—what does that mean?"  
Buffy turns to Stefan "Turns out bitchy witch likes to play dress up."  
"She pretended to be Buffy, too, last night." Damon tells him.

Buffy winces, as she takes off her jacket "Buffy?" Stefan says, seeing the bandage on her neck.  
Buffy huffs "Crap." She mutters, she had been hoping to avoid this, for now, she knew Stefan would instantly panic.  
Stefan walks over to her and touches her neck, causing her to flinch"What happened?"  
Stefan looks at her oddly, so Buffy shrugs "Look it doesn't matter."  
"Is that why you were in the hospital?"

Damon turns to Buffy "Why were you in the hospital and was this after the battle to the death?"  
Stefan turns to her even more worried "What battle to the death? You told me everything was fine."

Buffy groans, this wasn't the time for this they had a crisis to deal with "Ah back to the point, how the hell did Katherine get in? I mean I get Mary but Katherine."  
Stefan sighs not happy with the change in the subject "I don't know. She was either invited in or...Mary did something. I just don't know how she wasn't that strong last time we saw her."  
Damon nods "True but, we know that before then, she was like an all mega powerful witch. Maybe in the past 145 years, her strength has been building back up."

Buffy nods "I think they have other plans. Elena was here last night, they could have killed her and without me here, it would have been that easy. Hence a top secret plan."  
Stefan nods, agreeing with his girlfriend "Right and we need to find out what those other plans are. And not provoke either of them in the process. What happened tonight when you thought Mary was Buffy?"  
Damon hesitates, knowing his brother was not going to have a positive reaction "To risk another...frown line encroaching on a very crowded forehead...we...kissed."

Buffy raises an eyebrow "You seriously thought it was me? First of all, I was busy punching Faith in the face. Plus hello, the girl has dark hair."  
Damon smiles "Oh, she used a little spell, guess she thought your style was better."  
Stefan glares at Damon "What do you mean you kissed?"  
Damon shrugs smirking slightly "Well, you know when 2 lips pucker, and they—"  
Stefan runs at Damon but Damon is already on the other side of the room "Don't be obvious Stefan."

Buffy stands "That's enough if I see one more display of testosterone poisoning I will personally put you both in the hospital." Buffy turns to Stefan "Stefan, he kissed Mary. Not little old me. I wouldn't do that." When both brothers continue to glare at each other Buffy sighs "Look only two of us in this room have all the time in the world."  
Stefan glares at Damon "Later."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "So before I reach my expiration date, I would actually like to know what John knows and and from my guess, whatever it is it puts a bit of a dent in the evil twins super secret plan."

"It's Katherine and Mary." Damon says "Katherine loves to play games. And Mary gets a thrill out of manipulating others. You're fooling yourself if you think you're going to find out what they're up to before they want you to."  
Stefan steps forward "No, Buffy's right. John could know something through Isobel. Which means—"  
Buffy nods "We need Elena. John is not gonna talk to me. Already thinks I'm screwing up with my job as the Slayer as it is."  
"I've got a better idea." Damon says.  
Buffy turns to him "Please, include us in this oh so brilliant plan." Buffy says sarcastically.  
"I'm just going to ignore the bitches. See ya."  
"Really, and how is this better than my plan?"  
"If Katherine thinks she's being ignored, it'll lure her out. She'll make a move. And Mary will follow."

"Yeah?" Stefan asks "Then what?"  
Damon smirks "What do you think Buffy? Stake Katherine? Rip Mary's head off? With Katherine dead, Mary can't poof back to life."

* * *

Buffy turns to Elena as her and Stefan head with the girl to John's hospital room "Thanks for doing this Elena, I would's ask but—"  
Elena nods "I know. We need to know what he knows."  
"You ready for this?" Buffy asks as they stand outside John's room.  
Elena nods and heads inside "John." Elena says.

John slowly opens his eyes as he spots Elena and Buffy he gasps in fear.  
"We're not. I'm Elena. This is Buffy."  
"We know the crazy twins did this to you." Buffy says.  
"We need to know why." Stefan tells John.  
"Where are they?" John asks.

"Here's an idea why don't you spill your guts and tell us." Buffy says, before realising what she said "Oh, God sorry. My thoughts are not processing before they leave my mouth. That was mean. Sorry."  
John nods "It's fine, but I don't know where they are."  
John groans as he tries to sit up, Stefan holds him down "You're a little too weak to play tough guy. Why don't you just sit back down, answer a few questions."

As John relaxes Elena places his ring in his palm. "Please. Tell us why they're here. What do they want?"  
When John doesn't say anything Stefan sighs "They'll try again. We can't help you if you don't confide in us."  
"In you? Or the traitorous Slayer?"  
Buffy glares at him "Here's an idea how about your daughter?"  
John turns to Stefan "Both my daughter and my niece should have driven a stake through your heart by now."  
Buffy coughs "Niece by marriage only."

John ignores her and turns to Elena "I haven't spoken to Katherine nor Mary directly. Katherine never trusted me. And Mary well, apparently she's been busy, with what I don't know." John then turns to Stefan "So either kill me or get out. Because I can't stand seeing my daughter, defend you."  
Elena glares at him "You see the word with such hatred. It's gonna get you killed." Elena storms out of the room. Buffy looks up at Stefan "Do it." Buffy says before exiting the room, as she does she hears Stefan threatening John and forcing blood down his throat.

* * *

Mary and Katherine make their way up the stairs to the Lockwood Mansion, as they step up to the door Mary waves her hand allowing Katherine to step over the barrier. The two smirk and link arms as they make their way around the wake.

Later Bonnie walks over to the two of them pissed "Oh, god. Damon drives me crazy. He's walking around like he's some kind of hero for healing Caroline when it's his fault all this happened in the first place."  
"I'm sorry Bonnie." Katherine says impersonating Elena "What Damon has done, is just awful."  
"If you want I could beat him till he bleeds." Mary suggests.

Bonnie laughs "Lovely thought. Thanks, I feel better. Hateful Damon moment over."  
Bonnie reaches out and touches Katherine's arm "Thanks."  
The moment Bonnie touches Katherine she gets an odd feeling "Um...I gotta find Tyler and pay my respects. Buffy, do you mind helping me find him?"  
Mary smiles "Sure." She looks over her shoulder at Katherine and smirks. Katherine smirks back and makes her way to the other door.

Mary follows Bonnie into the other room as Bonnie begins to panic "Bonnie, what is it? What's wrong?" Mary asks.  
Bonnie looks at her panicked "I know it's insane, but I don't think that was Elena. When I touched her, I got the same feeling I did when I touched Stefan. Death."  
Bonnie pulls out her phone and Mary looks at her curiously "What are you doing?"  
"Calling, Elena I just wanna be sure."

Mary rolls her eyes, as Bonnie dials the phone.  
 _"Hey. Bonnie."_ Buffy says from the other line.  
Bonnie's eyes widen but she tries to stay calm "Hey, where are you?"

 _"Elena and I are on the way to the wake now. Be there soon, unless Jeremy kills us all with the music he keeps blasting on the stereo. See you soon."_ Buffy hangs up the phone and Bonnie begins to panic.

She tries to head for the door but finds herself pinned to the wall unable to move. She looks over to see Mary holding her hand in the air as she keeps Bonnie attached to the wall; Katherine walks and heads towards the Bennet witch. "We haven't officially met. I'm Katherine. This is Mary."

Bonnie glares at them with hatred "I know who you both are."  
Mary smiles "Well, I feel faltered, don't you Kat."  
Katherine laughs "I think you're right May." Katherine turns back to Bonnie "You're the best friend, right?"  
Mary releases Bonnie from the wall knowing she won't run "We've been putting all those pesky pieces of Elena's life together."

Katherine nods "And honestly at least Buffy's life was interesting. From Princess to slayer. Quite the journey."  
Mary smirks then turns back to the other witch "Isobel informed us Elena's life story is a bit of a puzzle.  
Katherine steps closer to Bonnie "We do know who Jenna and Jeremy are. And that delicious ex-boyfriend Matt."  
"It's the eyes." Mary says "They're just so blue and with that sandy blonde hair. Damn. Yum." Mary giggles as Katherine goes on.  
"Matty blue eyes is sweet on Caroline, and then there's you, the vampire-hating Bennett witch."  
"Do we pass? Gold Star?" Mary asks as the two steps closer to Bonnie, who backs away.

Bonnie tries to run for the door but Katherine appears in front of her. Bonnie stares at Katherine who starts to groan in pain, suddenly Mary starts laughing causing Bonnie to turn to her confused.  
Mary smirks and points at her friend, Bonnie turns to see Katherine now smirking at her "I've been around a long, Bonnie. You're gonna have to do better than that."

Mary circles Bonnie and presses her fingers to the younger witch's temples. Suddenly Bonnie screams in agony, Mary smiles "Feels like a thousand needles piercing your skull, am I right? I thought you could use a taste of your own medicine. Oh here's something fun, this is what one of your bestest friends Buffy felt when you let that device go off. Karmas a bitch huh?"

After another minute Mary gets bored and tosses Bonnie over to Katherine who slammed her against the wall by her neck. The blood rushes to Katherine's eyes and she growls at Bonnie.  
Suddenly the doors slam open and Katherine turns impressed "Nice." She says before releasing her.

"She's got more arrogance than Emily did." Mary says "At least Emily, understood her place in the food chain. Although it's nice to see a Bennett witch actually fight back."  
"Katherine. Mary." Stefan interrupts as he steps inside the room.  
Katherine smiles "Stefan."  
"Leave her alone." Stefan tells the two of them.  
"Ok." Katherine says releasing Bonnie. She and Mary then exit the room walking right past Stefan.

* * *

"What are you both doing here?" Stefan asks as he follows the girls.  
Mary shrugs "Well, after that horrible welcome last night, Kat and I felt as though a public place would be less violent."  
"Taking this a little far, don't you think?" Stefan says "Elena and Buffy could walk in at any moment. And I'm guessing you don't want to be around when Buffy's here."  
Katherine nods "True. I'd rather not run into the Slayer. But that's part of the fun, Stefan."  
Mary pouts "Uh, Damon's here. Somewhere. I've been avoiding him. Kat's helping me."

"Hey, guys." Matt says as he walks over.  
Katherine walks over to him "Hey, Matt. I, uh, I heard that Caroline was doing much better. Her recovery was practically miraculous you must be relieved."  
"I am. Thanks, Elena."  
Matt smiles at the three of them before walking off. "Ugh! He's eyes are like the ocean." Mary says with a smile.

"You both need to leave now." Stefan tells them.  
"I suggest you don't hurt our feelings, Stefan." Mary says before she shrugs "Damon was much happier to see us."  
"Especially you." Katherine says with a smirk "Then again, he thought she was your girlfriend. So."  
"Katherine, Mary, I'm not doing this with you both."  
Katherine nods "Okay. Well, I think it's best you two don't have a couple's fight in front of everyone."

Mary groans as she stares at her newly blonde hair "Please don't remind me that I'm the one that has to pretend to be his blonde little girlfriend."  
"Just tell me what you're both doing here." Stefan says.  
Katherine turns to him grinning up at him "Maybe I missed you. Mary is here for...emotional support. Is that an acceptable reason?"  
"What game are you both playing?"  
"Wanna play?" Mary asks with a smirk.  
"I don't know." Stefan says with a shrug "How can I play if I don't know the rules?"  
Katherine steps over to him "No rules, Stefan. Don't you remember? No rules."

The two girls walk over to the door and wait for Stefan when Katherine holds out her hand Stefan ignores it and walks straight past her. Mary giggles slightly "May." Katherine hisses annoyed.  
Mary shrugs "Oh, come on. You knew he would do that."  
"Maybe he wouldn't have if he was dating the one that looked like me."  
"Oh trust me, I would very much prefer that." Mary says as the two of them walk after Stefan.

* * *

"Looks like the whole town showed up." Jenna says as her, Elena, Jeremy and Buffy make they're way to the Lockwood mansion.  
"Yeah, well, he is—he was the mayor."  
Buffy nods, then looks around "You haven't got a whole lot of town here do you. How am I just now noticing this?" Buffy asks herself as the four of them start to walk up the stairs.  
"Why don't they save it for the funeral?" Jeremy asks.  
Jenna sighs "It's what people do. The Lockwoods were here for us when we went through this. Both times. It'll be quick. We'll drop off the food and pay our respects and go."

Elena nods before she notices Damon standing near them, he was watching Buffy. She nudges Buffy's arm, Buffy turns to her annoyed "What?" She whines "I was in my happy place."  
Elena points at Damon "Go."  
Buffy turns to see Damon and huffs "Fine."

While the three of them head inside, Buffy walks over to Damon "Hey. So what's the what?" Buffy says awkwardly.  
"Great, Buffy. Walkin' on sunshine. Thanks for asking."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Dumbass...  
"Slayer..."  
Buffy sighs "Look, normally I'm not the one who wants to do the whole emotional talk. But in this situation, we're kinda at the point where we gotta talk. Come on. We're close enough. We have that running joke where I threaten to rip you limb from limb, how could we ever be any closer. So come on, spill."

Damon groans, his jaw clenching before he focuses on her "I kissed you, I thought you kissed me back. Doppelgänger witchy hijinks ensued. How do you think I'm doing?"  
Buffy shrugs "Kinda like how Spike was when he showed up here."  
Damon glares at her "Really comparing me to the Billy Idol copycat not helping."  
"Sorry. Maybe your hurt. You have feelings of hurt."  
"Hmm. I don't get hurt, Buffy."

Buffy smiles "There is a difference between actually not getting hurt and getting hurt. And I'm not talking about when I snapped your wrist out of place. I'm talking annoying complicated emotional hurt. You see Damon, you have this weird spiral thing where you fake not being hurt, get angry, then do something stupid that causes me to knock you on your ass."  
Damon watches her intently "You're scared. You think Mary's going to send me off the deep end, don't you? I don't need her for that."

Damon starts to walk past her but then turns back "You know, why—why is it such a surprise that I would kiss you?"  
Buffy pauses stunned by the question before shaking her head "That's not a surprise. Even though with all the times I've threatened to kill you it's slightly messed up." Buffy shakes herself and gets back to the point "The surprising part is that you thought that I would kiss you back."  
Damon's face falls "Now, I'm hurt."

"Buffy!" Bonnie yells as she comes over.  
"Bonnie, what is it? What's giving you the Wiggins?" Buffy asks, having noticed the terrified look on Bonnie's face.

* * *

"The Lockwoods have a lot more land than they used to." Katherine says as her Mary and Stefan walk through the gardens.  
"Most probably possessions of all the tomb vampires built them quite a fortune." Mary adds.  
"Yeah, why did you both want them dead, hmm?" Stefan asks "Katherine you turned most of them."  
Katherine chuckles "Please, out of me and May, I'm the one that wanted them dead. Vengeful vampires can be a problem for me, but not for her."  
"Why don't you ask John Gilbert, he knows all about a vengeful vampire?" Mary says.

Stefan chuckles "You haven't changed at all, either of you. Have you?"  
Katherine turns and looks Stefan up and down "But you have. You're stronger. Meaner. It's sexy."  
"Don't flirt with me, Katherine. You seem to forget that neither I or my brother could not have given a crap about you."  
Katherine nods "Ah, yes. You both spent your time fawning over my best friend. You know it's not nice to play with a girl's feelings, Stefan."  
Mary walks over to Stefan "You're lucky. If you weren't so sexy now she most probably would have hurt you."

Stefan turns to Mary "Mary, I'm not Damon. You can't manipulate me. I have not spent the past 145 years obsessed with you."  
Mary smirks "Really? 'Cause based on your choice of women, I'd say otherwise. Or does the hair make that much of a difference? Plus the fact that your friends with the little Gilbert girl not really helping your case here."

"I'll admit." Katherine says as she circles Stefan "It does bother me that you've fallen in love with someone else."  
Stefan focuses on Katherine "I was never in love with you, Katherine."  
Katherine nods "Yes. You were in love with Mary."  
Stefan shakes his head "You compelled me." Stefan then turns to Mary "And you manipulated me. Got into my head, made me see things I wanted. So none of my feelings were real."  
Katherine smiles and steps closer "Believe what you want, Stefan. But I know the truth. And deep down, so do you."

"The truth? Well, the truth is you're the same lying, selfish, manipulative bitch that you've always been." Stefan turns back to Mary "You're exactly the same, only it seems 145 years around her, made you worse. So whatever it is you're both doing here, why don't you just get on with it and leave town. Because if you don't, I will hunt you both down and I will rip out your hearts."  
Mary smirks "We both know that you can't kill me. And I'll give you a little hint, we may have come back together doesn't mean were here for the same reasons."  
Katherine turns to Stefan "She's right Stefan. We're both here for different reasons. Her's are more complicated but mine are simple. I came back for you."  
Stefan glares at her "Well, the problem, Katherine...is that I hate you."

Suddenly Stefan screams and clutches his head; he looks over at Mary who smirks "My bad." She says as Katherine runs Stefan through with a metal fence spike. Stefan groans in pain "You hate me, huh?" Katherine asks "The sounds like the beginning of a love story, Stefan, not the end of one."  
Mary stops using her powers and bends down next to Stefan, who falls as Katherine pulls the spike out "You said we were both liars right? Well, maybe you should ask your girlfriend about what happened in Sunnydale and why her neck has that little bandage on it." Mary smiles, and then Katherine and she disappear.

* * *

"How are you doing?" Buffy asks as she cleans Stefan's wound.  
"Fine. It will heal."  
Buffy smiles "You know that's not what I meant, jeez I thought I was the one who was good at deflection."  
Stefan looks away "I was trying to figure them both out. I was playing along. I let them get to me, especially when Mary said..."  
Buffy looks at his suspiciously, he was refusing to look at her which worried her even more "When Mary said what—"

"Tried to track them." Damon says as he walks over to the two of them "But they're gone. Ohh, cover up, Fabio." Damon tells his brother "We got two crazy ex's on the loose." Damon looks over at Buffy "Better watch out, looks like Katherine's trying to steal your guy. Although Mary seems not to give a crap."  
"That's not what's happening." Stefan says.  
"Isn't it? I mean, it's only fair, since I...went after your girl."

Buffy sighs and stands from her seat "Great more vampire relationship drama, I mean it was bad enough in Sunnydale but—"  
Stefan cuts her off looking confused "Wait, what? What happened in Sunnydale?"  
"I—ah—I-I...um...maybe now isn't the time. It's nothing anyway."  
Damon looks at her sceptically then walks up behind her and taps the bandage on her neck "Sure doesn't look like nothing."

Suddenly Damon pulls the bandage off Buffy's neck to reveal the much worse looking bite mark.  
Stefan stands "What the hell happened to you? Who did this?"

Buffy snatches the bandage out of Damon's hand and places it back on her neck "It doesn't matter. Look you guys need to get over this weird macho crap because Katherine and Mary are going to try and make you guys fight each other. So deal with it."  
Buffy starts to walks off but Stefan grabs her hand "Buffy just tell me who did this to you."  
Buffy sighs and pulls her hand away "I gotta go." She quickly runs off the go find Elena to tell her about Katherine and Mary.

* * *

Elena knocks on Buffy's door to see Buffy cleaning the bite mark on her neck. Elena quickly steps into the room and closes the door. "Buffy? What happened?"  
Buffy turns to her, tears in her eyes. Elena's eyes widen and she goes over to her cousin and hugs her "Shh-shh. Buffy what's wrong?"  
Buffy looks up at her cousin "Angel. He's alive."  
Elena's jaw drops "What how?"  
Buffy shakes her head and sits down on the bed "I don't know. I was in the library in Sunnydale and he came bursting through the doors. Turns out he's been alive for almost a year."  
"Oh-my-god."  
Buffy nods "I couldn't believe it. Turns out Faith had poisoned him, he was dying again."  
"Is he...?"

Buffy shakes her head "No. He's alive. I couldn't just let him die. So I went to get the cure. The problem was the cure was the blood of the slayer. I tried to kill Faith."  
Elena's eyes widen "Wait...what?"  
"I stabbed her, but she threw herself off the top of a building before I could take her to Angel. She's in a coma."  
"So you didn't kill her. So how is Angel alive?"  
Buffy turns her neck to show the now much worse scar "I made him drink from me. I almost died. And after the battle, he left."  
Elena looks at Buffy "Buffy, I'm so sorry."  
"I know I shouldn't be sad that Angel's gone. But I just feel like—"

Buffy starts to cry and Elena holds her close stroking her hair "He was your first love. It's understandable. But everything is going to be alright." Elena pauses and kisses the top of Buffy's head and holds her closer "I promise."

* * *

Mary watches Damon walks into the living room, she sits down on the couch as she watches him. "Very brave of you to come here." Damon says as he turns to her.  
"I'm not Katherine. You can't stick a piece of wood through my chest and pop I'm dead." Mary stands and walks closer "Look I came to say good-bye."  
"Leaving so soon?"  
"I know where I'm not wanted. Katherine is the one that wants to be here. I can easily do my work from Australia."  
"Don't pout. It's not attractive on a woman your age."  
Mary laughs "Funny. Considering you don't even know how old I am."

Damon starts to walks away but Mary appears in front of him "You know you were a lot more happy to see me the other night. But then again you thought I was the little blonde Slayer."  
Damon growls and grabs her neck, slamming Mary against the wall "I'd be very careful what you say about her."

Mary chuckles and touches Damon's hand, as she does the bones in his hands start to snap causing him to groan "Don't worry Damon. I'm not Katherine, I don't get jealous. Honestly, I understand why you like her. She's strong, powerful. A girl like her needs a little demon in her man. Stefan won't be enough. She'll realise that in time. But you. Even your not dark enough."

The two glare at each other for a moment before Mary smirks "So what do you want to do here Damon? You can try and kill me. You can let me go or...you can kiss me. Your choice."  
Damon glares at her for a moment before he kisses her and shoves her against the opposite wall.

Mary grins before placing her hands on his chest yanking him closer, suddenly she rips his shirt in two and begins kissing his neck.  
Damon grabs the back of her neck forcing her away violently before kissing her harshly, he rips her shirt open and shoves her up against the other wall before kissing down her neck and over her chest.  
As Mary tries to pull him closer Damon freezes for a moment and pulls away "Wait... brief pause." He breathes, while Mary folds her arms in frustration.

He steps away "One question, answer it wrong and it's fireworks and Rocket's red glare. Answer it right, and...I'll forget the last 145 years I've spent missing you. I'll forget—How much I loved you. I'll forget everything and we can start over." Damon steps closer cupping her cheeks in his palms "This can be our defining moment. Cause we have the time. That's the beauty of eternity. I just need the truth, just once."

Mary sighs before stepping away from him "Stop. Damon, I'm incapable of love. The truth is I've never loved you. I lost the ability the love a long time ago. You were just... convenient.."  
Mary tilts her head and watches as Damon's face falls, she then teleports out of the room disappearing in a puff of black smoke.

* * *

Buffy walks into her room and spots Damon sat on the bed "Really? Damon, I'm really not in the mood."  
Damon doesn't look at her "Don't worry just doing my part in the neighbourly watch."  
Buffy smirks "So what you're my bodyguard? I thought there was a rule that if the protectee can whip the protector's ass to the kerb, then their out of a job."  
"Well, then I guess I'm outta a job."

Buffy raises an eyebrow "Are you drunk?"  
Damon pouts and holds his fingers close together to show that he was.  
"Great. Now I have to deal with a drunk, emotionally upset vampire. This day just gets better and better."  
"I'm not emotionally upset. That's specific to those who care."  
Buffy sighs "Come on we both know that a big whopper of a lie. As much as it may suck you care."

Damon finally looks at her "You're surprised that I thought you would kiss me back? You can't imagine that I'd believe that you'd want to? That what we've been doing here means something? You're the liar, Buffy. Those cracks you make about killing me, it's just denial for something you don't want to admit. There is something going on between the two of us," Damon stands and steps closer "And you know it, and you're lying to me, and you're lying to Stefan, and most of all, you're lying to yourself. I can prove it."

Damon grabs her face and kisses her, Buffy pushes him off "What the hell is a matter with you?"  
Damon tries to kiss her again "Lie about that."  
"Stop. Damon listen to me you don't wanna do this."  
"That's where you're wrong."  
When he tries to lean in again Buffy shoves him a few feet away from her "Listen to me. You're my friend so I care about you. But not in that way."

"Buffy, what's going on in here?" Jeremy asks as he walks into the room.  
Buffy turns to her cousin "It's fine. Jer, just go back to bed. Now."  
"No, it's not ok, Buffy. He wants to be a vampire." Damon catches Buffy off guard and throws her into the opposite wall while he runs over to Jeremy and snaps his neck. "No!" Elena screams as she runs into the room.

Buffy gets up and runs over and tackles Damon to the ground she then slams him against the opposite wall and punches him in the face, she slams his head onto her knee then runs at the window.

The two of them go crashing through the window and onto the ground below. Buffy stands and kicks Damon in the ribs.  
Buffy freezes when she hears Elena upstairs "Buffy! Jeremy was wearing John's ring!" Buffy's eyes widen and she glares at Damon with angry eyes before running up the stairs.

* * *

"He saw the ring." Stefan says to Buffy and Elena "That's why he did it. He knew."  
"He didn't see it." Buffy states.  
Elena nods in agreement as she clutches Jeremy's body to her "He slammed Buffy against the wall then snapped Jeremy's neck. He didn't have time to see it."  
Stefan shakes his head "It's Mary. She was in the house. She must have said something, got underneath his skin. Undid everything that was good about him."  
Buffy scoffs "There is nothing good or decent in him. Not anymore. He's an evil disgusting thing. He doesn't want to feel, then fine. He gets his wish. He made his choice. I hate him, Stefan." Buffy cries as Stefan hugs her.

A moment later Jeremy gasps and the three of them run over.

* * *

Katherine walks into the hospital room and stands over Caroline. Caroline wakes and gasps when she sees Katherine staring at her. "Elena! God, what are you doing here?"  
Katherine leans in closer "My name is Katherine. And I need you to give the Salvatore brothers a message for me."  
Caroline looks at her confused "What message? What are you talking about?"  
Katherine smiles but before she can say anything another person walks into the room

"What are you doing Katherine?" Mary asks in her normal accent.  
Katherine smiles and turns to her friend "Sending a message for our boys. It seems the first message you gave to Damon, paid off. But not enough."  
Caroline turns to Mary "Buffy, why are you talking like that? And what's with the hair?"  
Mary rolls her eyes and turns to Katherine "Oh, please. Call them your boys, I have no interest in this game of yours, I got what I needed for them long ago. And that message I gave Damon, was a favour to you. But I have other things to worry about. We both do."

Mary gives Katherine a pointed look, causing the vampire the pout "Fine. But can't I have a little fun first?"  
Mary chuckles "Fine, just for a little while." Mary gestures to Caroline "Have your fun."  
Katherine smiles before turning back to Caroline "Tell them, Game on." Katherine then places the pillow over Caroline's face holding it there as the girl struggles for breath


	36. To Kill or Not To Kill A Friend

"I mean, Katherine and Mary looked just like the both of you. Mary, even made her hair change colour to look like yours, Buffy. It was creepy." Bonnie says to Buffy and Elena as they all set up the carnival.  
Elena looks over at Bonnie "She is my ancestor. Hey, I moved the student booth into the cafeteria."  
"Your vampire ancestor, and she didn't just resemble you like a family member would she was you. And Mary...we don't even know why she looks like you. Which is scarier."

Buffy shrugs "Maybe she was jealous, cause I'm pretty than her. So she changed her face." Buffy jokes causing Bonnie to laugh.  
"It's creepy." Elena adds.  
"Well, how do we know that they're not still out there pretending to be the both of you? Buffy, Mary's been studying you for years. Who knows what she knows about you."  
Buffy sighs "I try not to remember that little fact. It's creepy, like horror movie type creepy. Or worse, Snyder type creepy."

"Buffy's right." Elena says "We need to keep moving and not be tortured by the not knowing. And get these prizes to the ring toss."  
Elena turns to Buffy and holds out the large box of toys. Buffy raises an eyebrow "You're kidding right?"  
Elena shakes her head "Nope. You're the one with super strength. I say we use that."  
Buffy rolls her eyes before taking the box "Great you're just gonna load me up aren't you?"

"Have either of you talked to Damon since he killed Jeremy or—or tried to kill Jeremy?" Bonnie asks.  
Buffy shakes her head "Nope. Not since me and him gotta in a fist brawl. And ended up crashing through my window. But if you don't mind, neither me nor Elena wanna talk about the douche that is Damon. Or anything vampirish."  
Elena shoves a pack of stuffed snakes into Bonnie's arms, Bonnie smiles "Copy that."

* * *

Buffy walks over to Stefan, after he finishes talking to Jeremy. "Hey, how is he?" Buffy asks as she leans against the back wall of the ring toss stand.  
"He's gonna be all right." Stefan tells her "He's just been through a little bit of an ordeal."  
Buffy sighs "Well, I'm just glad he doesn't hate me anymore. It's bad enough having more supernatural enemies than you—well actually more than I can count. Plus, I was just hoping to keep him out of my world of danger."

Stefan turns to look at her neck, she was still avoiding telling him the truth which made him want to know all the more "And talking about danger, are you going to explain this to me now?" Stefan says, gesturing to the now clearer scar on her neck.  
Buffy instinctively brings her hand up to the scar "Stefan—it's complicated."

"What's so complicated about it?" Stefan frowns in worry and steps closer to her placing a hand on her cheek "Did someone hurt you? Buffy, just tell me the truth. What happened in Sunnydale?"  
When Buffy hesitates and when she steps away Stefan sighs "Look, your the one who said no secrets, which means you have to follow that rule as well. Please."  
Buffy huffs "Using my own words against me. That's cheating."  
Buffy sighs then looks around at the carnival. "Not here." She says. She takes Stefan's hand and leads him into the woods out of sight.

After a moment Buffy begins to pace, Stefan watches her "Okay." Buffy says "What I'm about to tell you...well, just promise you won't get mad. Cause then I won't tell you."  
Stefan walks over to her and places his hands on her shoulders "Hey, whatever it is. We can handle it together."  
Buffy steps away and turns her back on Stefan. She takes a few deep breaths before turning back to him "Ok, well, here's the thing...your dead exes. Aren't exactly the only dead exes who are up and walking around."  
Stefan's eyes widen "Wait. You mean...?"  
Buffy nods "Angel. He's alive."  
"How?"  
Buffy shrugs "I don't know. Turns out my friends were keeping it a secret for about a year. Things are kinda tense there, so I haven't exactly called and hence asked for the details."

"Buffy." Stefan says hoping to get her back on track.  
Buffy nods "Oh, right. Sorry. Anyway, we were in the library researching when—he came bursting through the doors, alive, with an arrow in his chest. Turns out Faith found out I was heading to town and decided to give me a distraction."

Stefan still stunned looks at her slightly confused "What about the scar?"  
Buffy sighs before turning away from him she couldn't admit this if he was watching her "The arrow was poisoned. The only cure—was blood of a slayer."  
Stefan looks at her terrified about what was to come next "Buffy, what happened?"

"I tried to kill Faith." Stefan's eyes widen "I-I drove a knife into her stomach." Buffy says, her voice breaking as she turns back towards him "But she threw herself off the top of the building before I could take her to Angel. She's in a coma right now."  
Stefan steps closer to her and looks at her sadly, seeing the guilt and shame wash over her. As he attempts to touch her Buffy steps away shaking her head "No, that's not all. You want the truth, then fine. But you're not gonna like it. After the battle I went to Angel, and I...I made him drink from me."

Stefan stares at her in shock "You what?"  
"He refused at first, but I hit him, over and over until he couldn't resist."  
"That's why you were in the hospital." Stefan says "Buffy, you could have been killed!" He exclaims "What the hell were you thinking?!"  
"I was trying to save someone I care about!" She yells.  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
Buffy sighs "I just did."

Stefan turns to her and looks at her closely "Do you still love him?"  
Buffy sighs "I love him. But I am not in love with him."

* * *

As Damon pours himself a glass of blood he hears the front door open. "Would you care for one?" Damon asks as Stefan storms into the room.  
"No." Stefan answers sharply.  
Damon turns to his brother "What's wrong with you grouchy pants?"  
Stefan turns to the glass of bourbon on the table and takes it in his hand "Nothing."

Suddenly the glass shatters in his hands "Well, obviously something's wrong, cause you just smashed a 200 dollar bottle of bourbon, brother."  
"I'll buy you another." Stefan says as he reaches for another bottle.  
Damon comes to stand in front of Stefan "Come on spill, what's eating you up. Let me guess something with, little Miss likes to fight."  
Stefan glares at Damon "Don't start with me."  
Damon grins "Oh, so is it about Buffy. Let me guess, this has to do with what happened in SunnyD."  
Stefan rolls his eyes and starts to walk off but Damon moves in front of him stopping him in his tracks. "Come on, what happened?"

"Angel. He's alive."  
Damon's eyes widen "Wow, it's really the year for dead exes isn't it."  
When Stefan glares at him Damon rolls his eyes "I'm guessing that's not all that's pushing your buttons princess."  
"Angel, was dying again. The blood of the slayer was the only cure. Buffy tried to kill the other Slayer, put her in a coma. She then let Angel drink from her, okay. You happy now?"

Damon stares at Stefan stunned "So you're telling me that she tried to kill a human and then let herself get bit by a vampire."  
Stefan glares at his brother "I'm going out." He says before heading for the door, he stops when he hears Damon call out "Are you not worried that one day all the forest animals are going to banned together and fight back."

Stefan turns to Damon "Well, I'm just happy that's not a sorority girl supplying your dinner."  
Damon smiles "I like this. You walking on eggshells around me because you think I'm gonna explode. Plus being all uber-jealous that Buffy's crazy 250 year old ex is back in the picture. Speaking of the blonde wonder, does she also share your concern that I'm going to explode? I bet I'm your every conversation. Well except the ones where your talking about her ex boyfriend."  
Stefan smiles "Actually she hasn't mentioned you once."  
The smile falls from Damon's face "Really?"

Stefan's expression turns pressing "Have you heard from Mary or Katherine?"  
Damon ignores the question "I think the Lockwoods have a family secret, because The Gilbert device affected them. Vervain didn't. And we know from Buffy being affected that it affected other supernatural beings so if they're not vampires what are they."  
"Is this your new obsession?"  
"Oh, you'd rather some unknown supernatural element running rampant in our town, fine. I'll drop it. Maybe I'll do some more searching into the mystery ex."

Stefan glares angrily at Damon before continuing "We haven't seen the last of Mary or Katherine. You do know that, right? We have no idea what she's up to. The only thing we know for sure is that Mary wants Buffy for something, otherwise she wouldn't have been watching her for the past 2 and half years."  
Damon scoffs "Sure, well there's Mary's plan. Katherine's is easy, she's here to profess her undying eternal love for you. And as Buffy is your girlfriend, I'm gonna let you deal with both the evil twins. 'Cause I have more important things to do. Like explode."

* * *

Buffy watches as Tyler and the other's arm wrestle. As she watches, she feels a presence come to stand next to her, Buffy turns only to spot Stefan "Hi." Buffy says quietly.  
Stefan smiles "Hey. Look I'm sorry I took off, after our talk."  
Buffy shrugs "It's fine. Don't worry about it."  
"No. It's not fine. The way I reacted it wasn't fair to you."  
Buffy looks at him sadly "Stefan—"

He interjects "No, I just—look when you told me the truth. I guess I got a little jealous. Damon I can handle, but Angel him being back in the picture I just... He was your first love. And I—"  
Buffy steps closer and places a hand on his cheek "Hey, you don't need to worry about Angel he is not in the picture, honestly I don't know where he is cause after the graduation he took off on some personal spiritual quest. And yes he was my first love, so a part of me will always care about him, but since I meet you, you're the only man I wanna be with."  
Stefan smiles "Really? Cause I know—"

Buffy cuts him off by leaning up and kissing him softly "I-love-you." She whispers "Only you."  
Stefan smiles again "I love you too." He says before kissing her.

* * *

"Wow. You're lurking." Stefan says to Damon as he and Buffy walk over to Damon together.  
"Observing." Damon then turns to Buffy, who merely glares at him hatefully.  
Damon smiles at her "Lady, Slayer. How are you?"  
Buffy growls at him "I suggest you wipe that smile from your face, otherwise I will cut off your favourite appendage."

Buffy turns to Stefan "So what's the jackass's obsession this week."  
Stefan gestures towards Tyler "He thinks Tyler is a supernatural creature."  
Buffy scoffs "He's got the strength." Damon argues.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Oh, please my mother used to hit harder than that. Trust me she once hit Spike in the back of the head with an axe. Anyway, Tyler may be slightly stronger than a normal guy but that's because he's an triple whatever something athlete. Trust me I would know if he was too strong for his own good as last time I was around him I was threatening to rip his arm from it's socket."

"You reaching." Stefan tells his brother.  
The three of them turn back to the guys only to see Tyler's uncle Mason walking over to the table "Enter the uncle."  
Stefan chuckles and leans towards his brother "This is ridiculous."  
The three of them watch as Mason quickly beats Tyler, causing Buffy to smirk "Strong and hot. Damn."

Stefan turns to Buffy with a raised eyebrow, Buffy chuckles "Not as hot as you."  
Stefan smiles before turning back to the guys.

"Who wants to go next?" They hear Tyler ask.  
When Buffy starts to move. Damon stops her, Buffy looks down at his hand that was currently on her arm; she glares at Damon "I suggest you move it, otherwise I'll be knocking your ass out cold like the other night."  
Damon rolls his eyes "Look, you're a tiny little blonde, what do you thinks gonna happen if you go over there and beat the uncle's ass. If he is supernatural, you'll blow your cover."  
Buffy huffs and looks at Stefan who nods in agreement with his brother.

Damon then calls out "Stefan wants a go."  
Buffy mops "So not fair."  
Stefan smiles at her before walking over to the guys. Buffy and Damon watch as Stefan plays with Mason. After Mason wins Stefan walks back over to them, Damon glares at him "You didn't put in any effort at all."

Stefan turns to them both worried "Yeah, actually, I did."  
Damon nods "Come with me." He says before walking into the hall.

Once they stop Damon turns to Stefan "Is he—"  
Stefan shakes his head "No, no, no. It wasn't that kind of strength, but it was more than human if that makes any sense."  
Damon moans in annoyance "What is up with that family? If they're not vampires, then what the hell are they?"  
"Ohh. Uh, maybe they're, uh, ninja turtles."  
"You're not funny."  
"Or, no, Zombies. Werewolves."  
"No comedic timing at all."

Buffy sighs "Actually I don't know about the first one, but the Zombies and werewolves. True."  
Damon raises an eyebrow "What, how the hell do you know that?"  
"Ah, I'm Hellmouth girl remember. Look, right after I moved here the guys were attacked by Zombies plus I-I've kinda met a werewolf."  
Stefan turns to his girlfriend "Wait, you've meet a werewolf."  
Buffy shrugs "Oz."

Before Damon can question her, Buffy's phone buzzes. Buffy looks at the message and sighs "Dammit, Elena says she needs me to come lift some of the heavy stuff. Apparently none of the guys can make the thing budge."  
Stefan nods "Ok. Go, we'll deal with this."  
Buffy starts to protest "But—"  
Stefan interjects "Go. Don't worry."  
Buffy sighs "Fine."

* * *

"How did this happen?" Stefan says, after Damon explains the situation with Caroline.  
"Well, I fed her blood, and Katherine or Mary obviously killed her and 'A' plus 'B' equals..."  
Buffy shakes her head "This doesn't make sense, why make Caroline a vampire. Of all people? Do these girls get their jollies off of killing people repeatedly...actually I just answered my own question."

Elena turns to Buffy "I'm still confused, why would they do this?"  
Damon answers "Because Katherine and Mary are manipulative nasty little sluts."  
Stefan turns to his brother "And she said, 'Game on'? I mean, what does that even mean?"  
Buffy sighs "Means this isn't over and the crazies aren't exactly planning on fighting fair."  
Damon nods in agreement "Blondie's right. Their playing dirty. And they want us to know."

"But why Caroline?" Elena asks.  
Damon scoffs "Ah, I don't know."  
"Caroline must be completely out of her mind." Stefan says worried "She has no idea what's happening to her."  
"Oh, I think she does. All of my compulsion from the past started wearing off the minute she was in transition."  
"We have to find her." Stefan says.  
"Yep, and kill her."

Buffy turns on Damon and glares at him while Elena looks at him appalled "You're not gonna kill Caroline."  
Damon shrugs "She knows who we are. She's officially a liability. We gotta get rid of her."  
"I suggest you stop talking, cause otherwise your gonna find it very hard to speak again, after I cut out your tongue." Buffy hisses.

Damon stands and walks in front of Buffy "May I remind you of a tragic little story of a girl named Vicki Donovan? You had to kill that one little slayer, when she went crazy. Caroline, of all people, will not make it as a vampire. Her mother's a vampire hunter. Come on Buff- we know how this story ends and do you really wanna be the one driving a stake through her heart, when she loses it. So let's skip to the last chapter now, and I'll be the one that stakes her."  
"It's not an option, Damon." Elena tells him.  
Damon looks over at the brunette "No? Your silence is deafening, Stefan."

Damon turns to Buffy "Wasn't there a carnival the night you staked Vicki? Huh? Talk about a town where history repeats itself."  
"We're not gonna kill her." Stefan tells his brother."

Damon chuckles "Oh, come on." Damon turns to Buffy "Come on Buff, you know I'm right. You know exactly how bad it can get, exhibit A that little bite wound on your neck. I guess Angel just couldn't resist, huh? What makes you think Caroline can?"  
Buffy glares at Damon for a second before punching him in the face, sending him flying into the opposite wall "Rot in hell" She growls before walking out of the room to go find Caroline.

* * *

Buffy moves outside and ends up kicking a trash can 50 feet away. A moment later Elena and Stefan come up to her, Stefan seething. "Buffy. Stefan. Hey guys." Elena says trying to keep them both calm.  
Buffy turns to Elena "The jackass is right Elena. Not about what we gotta do. But about what could happen if we don't."  
"Katherine and Mary all but signed Caroline's death sentence." Stefan says.  
"We can't let it end that way." Elena tells them.

Buffy sighs "They're doing this to me and Elena, am I right?"  
Stefan shakes his head "I don't know about Mary, but Katherine, she's doin' it to me."

* * *

"Where could she be?" Elena asks Buffy and Stefan as they continue to walk around the carnival. Suddenly the two of them freeze, Elena looks at them confused "What is it? Do you guys hear her?"  
"Blood." Stefan says "I can smell blood."  
Buffy nods and the three of them quickly head off in the direction of the blood.

Buffy sees Damon about to stake Caroline and runs at him, she tackles him to the ground, the two roll until she manages to pin him to the ground. Damon looks up at her and smirks "Miss Summer's if you wanted to jump my bones, all you had to do was ask."

Buffy glares at him and punches him in the face, before Stefan pulls her away and glares at his brother. Buffy turns to see Caroline back away from Elena terrified "Get away from me! You killed me." Caroline turns to Buffy "And you! You just watched, didn't stop her!"

Damon, Stefan and Buffy stare at Caroline shocked "Wait Mary didn't help?" Stefan asks.  
Caroline shakes her head "NO! Said she didn't care about games, had other things to do."  
When Elena steps closer Caroline backs away "No!"  
Elena shakes her head "No, no, no, no, Caroline. That wasn't me. You know that. That was Katherine. And the other girl who didn't help you, that wasn't Buffy, that was Mary."

Caroline shakes her head "NO! Then why did they look like the both of you? Why—why did she do this to me?"  
"Buffy, we gotta get her inside."  
Buffy turns to Stefan "Help her."  
Stefan nods and walks over to Caroline "It's all right, Caroline. Come with me."

"She will die." Damon tells them as he looks at Buffy "It's only a matter of time."  
"Yeah, maybe so, but it's not gonna happen tonight."  
"Oh, yeah it is." Damon runs at Caroline but Buffy pushes her out of the way and grasps the stake between her hands before it can hit herself. Buffy pulls on the stake yanking out of Damon's grasp, she then looks up at him "Damon, she's my friend."

Damon looks down at Buffy before nodding "Whatever happens it's on you."

After a moment Bonnie shows up and looks at the situation in horror. Bonnie continues to stare at the body of the man Caroline killed "I can't believe this is happening."  
"Come on. Don't pout about it." Damon says as he walks over with a shovel. He turns to Buffy "Come on Slayer, we got a body to bury."  
Damon looks over at Elena "Thought you were calling the shots." He says gesturing to Bonnie, he then shrugs and turns back to the body "Sucks to be you, buddy."

Suddenly Damon falls to the ground grunting in pain, Buffy turns to Bonnie who was glaring at Damon "I told you what would happen if anyone else got hurt."  
"I didn't do this!" Damon screams.  
"Bonnie, it wasn't his fault." Elena tells her friend.  
Bonnie turns to Elena "Everything that happens is his fault, Elena."

Buffy notices the water making it's way down to Damon "Bonnie, what are you doing?"  
Suddenly the water catches fire and makes it way towards Damon. "Bonnie stop it." Elena tells her but Bonnie doesn't respond.  
"Buffy." Elena says, Buffy turns to her and nods in understanding, Buffy jumps through the fire and shakes Bonnie out of her trance.

Bonnie looks at her angrily "Why—why did you stop me?" Bonnie screams.

Buffy shakes her "Because this isn't you. You are not a killer, it's not in you Bonnie. I know what it's like to kill, there is a darkness that comes with it, and I refuse to let that darkness grab a hold of you, your too good. Killing someone, even someone as bad as Damon will change you more than you can imagine, it will set you on a path that there is no return from."  
Bonnie cries, Buffy pulls her into a hug before slowly handing her over to Elena "Get her out of here." She tells Elena.

Buffy then grabs the shovel and walks over to Damon crouching next to him "That make six favours you owe me." Buffy stands and dumps the shovel next to him "Get to work." Buffy glares at him once more before walking off.

* * *

"Caroline is ok for now." Stefan tells Buffy as he walks over to her "I'm gonna check in her later."  
Buffy nods "And the guy..."  
Stefan sighs "It's been taken care of."  
"We have to make sure that he's wrong about her, Stefan."  
Stefan nods "We will. We can get through anything together."

Buffy smiles sadly "You know, Elena wanted to pretend to have a normal day today. But with you and me I think that's impossible."  
Stefan sighs "Why?"

Buffy chuckles "Well, not only are our species enemies but I have one friend who is a witch, a cousin who has a vampire doppelgänger running around trying to make our lives a living hell. And I have a crazy witchy doppelgänger, who we still have no idea how she is connected to me. There are times when I wish I was normal, that I could be normal have normal things but I know that's not possible."

"Buffy, do you mind if we head back now, you drove here so..." Elena says as she walks over to the couple.  
Buffy nods "Sure." Buffy turns back to Stefan "I'll see you later."

* * *

Buffy climbs in through her window after patrol and drops onto the bed, not bothering to change out of her muddy clothes. Just as she is about the doze off, Stefan climbs in through the window and kisses the top of her head. Buffy turns to face him and moans "What's wrong? I'm sleepy and a sleepy slayer is a cranky slayer."  
Stefan smiles "Come with me." Stefan takes her hand and pulls her out of the bed.

* * *

"So what we doing here?" Buffy asks as she and Stefan walk around the now bare Carnival. Stefan turns to Buffy "I compelled the guards to go on break, so I could kiss my girlfriend at the top of the ferris wheel."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "What are you doing?"

"Look, your right. We are never going to be normal. But that doesn't mean we can't have these small moments where is seems like we are. After everything thats happened from Katherine, Mary to Angel and the Ascension, I think we deserve that one moment."

Suddenly the lights on the ferris wheel turn on, Buffy smiles but shakes it off "Stefan...with what happened to Caroline, this is only just the beginning and we still have no idea what Mary's after maybe now isn't the time."  
"If you say that now, then you'll always be saying that. You're a Slayer and I'm a vampire, there are always going to be dangers but we need to have these moments to keep us sane." Stefan pauses as he places a hand on her cheek "I came back to this town to start a life with you. We can't forget to live it."

Buffy takes his hand in hers and nods. She looks up at the ferris wheel "You're not gonna make me climb up there by myself are you?"  
Stefan shakes his head "Hold on tight." He tells her as he wraps his arms around her.

A moment later the two of them are sitting in the carriage at the top of the ferris Wheel Buffy giggles "That is so much more fun, when I'm not the one doing the jumping."  
Stefan smiles and tucks her hair behind her ear.  
Buffy notices Stefan smiling at her "What's with the happy face?"  
"It's just so nice to see you laugh." Stefan then leans forwards and kisses her softly.

After a few seconds she pulls away "You know this is gonna get worse right, maybe not Snake Mayor bad, but still bad."  
Stefan nods "You're right, it's gonna get a lot worse."


	37. Searching For Answers

"Buffy and Elena mentioned you needed my help." Alaric says as he enters the living room in the Salvatore house, where Damon, Elena, Buffy and Stefan were currently discussing the Lockwood's.  
Stefan nods, as Alaric takes a seat "Yeah. We were hoping you could help shed some light on the Lockwood family."  
"Now why would I know anything about the Lockwoods?"  
Damon shrugs "Well, you wouldn't. But you're dead—not dead vampire wife might."

Buffy rolls her eyes "Isobel. The research stuff, she did when you were at Duke together."  
"You said that she had spent years researching this town." Stefan clarifies.  
Alaric nods, "Isobel's research here—Mystic Falls—was rooted in Folklore and Legend."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, technically I am too."  
Alaric chuckles "True. But at the time, I thought most of which was fiction.

"Like that amazing vampire story. And the tiny little girl that kills them." Damon says with a smirk.  
"Aside from vampires, what else?" Elena asks.  
Alaric turns to the teenager "Lycanthrope."

Buffy grins "I knew it!" She exclaims, she then turns to Damon "Suck it dumbass, werewolves. Always trust the Hellmouth girl."  
Damon shakes his head "No way. Way too Lon Chaney."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Really? You're gonna question not only a vampire hunter but also the Slayer. I've meet werewolves before."  
"I've been on this planet 160-some odd years. I've never come across one, but two years in Sunnydale you come across one. No way."

Buffy turns to Alaric "Two types. Am I right?"  
Alaric nods "Lycanthrope are blood born. The others are what they refer to as 'Mutts', they are bitten by a breed similar to their own."  
Alaric then turns back to Damon "Why do you suspect the Lockwoods?"  
"Because we know from Buff here being affected, that the device on Founder's day affected other supernatural creatures. The Gilbert device affected them, but Vervain didn't."

"And at the school Carnival, his uncle Mason exhibited in-human behaviour when he fought one of the carnival workers." Stefan adds, "It suggested some sort of a supernatural entity."  
"We were hoping Isobel's research could help us figure out what it is." Elena informs Alaric.  
Alaric turns to Buffy "What about you? You have those volumes your watcher sent you when you moved here right?"

Buffy shakes her head "I'm not really researching gal, but I went through them, there is nothing about this other type of werewolf, probably due to the fact that there almost extinct."  
Alaric nods "Isobel's research may have something, but I can't be sure. Plus, all of her things are still at Duke." Alaric clears his throat "I mean, her office is still there. She's technically still missing."  
"So can we get access to it?" Damon asks.

* * *

"You sure you want to do this?" Stefan asks Buffy as she packs.  
Buffy sighs "Nope. But there is no way in hell, I'm leaving Elena alone with Damon. Plus, maybe I can find some dirt on witchy, then I can know why we have the same face."  
Stefan nods "Might actually be good to have some information on that, 'cause we still don't know anything."  
"Hence me going, who knows maybe one of us will get so fed up with Damon and just throw him out the car."

Stefan chuckles for a second, as Buffy goes on "It's a shame you can't come though."  
Stefan stands and walks over to her, playing with her hair as he stands in front of her "You know what, maybe we should wait a couple of days, huh? Wait till Caroline's less of a danger, and then I can go with you."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "You're trying to do that thing again, where you try and save me."  
"Guilty."

Buffy chuckles for a second, before looking at him seriously "Trust me, the last thing I wanna do is spend the day with Damon, but Elena wants to see if she can get some research on Isobel, so I have to go."  
Stefan nods "Ok. I get it. You need to protect your cousin. But, maybe think of yourself a little while there, you have questions about Mary, we both do. Use this as a chance to try and answer some of those questions." Stefan pauses "Look, I'm not going to let the fact that Damon is going, stop you from missing the chance to find out why Mary needs you."

Buffy nods and smirks "You hate it don't you? Just a little."  
Stefan grins "I hate it. A little. I love you."  
"You know, I sorta like you too." Buffy laughs before leaning up to kiss him.

* * *

Buff and Elena head down the stairs with Stefan and head for the door, where Rick is currently talking to Jenna. "You okay?" Elena asks as Rick heads to the car.  
Jenna nods "Yeah. Just men and their baggage."

* * *

"Sorry, you can't come too, Stef." Damon says as Stefan walks over to the car.  
Buffy glares at Damon while Elena jumps into the back seat.  
"Call me if you need anything." Stefan tells her.  
"Oh, I'll take really good care of her." Damon says with a smirk.

Buffy glares at Damon, before grabbing the back of Stefan's neck and pulling him towards her, kissing him passionately.  
Damon's face falls at the sight, the smirk instantly dropping from his face"Ok. Time to go." He says after a moment, hoping to get the couple to break it off.

* * *

"How are you doing back there?" Damon asks the girls as they drive to Duke.  
"Leave them alone." Alaric tells him "You piss off one of them enough, she's likely to kill you right now, and I really don't wanna have to deal with getting the blood outta my car."

Buffy leans forward in her seat and turns to Rick "Don't worry about, there are plenty of painful ways I can kill him, without leaving an ounce of blood in your car."  
Rick smiles "Perfect, then you have my permission."  
Buffy laughs, as does Elena, the two of them then go right back to ignoring Damon.  
Damon sighs annoyed "You know, this whole pretending to hate me thing is getting a little silly."

"I don't think they're pretending." Rick points out "You did kill Jeremy."  
"There is a huge asterisk next to that statement. He came back to life."  
"Yeah. Thanks to a ring that you didn't know he was wearing." Elena says.  
"Why are you both so sure I didn't know?"  
"Did you?"  
"Yes."

Buffy scoffs "Yes because you had plenty of time to admire his new taste in jewellery while throwing me into a wall and snapping his neck before I threw you out the window and kicked the crap out of you."  
Damon turns to the slayer "Buffy, I saw the ring. Big tacky thing. It's hard to miss. If you hadn't thrown me out the window, maybe I would've been able to tell you that earlier."  
"You're full of bullshit, you know that right?"

Alaric chuckles "She's right, man." Damon glares at the two of them, before turning back to watching the road.

* * *

"So Isobel was officially employed by the Anthropology department given that most paranormal phenomena are rooted in folklore." Alaric tells them as they walk into the university building.

As he walks into Isobel's office, he sees a woman going through the cabinets "Excuse me. Hi, I'm Alaric Saltzman. I called earlier."  
The woman nods "Yes. Of course." She walks over and shakes his hand "I'm Vanessa Monroe, research assistant—comparative folklore. Uh, let me just grabs Isobel's keys."  
"I'm sorry. These are my friends Elena, Damon and Buffy. I hope this isn't too much of an imposition."

The woman smiles "Please. Isobel's office is right through there. Isobel was one of my first professors. I'm a grad student. She was brilliant. One of the reasons I went into folklore. I have to ask...has there been any news."  
Alaric shakes his head "No. No. I'm afraid not."  
The woman nods "It's right this way." She says before opening the door, as the three of them walk into the room, the woman walks off to get the lights.

After few moments Damon turns to Buffy "Where'd she go?"  
Buffy shrugs, then spots the woman walking back into the room now holding a crossbow, she shoots first at Buffy, but Damon appears in front of her and the arrow goes into his back.

As he falls Buffy sees the woman move to aim at Elena, Buffy quickly moves and catches the arrow in her palm before it can hit Elena. Rick runs over and pushes the Vanessa against the wall.

* * *

"Pull it out. I can't reach it, Elena." Damon says as Elena stares at the arrow in his back. "Just pull the damn thing out. It hurts."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and walks over and pushes the arrow slightly further into Damon's back "What the hell?!" Damon yells.  
Buffy smirks "Oh, I'm sorry, did you say pull it out, I thought you said push it in."  
Damon groans in pain "Just pull it out, Buffy."  
Buffy sighs "Fine." She says before yanking it painfully out of his back.

"Ahh." Damon groans as he stands "That bitch is dead."  
"Uh, you're not going to kill her." Elena tells him.  
"Watch me."

Damon goes to walk around Buffy but she grabs his arm and twists it behind his back, before forcing his head onto the table, "You're not gonna kill her. Not only will I never speak to you again, but I will make your life a living undead hell."  
"What makes you think that has any power over me? Because I took an arrow in the back for you?"  
Buffy smirks "Because you know exactly what I am capable of. If you kill her...let's just say there are benefits to having dated the world's most notorious serial killer."

Buffy tightens her grip on Damon's arm, as he cries out in pain, Elena places a hand on her cousin "Buffy."  
Buffy sighs "Fine." Buffy releases Damon before following Elena into the other room.

* * *

"Katherine Pierce can't be alive." Vanessa says panicked, as she sits opposite Alaric "...and Damon Salvatore died in 1864. And Mary Prince...she was burnt at the stake in 1864. Ok. I read Isobel's research."  
"Well, then you should know just how possible this is."

At that moment Elena, Buffy and Damon walk into the room. Elena walks over to Vanessa "I'm Elena Gilbert, Isobel's daughter and a descendant of Katherine Pierce." Elena gestures to Damon "This is Damon Salvatore, who you just shot."  
Damon smirks "I'd be extra nice to me right now."  
Buffy elbows him in the stomach, before turning to Vanessa "Excuse him, he's stupid."

Vanessa turns to Elena and points at Buffy "Explain her. Mary never had children so..."  
"That's Buffy Summers." Elena tells her "She's my cousin."  
Vanessa turns to Buffy "Are you a witch, like Mary?"  
Buffy shakes her head "No, I'm what's known as a vampire slayer."  
"Look, we need your help." Elena tells her "Ok. We need to see all of Isobel's research, anything related to Mystic Falls."

* * *

"This box tracks Katherine and Mary's arrival to Mystic Falls in April of 1864." Vanessa tells Buffy and Elena, as she places a large box in front of them.  
"Is that all there is about them?" Elena asks.  
Vanessa nods "All that I'm aware of, but most of it's about Katherine, there is not much on Mary."  
"Why not?" Buffy asks.

"Mary was a lot better at covering her tracks, there is nothing about Mary previous to her arrival in 1864. She's a ghost. All I know from Isobel's research that Mary was around long before Katherine."  
Buffy sighs and grabs some vervain out of the box "Here." She says to Vanessa as she hands her the herb "Also I suggest you start wearing a cross or carry holy water."  
Vanessa looks at her confused "Why?"  
Buffy chuckles "Guessing Isobel didn't explain about the demonic type."  
"No, she did. But she just thought that was something the real ones made up in order to help cover up their tracks."

Buffy shakes her head "Nope. All real."  
"So, does vervain really work?"  
"Nope! Not at all." Damon says from the other room.  
"Can he hear us?" Vanessa asks the cousins.  
"No!" Damon whispers "That would be creepy!"  
"Can he read minds, too?"

Damon turns to the girls "You know, if you want to see me naked, all you have to do is ask."  
Elena glares at him before turning to Vanessa "No. That, he can't do. He is very capable of being a first-rate jackass."  
"A jackass whose gonna lose his head if he keeps up with that." Buffy says causing Vanessa to chuckle.

* * *

Buffy watches as Damon taunts Elena. When Elena walks off Damon chuckles slightly before walking over to Buffy. Buffy rolls her eyes "You know I really don't like it when you piss off my family members or taunt them with the information you don't have."  
Damon raises an eyebrow "Who says I don't have the intel."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and turns to face him "Fine. Prove it."  
Damon smiles "You know, it's a bummer we're not friends anymore, then maybe I would squeal. You know, I may even know a thing or two about the witchy bitch."  
"Damon, first of all, we were never technically friends, we had a mutual agreement, you don't piss me off I don't kill you. And second, you say that you want that again right? Maybe being a dick about everything, not the best approach."

* * *

"He guys, check this out." Alaric says as he hands Buffy a book.  
"There's no record of werewolf mythology in Mystic Falls..." Vanessa informs the Slayer "...but here are some records of some of the lesser known legends. Everything from Scandinavian skinwalkers to the marcialderts."  
Vanessa then points to one of the texts "That roughly translates to 'The Curse of the Sun and Moon'."  
"It's native American." Alaric realises.

"Aztec. It explains one origin of the werewolf curse traced through Virginia. The short story—600 years ago, the Aztecs were plagued by werewolves and vampires. They terrorised the countryside, made farming and hunting impossible. Until an Aztec shaman cursed them, making vampires slaves to the sun and werewolves servants of the moon. As a result, vampires could only prowl at night, and werewolves could only turn on a full moon. When the full moon crests in the sky, who ever is unlucky enough to fall under the werewolf curse turns into a wolf."

"The transformation? Can they control it?" Buffy asks.  
"It's a curse, there is no choice." Vanessa pauses "Werewolves will attack humans. But instinct and centuries of rivalry have hardwired them to hunt their prey of choice—vampires."  
Damon's eyes widen and he walks over to Vanessa "Well...if werewolves are hunting vampires, I would know about it."  
"Not if there aren't that many werewolves left alive. Hundreds of years ago, vampires hunted them almost to extinction."  
"Why would they do that?" Elena asks confused.  
"To protect themselves. Legend has it that a werewolf bite is fatal to vampires."

Buffy turns to Elena, and hands her her phone "Call Stefan, fill him in." Elena nods and quickly exits the room.  
As she leaves Buffy turns to Vanessa "Can I?" Buffy asks gesturing to the book. Vanessa gives her a smile and hands her the book.

Buffy looks down at the curse and looks over the pages, as she flips through the book, something horrific catches her eyes "Guys..." Buffy whispers as she stares at the page.  
Alaric looks at her worried "Buffy, what is it?"  
Buffy places the book down in the centre of the table and points at the drawing in the centre of the page "That!"

Damon looks down and his eyes widen, as there on the page, was a drawing of someone who looks exactly like Buffy. "What the hell, is Mary doing in some Aztec's book?"  
Buffy shakes her head, they hadn't realised what had freaked her out "That's not Mary. First of all -the girl in that drawing doesn't have dark hair."

Alaric picks up the book "Look at the description." Buffy tells him.  
"Dolore Stimulatus." Alaric reads before looking up at Buffy "What is it?"  
"I've seen that phrase before, it means... The Slayer."  
Damon takes the book out of Rick's hands and stares at the drawing "You mean?"

Buffy nods "Yep, I think that the crazy shaman from 600 years ago, drew a picture of me in his little storybook."

* * *

A little while later Buffy is going through the books on the curse, as well as anything she can find on Mary. As she does, Elena turns to Vanessa "Have you done any research on doppelgängers?"  
Buffy looks up "Yeah, that's a good question. A Little bit more curious now, due to little old me being in a legend which is over 600 years old."  
Vanessa turns to the cousins "Well, the word means a lot of different things to different cultures. But typically a doppelgänger is a living, breathing double of oneself."  
"Did Isobel have anything that'd explained the link between Elena and Katherine or me and the witchy bitch?"

Vanessa points at the file in Elena's hands "That's all she had on Katherine, unfortunately. She had even less on Mary."  
Buffy sighs "Mary makes Katherine look like the paparazzi queen."  
"But I can tell you both that doppelgängers usually torment the people they look like, trying to undo their lives. It's not exactly up lifting."  
Elena sighs "And more things we already know. I just wanna know why we look alike."

"Head-scratcher, isn't it?" Damon says.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Damon, either shut up or tell us what you know. My patience is wearing thin."  
"You know 'if' I know anything, with your whole 'let's kill Damon' attitude, I will not be telling you."  
"You wanna stop with the death threats then fine, stop trying to manipulate me and my cousin."

* * *

Buffy is about to get into the car when Damon steps in front of her "You're not going to be able to hate me forever."  
Buffy shrugs "Don't have too. I'm 17, gives me another few years as the Slayer. I can hate you for that long. So can we go now?"  
Damon looks at her intently before pulling out two books "You didn't dig deep enough."  
Buffy takes the books and reads the names on the spines "Petrova? Wanna explain?"

"Katherine originally came from Europe. Petrova was her real name. Katharina Petrova to be exact."  
"And you knew this how?"  
"Mary let it spill one night, back when."

Buffy looks at the other book "What about this? Von Swartzschild?"  
"Mary was from Germany or at least her family was. Marianna Von Swartzschild was her real name."  
Buffy looks at him sceptically "I thought Mary was supposed to be the queen of secrets, how do you know this?"  
Damon shrugs "A letter, from her mother. I found it in her room, back in the day. Men snoop too." Damon pauses "Let me know what you find. Very curious myself."

Buffy starts to move to get in the car, but Damon cuts her off, blocking her with his body "You have every right to hate me. I understand. You hated me before and we became friends or as you put it 'frenemies', it would suck if that was gone forever. So...is it? Have I lost you forever?"  
Buffy ignores the question "Thanks for the books, Damon." She says before climbing into the car.

* * *

"Road trips work well for us." Damon says as he follows Buffy and Elena.

As Elena heads inside Buffy turns to Damon "Look, I appreciate everything you did. But I can't be your friend Damon."  
"Oh, come on you know I chopped a bit off of your wall of hatred."  
Buffy sighs "Look, I'm gonna ask you this once, and only once. Did you or did you not know about the ring?"

Damon hesitates "No. No, I didn't." He tells her honestly, a look of guilt filling his expression as he looks down at her, almost begging her for her forgiveness "Mary really pissed me off. And I snapped. And..I got lucky with the ring. And I don't know what I would have done if he wasn't wearing it. You most probably would have killed me and I can't blame you. Buffy, I'm sorry."

Buffy nods "Thank you." She pauses for a second before going on "But that is exactly why I can't be your friend. Damon, you snap and kill people impulsively and I'm the Slayer. I can't be your friend because one day, you may just snap again and I will have to take you out. And I refuse to kill another friend."

Buffy looks at him sadly before turning and heading inside the house.


	38. Deception

Lockwood Mansion, 1864  


 _"Look who found his dancing shoes." Katherine says as her and Stefan dance.  
_ _Stefan leans in to kiss her but she leans away teasing him slightly "Uh! No touching, Mr. Salvatore. Those are the rules."  
_ _Stefan smiles "I thought you didn't believe in rules."  
_ _Stefan pauses as he spots Damon watching the two of them, a look of hurt and heartache filling his expression.  
_ _"My brother's still upset that you chose me to escort you."  
_ _"Well, Damon needs to concede that his younger brother is a better dancer." Katherine looks over at Damon again "Oh, looks like Mary is occupying his time."_

 _Stefan looks over, only instead of finding Mary stood with his brother, his eyes widen at he realises that it was, in fact, Buffy standing with Damon. Stefan pulls away from Katherine "Buffy..."  
_ _Stefan moves to follow Buffy, who was walking with Damon "Stefan don't..." Katherine tries but Stefan ignores her.  
_ _"Buffy!" Stefan calls as he follows her and Damon into the other room._

 _As he opens the door he is suddenly in The Grill. He looks over to see Buffy standing by the pool table. She holds out the cue to him and smirks "Come on, it's about time you learnt how to play properly."  
_ _Stefan smiles and starts to walk towards her but Damon steps in front of him and walks right over to Buffy "Hey, I play perfectly, you just cheat." Damon says to her._

 _Buffy giggles as Damon kisses her before taking the pool cue in his hands "I don't cheat. I'm... just extremely lucky" Buffy says smiling at Damon._

 _Stefan watches sadly as Damon and Buffy play together, then turns when he hears Katherine "It hurts doesn't it? Now you know how I feel."  
Katherine takes his face in her hands "Don't fight it, Stefan. You loved me once. You can love me again." Stefan looks back at Buffy but Katherine grabs his arm, suddenly he is back at the ball and Katherine is walking towards him "I love you, Stefan. We'll be together again. I promise." She says before kissing him._

Stefan wakes up with a shock and looks down to see not blonde hair lying on his chest but brunette. He runs out of the bed and hisses "Katherine."  
Katherine smirks "Hi. Did you forget what colour you girlfriend's hair was for a second?"  
Katherine continues to smirk as she lies on the bed "It was easy to get inside of your head. Have you completely forsaken your nature? I mean I understand given who you're dating, that you may need to take some liberties but—"

Stefan cuts her off by running at her, but she simply pushes him down to the ground "Are we really gonna do this again? We both know I could rip you to shreds and I could call for Mary who could turn you dust all while doing her hair."  
"What do you want?" Stefan says as he stands.

"I wanted to see you. I missed you, Stefan. Indulge me for a little while, please? I'm bored and Mary's on a business trip, so please?"  
"Why are you back in town?" Stefan asks ignoring the request.  
"3 reasons. You, you and you." She says sweetly as she makes her way towards him.  
"See, I can't quite get that down. It just kind of—ahem—gets stuck in my throat."

Katherine walks closer and runs a finger down his chest making him groan in revulsion "You know, it's the truth. Deep down inside that gorgeous body of yours is the Stefan that fell in love with me, too."

* * *

Buffy is sitting at The Grill staring at the book with her photo in it, when Damon comes over "Damon, I'm not in the mood."  
Damon looks down at the book "Still pestering I see."  
"Shut your pie-hole, I'm busy."  
Damon chuckles "Oh, come on. What have you found out bout the drawing of you?"  
Buffy sighs and places the book down "Why do you care?"  
"Just mild curiosity."

Buffy sighs in annoyance "Fine, ok. Nothing. There is nothing in here about why me and Mary look alike, or why my picture is in this book. The only thing it says is that she—me—I have something to do with this stupid Sun and Moon curse thingy."

Buffy slams the book shut. "You okay?" Damon asks.  
"No. I just—Elena has a small understanding, that her and Katherine are related. I have nothing...no link, no reason."

Buffy sighs then stands grabbing her stuff "Where are you going?" Damon asks.  
"Damon, I made myself clear, I can't be your friend, which means no ideal chit chat."  
Buffy starts to walk off but stops when she hears Damon "Ok. See you at Jenna's barbecue."

Buffy's eyes widen and she turns to face him "And you knew about that how?"  
Damon shrugs "It was my idea. Jenna went to high school with Mason Lockwood. So I figured a social gathering would be a good way to get to know the guy. So I told Rick to tell Jenna—"  
Buffy interjects "You do realise there is no chance in hell, Jenna would be throwing this if she knew you were coming right?"

At that moment the waitress walks over and places a box in front of Damon "Perfect. Thank you." He says to the waitress before she walks off.  
Damon turns to Buffy "I'm hoping this peach cobbler will pave the way."  
"What game are you playing, Damon?" Buffy asks, blocking him as he tries to move past her.

"I'm gonna go put some silver into Mason Lockwood and prove he's a werewolf. See you at the barbecue."  
Damon walks off causing Buffy to groan in annoyance "Crap."

* * *

"Elena told me to say thanks for inviting Caroline, even though she can't come." Buffy tells Jenna as they set up the food "Turns out Elena thinks she could use a distraction."  
"Where is Elena anyway?" Jenna asks.  
Buffy smirks "Liam's in town."  
Jenna chuckles "Are they still...?"  
"Refusing to acknowledge that they're dating? That would be a big fat yes."

Jenna chuckles then turns to Buffy "Talking about guys, there is one plus one I'm worried about. Why is Damon coming?"  
Buffy shrugs "Your boyfriend is too nice to say no. And Damon, is now too used to my threatening that he had learnt to ignore it."  
"He better just keep his paws off you."

"Ahh, good news. Found the shot glasses." Mason says as he walks into the room.  
"Eww." Buffy moans before turning to Jenna "I'm gonna go be anywhere else."

* * *

Buffy grabs her phone as she sits in her room and waits for the person on the other end of the line to pick up.  
 _"Hello?"  
_ "Giles, it's me." Buffy says into the phone.  
 _"Buffy?"_ Giles asks shocked, Buffy hadn't contacted any of them in weeks, no since the Ascension and the reveal that Angel was in fact alive.

Buffy sighs, she couldn't get emotional right now, as much as she missed her friends she needed help, so this call had to stay strictly business "Yeah. Giles look, I need help with something. I have tried to research but I'm not so good at it."  
 _"Of course. I will do whatever I can."  
_ "Thanks okay. Have you got your scanner set up yet?"  
 _"Ohh, yes Willow did it this morning. Ridiculous this increase in technology now it's insanity, really-."  
_ Buffy sighs "Giles."  
 _"Oh, yes. Never mind. Everything is working."_

"Cool just give me a sec." Buffy puts the phone down and walks over to her computer, she picks up the book she got from Vanessa and scans the pages into her computer.  
Once the scan finishes, Buffy walks back over to her phone "You get it?"

:

In Giles' apartment in Sunnydale, Giles walks over to his computer and opens the files, only to gasp in shock when he sees an image of Buffy on the page "Buffy. What is this?" He asks.  
 _"Giles, this was written over 600 years ago."  
_ Giles cleans his glasses as he stares at the image with wide eyes "Dear lord. I will do all I can to try and explain this Buffy."  
 _"Thank you."_ She says sincerely.

Giles suddenly heard voices coming from the background of the phone _"Giles, I gotta go, the guests got into the scotch. Thanks again."  
_ "You're welcome."

Giles hangs up the phone just as Willow and Xander enter the apartment "Hey Giles!" Xander yells causing the man to jump in shock "Bloody hell. Don't you knock?"

"What you looking at Giles?" Willow asks as she walks over to the computer and gasps "Oh my god?"  
"Buffy, need our help." Giles tells them.

* * *

After Buffy called Giles she heads down stairs and tries to call Stefan but it just goes to voicemail. "Damn." Buffy moans as she hangs up the phone and heads outside onto the porch. She flops down on the bench outside and sighs trying to deal with all the crazy thoughts running through her head.

"That Stefan?" Caroline asks as she comes to sit opposite Buffy and spots Buffy's phone in her hand.  
Buffy nods "Technically it was his voicemail."  
"I'm sure he's fine." She says with a shrug before shoving more crisps into her mouth "God, I cannot stop eating. Stefan says it's a great way to sublimate the cravings."  
Buffy nods awkwardly "Caroline—"

"It's horrible." Caroline says going on as though Buffy had not spoken "Fighting the urge for blood every minute of every day. The desire to rip out someone's jugular every time I'm around them."  
Buffy interjects before Caroline can continue "Caroline. Stop. I get that you're going through a hard time and I wanna help, but I don't think I'm the best person to be talking about all this with."  
"Why not?" Caroline asks confused.

"Because I'm a Vampire Slayer, and I watched you kill a man. Every nerve in my body is telling me to kill you. I don't want to, but hearing you talk about cravings and ripping out people's jugulars just reminds me of the fact that one day, I may have to take you out. It's bad enough I did that with Angel and now Stefan. I can't pretend that everything is normal between us yet. I'm sorry."

Buffy stands and then walks back in the house.

* * *

"Aunt Jenna's getting tipsy." Damon tells Buffy as he walks into the kitchen.  
"Here's an idea stop trying to get her drunk in the first place. It's creepy." Buffy tells him as she places dessert on the plate.  
"I want her to like me." Damon says.

"How's your stupid plan going?" Buffy asks.  
Damon leans in close and whispers in her

* * *

ear "He's my new BFF."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and moves away from him just as Jenna enters the room "There you are. Isn't this fun?"  
Damon nods "Yes. Thank you so much for inviting me."  
"Did I have a choice?"  
"I know what you must think of me."  
Jenna cut in "No, you don't. You've never dated you. I have dated many you's."  
"Well, I'm a work in progress."

Jenna turns to Buffy "Can you beat him till that progress is done?"  
Buffy laughs "You're asking me to use violence? Jenna, how much has Damon given you to drink?"  
"Nothing I can't handle."

"Ohh." Damon says as he spots the knifes "These are fancy."  
"Thanks." Jenna says flatly "My mother's silver set."  
Buffy's widen as she sees Damon eyeing the knifes. This was not going to end well, she could feel it, the idiot was coming up with an even stupider plan.

* * *

A little while later Buffy grabs her jacket and heads for the door only to have Caroline block her path "Where are you going?"  
"Gonna see Stefan. I contacted Giles for some help, just gonna let Stefan know before I raid his vervain supply before my patrol."  
"You wanna leave?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah. I just said that? Or did I? Am I speaking latin, cause I do that in my sleep sometimes."  
"Don't you think showing up at his house after you called him, makes you seem kinda clingy?"

Buffy shakes her head and looks at Caroline in disbelief "No. I'm not clingy, I need vervain for my patrol and I have information that he would want to know. Plus hello have you met me, I am the like the least clingy girlfriend in the world. Look, I gotta book." Buffy starts to move past her again but Caroline moves in front of her "How about I drive you?"  
"Caroline..."  
"Look, I know you're still not okay with what happened at the carnival and that's why you're keeping your guard up around me. But please just let me help."

Buffy sighs "Fine. Let's go. But you're not coming on patrol with me."

* * *

After the car broke down Buffy and Caroline were waiting on the side of the road "Are you sure the tow's coming, cause if it is it's sure taking it's sweet time getting here."  
Caroline nods "I know, it's weird. They said they'd be here by now."  
Buffy sighs "I'll call Jenna."  
"No! Let me try the tow people again. And I'll use my aggro voice."  
Buffy huffs "Look, it's already dark which means the vamps that hide out in the demon bar just outside of town are leaving so I need to go. We can walk."  
"I can't just leave my car."  
"You can come back for it."  
"Just give me a minute, Buffy." Caroline snaps suddenly "What's the rush. Why are you hurrying to get to a relationship that'll never work?"

Buffy's eyes widen before she scoffs "Are you kidding me right now? My rush- is that after dark god knows how many vamps and demons are gonna get out of that bar. And who knows how many people are gonna die if they get past the town line and into Mystic Falls. I have spent the past year keeping them out of here." Buffy pauses "And since when is this about my relationship with Stefan?"

"Buffy just think about it. You're human. He's a vampire. You're going to be 70 and in diapers, and he's still gonna be smoking hot."  
"My relationship with Stefan is none of your business. So what the hell?"  
"I'm just trying to be a good friend."  
Buffy scoffs, if this was what Caroline called being a good friend then she really sucked at it, she really didn't need another reminder about the idea of growing old, because it was extremely likely that she wasn't going to "Really well stop trying cause you suck at it. Oh and thanks so much for reminding me of the fact that if I was a normal human I would even make it to 70, that just reminds me even more of the fact that it's likely I won't live past 20."

At that point, Buffy notices the tow truck coming towards them "There's your truck, I'm outta here."  
"No, don't." Caroline says as she grabs Buffy's arm.  
Buffy glares at Caroline "I suggest you let me go, you've already pissed me off enough for one day."  
"Don't leave me alone." Caroline begs.  
Buffy rips her arm from Caroline's grasp before walking off.

* * *

"I want what I want Stefan." Katherine says, answering the same question again "And I don't care what I have to do to get it. My lists of victims is a long one. And I have no problem adding two more names to that list."  
Stefan shakes his head "Come on, Katherine. If you wanted Buffy or Elena dead, you would have tried by now."

"I may not be able to kill the Slayer but I can still kill the little cousin. Mary, I'm sure can take your girl, I'm sure she'll have no problem snapping her neck like a twig. And you know it."

Stefan growls and grabs a stake and hold it over Katherine, after a moment he throws the stake at the wall causing Katherine to smirk, "Guess you don't hate me as much as you thought you did. I don't want you seeing Buffy anymore. If you don't remove her from your life, I will kill everyone that she loves, starting with her little cousin and then I will let Mary kill her while you watch."

Stefan growls and wraps a hand around her throat "Don't you ever think for one moment that I will not kill you."

Suddenly Stefan groans in pain and grasps his head, his body then flies upwards and he is pinned to the ceiling "It about time." Katherine says as Mary walks into the room her focus on keeping Stefan attached to the ceiling. Mary then looks down at Katherine "I was busy. I have other things to attend to, more so then your little flirting attempt."

"Fine. Just let me know when you're leaving town next time before I plan something like this."

Stefan watches as Katherine easily rips herself free of the chains, before looking up at him "I have been sipping vervain every single day for the last 145 years. You caught me by surprise once, I wasn't going to let it happen again. It doesn't hurt me, Stefan."  
Stefan looks at her confused "What—why—"  
Katherine looks at Mary "Lower him, please."

Slowly Mary lowers Stefan off the ceiling before pinning him against the wall. Katherine walks over to him "I told you. I've missed you, Stefan. I just wanted to spend some time with you."

 _"Hello?"_ The two of them hear Buffy say as she enters the house.

Katherine turns her attention to Stefan and drives a stake into his leg, she then looks over at Mary "Time to meet the blonde."

* * *

"Stefan?" Buffy calls as she walks into the living room, needing to hit something very soon after Caroline had riled her up "Come on, I have to go patrol but I need the vervain first, I figured I could torture a vamp for some info."

Buffy hears movement behind her and turns around to see Mary and Katherine watching her intently. "You must be Buffy." Mary says.  
Buffy's eyes widen at the sight of the two of them, yes she had known about the resemblance but knowing and seeing were two very different things "This is beyond creepy."

As Katherine steps towards her Buffy punches her in the face "Sorry, more of a hit first ask questions later kinda girl."

Katherine growls and pins Buffy to the wall, Buffy headbutts her, before throwing her to the other end of the room, Buffy looks over at Mary who smiles at her "Been waiting for you to show up for a long time Slayer."

"Buffy!" Stefan yells as he runs up the stairs.

Suddenly Mary waves her hand and both her and Katherine disappear in a puff of smoke. "Are you ok?" Stefan asks as he walks over.  
Buffy nods "I just punched Katherine in the face, so I feel a little better. Not much though. How bout you, you're kinda bleeding." Buffy says gesturing to his leg with a worried frown.  
"Not really." Stefan then steps forwards and wraps his arms around Buffy.

* * *

After accepting Caroline's apology, Buffy walks over to her table with Stefan. "I'm starving." Stefan says.  
Buffy shrugs "Sure, cause spending the day with that crazy vampire ex of yours, will do that to you. I know it sure happened to me."

Stefan sighs before looking over at her seriously "Listen, I know you're upset. All right...but we have to take her seriously. Today was all about the lengths that she'll go to."  
Buffy scoffs "Well I just knocked that girl on her ass, with very little effort, if I'm worried about anyone, it's Mary. She seemed...pleased."  
"Buffy, you caught Katherine off guard. She is still strong, she could still kill you."  
"Not afraid of her."

"Well, you should be. After everything her and Mary have done together, we should be scared."  
Buffy rolls her eyes at that "Katherine is no more than an ordinary vampire, but for you, she's not."

"Look Katherine is used to getting her way, and when she doesn't get it she has Mary do it. Mary slaughtered an entire village once for Katherine and Katherine did the same for her, we should worry about what will happen if they don't get what they want."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Wow, your sire tells you to do one thing and now it's all you can think about."

Stefan shakes his head trying to make her understand "Look. She sadistic. Ok. She threatened you."  
"I can take care of myself." She tells him with an annoyed tone to her voice.  
"But she didn't just threaten you, she threatened everyone."

"So what?" Buffy asks him still stunned "You wanna do what she says, cause it looks like she's already got what she wanted." Buffy stands "I have to patrol." Buffy turns and walks off.

* * *

Buffy climbs in through her window after patrol to see Stefan standing there "You ok?"  
Buffy nods "Took out my rage on a couple demons."  
She smirks before walking over and hugging him "I don't like fighting with you." She says.  
"I know, me, too. It felt too real."

Buffy pulls away then looks down at his shirt "Crap, I got demon blood on your shirt."  
"Doesn't matter." He says before kissing her.

After a moment Buffy pulls away "We were right bout Caroline, she was hanging on to every word like a shopaholic and her favourite pair of shoes. Looks like Katherine is trying to make Caroline her little servant."  
Stefan nods in agreement "Then it won't be long before Katherine gets a play-by-play."

"I hate the fact that Caroline if such a bad liar. Because it made it so easy to see she was playing me."  
"Katherine always finds somebody to do her dirt work."

"I think Damon was listening to us fight, too. You gonna spill the beans?"  
Stefan shakes his head "The only way Katherine's gonna believe it is if everybody believes it. It's the best way to make her think she's getting what she wants."

Buffy sighs, she hated this, Katherine was a manipulative bitch who needed to go down, plus all this unknown information was driving her insane "This is stupid. First, we still don't know what Mary's up to and now Katherine's going through all this effort...just to get you back."

Stefan shrugs before placing both his hands on her cheeks, cupping her face "I don't know about Mary but when it comes to Katherine, trust me that's not why she's here whatever she says I know her. Katherine doesn't care about anybody but herself and Mary. She never has. She's incapable of love. She's here for another reason."


	39. Near Death

"You know you will never be able to sneak up on me, now that I'm used to your kind right?" Buffy says as she turns to face Stefan who had snuck into her room.  
Stefan smiles "I know, but I had to try."  
Buffy laughs, then quickly closes the door and pulls Stefan into a kiss, when she pulls away she smiles at him "By, the way, Hi."  
"Hi." Stefan says as he pulls her into a hug "You ready for today?"

Buffy pulls away and pouts "Nope. I have a new plan, which involves me sleeping through the day. And we can do this plan another time."  
"I know you don't want to fight, neither do I. But if Katherine thinks that we're fighting, then she'll think she's winning. And hopefully won't get Mary involved cause that will end very badly. For all of us."  
Buffy sighs "I've never been one for doing what I'm told, even pretending to do what I'm told doesn't sit well with me. Plus the fact that Caroline, who I'm already having problems with, will be acting as paparazzi."  
"Hey. Everything's gonna be ok."

Buffy raises an eyebrow "Your oddly optimistic about all this."  
"Because I know it will work. It's you and me, we can handle anything. Even Katherine's threats."  
"Make me a promise, that she won't get between us, cause then I'm gonna have a problem."  
"I have an idea. Today when we're fighting, if I say, 'I can't do this anymore, Buffy' What I'll really mean is that I love you."  
Buffy laughs "You're really cheesy you know that?"

Buffy thinks for a second before speaking "Ok and when I go 'You know what, Stefan. Fine. I'm done.' What I mean is that I sorta love you too."  
"Deal." Stefan says with a smile before he pulls her in for a kiss.

* * *

"Wait Caroline is working for Katherine?" Elena asks Buffy stunned.  
Buffy nods "Yeah, turns out the bitch got her claws into the other blonde in town."  
"Why is she doing this?"  
Buffy shrugs "Cause she's crazy?"

Elena chuckles slightly and goes to sit on the bed next to her cousin.  
Elena sighs "Buffy, there is something else I want to ask. Um...like with Bonnie your acting really distant with Caroline."

Buffy sighs and lies down on the bed "Elena, this is difficult for me, like Bonnie I have lost a lot because of vampires. The problem is that I am terrified that because she's still new, she's going to lose control, and if she does..."  
Elena stares at her cousin, realisation finally hitting her "You're scared that what happened with Vicki is going to happen again. That your gonna have to kill Caroline."  
Buffy shrugs "Maybe. I just wish this hadn't had happened to her, she doesn't deserve to have this forced on her."  
"I know."

* * *

Buffy walks over to Stefan ready to start their pretend fight "So do you still care about Katherine?"  
Stefan sighs "Do you still care about Angel?"  
Buffy scoffs "Really bringing up the Angel card, low blow."  
"You're the one you turned this into something it's not."  
Buffy shrugs "What so my past with Angel is up for question but your current crap with Katherine is not?"

Stefan shakes his head "No, I'm saying that this isn't up for discussion right now because we have ears on us."  
Buffy turns to see Caroline and Damon quickly look away from them "Typical." Buffy mutters before turning back to Stefan "Okay, so the right time for this would be when? A quarter to never, a half past a chance in hell?"  
"Buffy..."

"Nope. Look I saw the crazy twins, Stefan. And the crazy witch looks exactly like me, what I'm not getting is how you can say that you love me but you hate her."  
"You're reaching. I'm not—I'm not Damon."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "And since when is Damon involved in this conversation."  
Stefan shakes his head "You know, I can't...I can't do this anymore, Buffy."

Buffy closes her eyes for a second before nodding "You know what, Stefan. Fine. I'm done. I'll help with the evil twins problem, but other than that—I'm done."  
Buffy then turns away and walks away.

* * *

Buffy notices Damon cough up his drink and runs over "What the hell is going on?"  
"Vervain." Damon coughs.  
Buffy looks at Stefan who nods at her, Buffy quickly moves and helps Stefan pull Damon away from the scene.

"I've had worse." Damon grunts as he quickly downs a bottle of water.  
"I'm gonna kill him." Damon says but Buffy grabs him and forces him into the chair "First of all no. And second of all, who? Who does Damon want to go all Rambo on?"  
Damon turns to her "That stupid wolf Mason."

Stefan turns to Buffy and Damon "I don't like it, he's making threats, he could expose the both of us and maybe even Buffy. I take it the council is not gonna be happy about the whole, girl with super strength working with vampires."  
"We need to find him." Buffy says "Find out who else knows."  
Damon nods "Let's do it. Woods. Trash duty. Come on."

Damon moves past them and Stefan turns to Buffy "Buffy, Maybe you shouldn't—"  
Buffy interjects "I'm stronger and technically I'm the only one that can fight, considering the two of you rely too much on your strength. I'm going." Buffy tells him before following Damon.

* * *

The three of them corner Mason in the woods, Mason looks at Buffy confused "What are you doing here?"  
Damon glares at Mason "Don't look so surprised. And Buffy's here, for muscle."  
Buffy turns to him "Look, I just want to have a very specific, slightly painful conversation."  
Damon scoffs "Well, I'm done with talking, I'm gonna kill him."  
"Shut it, Damon."

Mason turns to Buffy "I don't wanna hurt you." He then jumps at her but she merely lifts him and throws him in the other direction.  
Suddenly a loud gun shot goes off and a bullet goes through Buffy's shoulder. Buffy screams in agony as both vampires turn to her "Buffy!" Stefan screams.  
Suddenly another shot goes off and Damon falls and then Stefan.

Liz runs over to Mason and looks down at Buffy "What is she doing here?"  
Mason shrugs "She's not a vampire."  
Liz looks at him confused "Then how-?"  
"From what I know, vampire slayer, she had increased strength, but she's human."  
The two of them look over at the girl and Liz sighs sadly "They must have compelled her. We'll take her with us for now, then will figure out a way to help her."

Mason bends down to picks up the barely conscious Buffy while the other guards Liz brought with her inject Stefan and Damon with vervain.

* * *

"It's down the stairs to the left." Mason says as he shows them the entrance to the cellar. As the guards lead Stefan and Damon down the stairs, Liz watches "Careful." She tells them "The wooden bullets and vervain won't keep them down for long. What is this place?" She asks as she turns to Mason.  
"Old slave quarters from the original Lockwood house. Go on." Mason then leads her down the stairs while still carrying Buffy.  
"Thank you, Mason. I appreciate all you've done." Liz says "We got it from here."  
"Hey, you're going to kill them, right?"

"Yes. That's why you should go. I'm here as the council, not the law. You can't be a part of this. It's for your own protection" Liz looks down at Buffy sadly "Get her out of here, somewhere safe. She will be an asset, once we can find a way to fix whatever they did to her."

Mason hesitates but heads for the door "Don't take any chances." He says before making his way up the stairs.

* * *

"What are you two doing out here?" Mason asks as he spots Elena and Caroline.  
The two girls turns to see Buffy in Mason's arm "Buffy!" Elena cries.  
"She'll be okay." Mason says as he places Buffy down carefully against one of the trees.  
Mason turns to face Caroline "Does your mother know what you are? I'm happy to tell her."

Buffy wakes only to see Mason glaring at Caroline while he held Elena by the throat.  
"I can take you." Buffy hears Caroline say.  
"Wanna bet." She hears Mason respond.

"No need." Buffy says as she takes the opportunity to swing her legs out under Mason's, causing him to land painfully on his back, giving Elena the chance to get away. As Elena scrambles away Buffy kicks Mason in the face, repeatedly until he passes out.

Elena runs over to Buffy and gasps when she sees Buffy's shoulder "Oh, my, god!"  
Buffy turns her head to face Caroline and speaks weakly "Your mom, she's gonna kill them. Their down in the cellar."  
Caroline's eyes widen and she hesitates before she hears Buffy "Please, Care."

Caroline looks at her friend sadly, seeing the bullet wound her mother had caused on one of her closet friends, before nodding and running off.  
As Caroline disappears Elena turns to Buffy and tries to keep the pressure on her wound.

Five minutes later, Caroline, Damon, Stefan come over to them with Damon holding Liz. Stefan sees Buffy and runs over to her. "Buffy." He whispers.  
Buffy sighs "I'm fine. Right as rain. You?"  
Stefan chuckles "Right as rain." He says before lifting her into his arms.

* * *

Buffy opens the front door of the boarding house to see Caroline "Hey. Sorry. That took forever. I just didn't know how long my mom was going to be here."  
Buffy shrugs and lets her in before closing the door "No harm no foul. Vervain should take a max of three days before it's out of her system."  
"How's your shoulder?"  
Buffy glances down at her bandaged shoulder before looking back up at Caroline "It will heal, thanks."

Caroline smiles at her then sees Stefan walk over to them "Hey."  
"Hey." Stefan says back.  
"Get some bunny in you?"  
Stefan nods "Yeah. I'm feeling much better, thank you."

* * *

After Caroline runs off, after hearing her mother speaking to Damon Buffy tries to go after her, when she sees Stefan holding a blood bag.  
"Hey. Isn't is cruel to tempt yourself like that. It's like holding out a pizza to someone who's on a master cleanse."  
"Katherine took a little vervain every day and built up a tolerance to it." Stefan tells her.

Buffy's eyes widen as she connects the dots "You wanna do the same with the blood, a little bit every day."  
Stefan nods "I could learn to control myself on it."  
"Why now?"

Stefan turns to her "Buffy, you were shot tonight and I couldn't help you. I almost died tonight, because I was too weak. You almost bleed to death." Stefan sighs "I know you don't like being thought of as the damsel in distress, but I was too weak, and because of that I couldn't help you the one time you needed it."

Buffy sighs "Okay. Look I get it. Almost dying put that fear into your head, but Stefan, you know what happens when you drink human blood."

"I don't have a choice, Buffy. I need to have a way to stop both of them. Yes you could most probably kill Katherine without a glance but then we have to deal with Mary. And she's practically untouchable. This is the only way, they are both stronger than me, you're stronger than me, I don't want you to have to fight my battles because I'm not strong enough."

Buffy's eyes widen "I—I gotta find Caroline." She says before quickly leaving the room.

* * *

"Can I take you home?" Buffy asks Caroline who is currently mopping on the couch. Caroline looks up at Buffy and sniffles "I can't go home."  
Buffy looks at her confused and moves around to sit next to her "Why not?"  
"Because I'm scared."

"Why? What has you so scared?" Caroline stays silent. "Look, Caroline..." Buffy pauses "I know I haven't been the best-est of friends these past few weeks, it's just with what happened I'm still trying to figure out how to deal. But know, that you can tell me anything."

Caroline nods slowly "Katherine's going to be there, and she's going to want me to tell her everything that happened today. She told me I had to spy on you and report back to her."  
"I know. Caroline, your a terrible liar, it wasn't that hard to figure out." Buffy takes a deep breath "I've been mad at you, but I know what it's liked to be put in this kinda position, having to do something you don't want to to protect others. So tell me who did she threaten."

"Matt." Caroline cries "She threatened Matt. And I'm so scared of her, Buffy. I am so scared of her."  
"I know. But I am gonna find a way to deal with her, I promise you."  
"Why is she doing this? What does she want?"

Buffy shakes her head "I don't know. But I'm gonna find out. No matter what it takes." Buffy then pulls the crying Caroline into her arms and hugs her.

* * *

Buffy walks away from the sleeping blonde vampire and Damon walks over to her "Caroline's gonna crash on the couch." Buffy tells him.  
"I heard." He tells her "And you?"  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "If you're hitting on me again, now is really not the time."  
Damon chuckles "No, seriously."

"I'm going home." Buffy heads for the door but hesitates and turns back to Damon "What you did for Care's mom, that's the Damon I wish that I could be friends with. You know if you weren't also kinda crazy."

Damon smiles for a second, but as Buffy opens the door he speaks stopping her "Hey. Stefan didn't drink the people blood, but you and I both know that he needs to. You can't take on Mary and Katherine alone, and right now he's not strong enough."

* * *

"You can come in." Stefan tells Buffy.  
Buffy sighs "Hey, I'm the only one allowed to do that whole 'I know your there' thing."

Stefan chuckles slightly before looking back down at his hands. Buffy breathes then makes her way over to him "You think your gonna be able to control it?"  
"I don't know. But if I don't try..."  
Buffy nods "So if my calculations are correct and normally they aren't, but in this case I think I'm right...you only need a little bit everyday right?"

Stefan nods "Yeah, just a few drops of blood in my system. I think it's worth trying."  
Buffy nods "So do I. But I was thinking that you would need only one drop." Buffy grabs the small blade off the table and pricks her finger "What are you doing?" Stefan asks as he stares at her finger.  
Buffy sits next to him as she explains "Slayer blood. Stronger than human, it will build up your tolerance plus it will give you that strength you need. And it will only take one or two drops a day."  
"Buffy—"

Stefan tries to protest but Buffy cuts in off "No. Listen to me I will not let you do this by yourself. It's you and me. We can make it through anything." Stefan nods slowly then takes her hand in his and brings the finger to his lips. After a moment he pulls away and Buffy smiles "See. Not so bad."  
Stefan smiles at her then leans forward kissing her.

* * *

 **Emerald Coast, Florida: One Year Ago**

"Mason?" A hesitant voice says from the crowd, as Mason stands over his now dead friend. Mason turns around to see Mary and Katherine walking towards him shocked "What happened?" Mary asks as she stares at the body.  
"Jimmy attacked me." He tells her.  
Mary shakes her head "I don't understand why would he do that?"  
"He said that I hit on Marla."

Mary turns to Katherine "Kat, could we-?"  
Katherine nods "Of course, I'll go find Marla."

As Katherine walks away, Mason doesn't notice the large smirk on her face.

Mary turns to Mason, "Why would he think that?"  
Mason pants terrified and shakes his head, Mary wraps her arms around his neck as he pants "He's dead. I killed him."  
"Everything's going to be ok." Mary tells him as she stares at the body.

:

A little while later Mary walks over to the body with Katherine "It worked. It seems we have our wolf." Mary says as she stares at the body.  
Katherine smirks "We are getting closer."  
Mary laughs "Yes, it seems we are."  
Katherine turns to Mary "Mary, you're getting weaker. You need a boost."  
Mary sighs as she stares at the body "It won't be enough, he was compelled."

Katherine nods "I know. But unfortunately the one you choose this time turned out to be exactly who we needed for now, I'm sorry, but this will have to do. Don't worry we'll get you another soon."

Mary sighs "Bloody hell." She says before bending down in front of the body, she places one hand on his temple and the other just above his heart.  
Her eyes turn black as night as she begins the incantation _"Sanguinem quam potentiae consulebant. Sacrificium sanguis pro virtute."_ Suddenly a darkness comes out of the body and flows into Mary.

After a moment Mary's eyes return to normal and she stands "This will do." She says before turning around to face Katherine. The two of them smile then walk away from the body.

* * *

 **Mystic Falls, Present Day**

"Thank god. I was getting bored." Mary says as Mason climbs into the car.  
Mason smiles then leans in to kiss her but she raises her hand stopping him "No no. What the bleeding hell was with that stunt today?"

Mason raises an eyebrow "I thought you'd be happy about that."  
Mary chuckles "Trust me I would have loved it if they had actually died. And I would have loved it even more too watch. But now I have to deal with a pissed off Katherine."  
"Why does your sister even care?"  
Mary sighs "Katherine is a...complicated woman."  
"Then why are we talking about this?"

Mary shakes her head "Because you put Buffy at risk. I need the Slayer alive. You know that."  
"She's fine. One bullet to the shoulder, she'll be bouncing around tomorrow."  
"Look, I cannot have you putting the Slayer in danger, or getting distracted with those idiotic brothers. Not while I still need you to find the moonstone."

Mason smiles, Mary smirks "You got it."  
Mason nods "I got it."  
Mary smiles at him before pulling him forward and kissing him.


	40. Operation Moonstone

"What?" Buffy asks as she wakes to see Stefan lying across from her in bed with a smile on his face.  
"Nothing." He says smiling.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow before a look of horror crosses her face "Do I have crazy bed hair?"  
Stefan shakes his head "Of course not."

Buffy brings her hand to her head and groans "Not good."  
Buffy moves to get out of bed but Stefan grabs her hand "Where are you going?"  
"To kill the cat on my head."

Stefan shakes his head and pulls her back to the bed kissing her. Buffy giggles but pulls away moaning slightly as Stefan begins kissing down her neck before back up to her lips "This is bad, bad bad."  
"Mm, yes, it is." Stefan moans as he kisses her neck once again before flipping them over causing her to giggle loudly.

* * *

"Shh." Mary tells Mason as he kisses her "Ms Flowers will think I'm a lower grade strumpet if I have a man in here."  
Mason smiles at her as he hovers above her in bed "Why are you staying here?"  
Mary shrugs "It's a bed and breakfast, what's there not to love. Don't you?"  
"I love it."  
Mary smiles and kisses him, rolling them over so she is on top.

* * *

Buffy pulls away from Stefan but he continues to plant kisses along her jaw trying to tempt her "Seriously, I have to shower. Get this cat off my head."  
Stefan gazes at her grinning slightly "Love it. Let's go."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Are you inviting yourself to join me."  
Stefan nods "Yes."

Buffy laughs "Sorry, Casanova, no can do. Just me, I'm running late and I'd rather not have Elena running in here yelling at me."  
"What's she got you doing now?"  
Buffy pouts "That thing at the Lockwood Charity."  
Stefan smiles "What do you know, so am I."

Buffy sighs "You do realise that less than 24 hours ago Mason tried to kill you. Plus he had me shot. I don't like getting shot."

* * *

Mary pushes Mason back on the bed roughly and kisses up his chest, Mason chuckles and tries to pull her back in for a kiss but she pulls away "Moonstone?"  
"It's somewhere safe." He tells her.  
Mary raises an eyebrow "Don't be an arse. Don't you trust me?"  
"I don't trust anyone."

Mary smiles "I knew I liked you for a reason, you're smart." Mary giggles as Mason then flips them over.

* * *

"I don't trust Mason." Stefan says.  
Buffy nods "Ditto. At least if we are both there, then we can keep an eye on him."  
Stefan nods "Let me guess, no—"  
Buffy interjects "No touching or talking. And none of those lingering stares of yours Mister."  
"No. None of that."

Buffy nods "I'll admit I have a very nice plan of killing Katherine. But she has made it clear she will be avoiding me like the plague and using others as her minions. Stefan, what will she do with her little minions if she finds out the truth. Cause little old me guesses it won't be good."

* * *

"Are you scared I'm going to kill you." Mary asks teasingly as she lies on top of him.  
Mason shakes his head "No. You won't."  
Mary smiles and kisses him, she then sits up and brings her finger across his chest causing him to burn slightly "Ahh, May. Ow."

Mary smirks "Did I hurt you? Sorry."

* * *

Buffy pricks her finger with the needle causing a small amount of blood to come out. "Did it hurt?" Stefan asks.  
Buffy shakes her head "I've had worse. Stuff like this, I don't even feel anymore." Buffy holds out her finger for Stefan "Little bit of Slayer mojo to make you strong, right?"

Stefan slowly brings the finger to his lips.

* * *

"What happens once I give you the moonstone?" Mason asks Mary.  
Mary smiles "Katherine sods off. And you and I, we get to live happily ever after. I promise."  
Mason nods "I'll bring it tonight, I promise."

* * *

"I promise you. We're gonna get through this." Stefan tells Buffy.

Buffy shrugs as she rests her chin on his chest "Hey, I'm not with the doom and gloom. As long as I get to stake the bitch I'm happy. Plus, I do wanna know why that image of me was in the book. But that's a problem for another day."

"You asked Giles for help right?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah, he agreed to help. He's in research mode." Buffy smirks "You do realise no matter what you do, I'll still be able to kick your ass, right?"  
Stefan smirks before wrapping his arms around her waist pulling her closer. "Oh, really?"

Buffy giggles as she nods "Yes, really." Buffy pauses then look at her boyfriend intently "I love you, Stefan."  
Stefan smiles "I love you, too." He says before kissing her.

* * *

"You know I love you." Mary tells Mason.  
Mason smiles "I love you, too."  
Mary then leans down and kisses him.

* * *

Buffy walks over to Bonnie and smiles "You're here."  
Bonnie smiles "I'm here." She says before she starts to look around the mansion gardens.  
Buffy sighs "Elena promised. Caroline's not coming."

Bonnie raises an eyebrow "Elena said. She also said you're a lot like me in this situation. Keeping your distance."  
Buffy nods "It's hard for me to Bonnie. I try but every time I'm around her, I get that feeling you're getting right now."

Bonnie nods in understanding "The 'She's a vampire and I might have to take her down' thought."

Buffy smiles softly "Yeah. Trust me it can take so long to get over that feeling, and sometimes it never goes away. But we learn to manage."

Bonnie smiles at her "Thanks, it's nice to have someone who gets it, I love Elena but, it's obvious she's on Caroline's side. I just didn't know that by losing Caroline I'd be losing her too."

Buffy sighs and is about to speak when Elena walks over to Bonnie "Bonnie, could I talk to you for a second?"  
Bonnie nods and waves goodbye to Buffy before following Elena.

Buffy is about to start helping with the set up when her phone rings "Hello?"  
 _"It's me."_ Damon's voice says _"Get to the house now."  
_ Buffy sighs "I'm busy jackass. Get someone else to clean up your mess."  
 _"Well, what if I told you we may have something which links to that weird Aztec curse thing."  
_ Buffy sighs "Dammit."  
 _"Oh, did I mention little Gilbert is here._

Buffy raises an eyebrow"I just saw Elena but she-oh."  
 _"Yep."  
_ Buffy exhales annoyed "Dammit Jeremy." She mutters, "I'll be there soon." She says into the phone before heading for her car.

* * *

Buffy walks in through the front door at the boarding house, "Buffy." Damon calls as he sees her.

Buffy walks into the living room "You wanna tell me what the hel—" Buffy freezes when she sees Jeremy standing by Damon "Actually, why don't you tell me. What the hell are you doing here Jeremy?"

Jeremy glares at Damon "You told her?"  
Damon shrugs "Well yeah. Oh, don't pout, first of all- she's the Slayer, she's big on the whole supernatural mojo, plus she's the muscle."  
Damon walks over to Buffy and takes the bag out of her hand "Hey!" Buffy says as she glares at him.

"Shh." Damon tells her as he pulls out the Aztec book from her bag, Damon smirks "Knew you would have it on you." Damon then walks over to Jeremy and opens the book, showing him the page with Buffy's image on it.

Jeremy's eyes widened "What? What is that?"

Buffy sighs and turns to Jeremy "We're not sure. That's why anything Aztec or moonstone related, I will be involved. Plus I'm the strongest person here. Now, why don't you explain why you're here."

Jeremy sighs "Helping Damon. I'm the one that found out about the moonstone."  
Buffy glanced at Damon "Elena has no idea does she?"  
"Not exactly." Jeremy answers.

Buffy sighs "If you get killed I'm telling."

At that moment Alaric walks into the house holding a large box, his attention is immediately drawn to Jeremy "What are you doing here?"

"We've done that part already." Buffy tells him.  
Ric nods "Okay then. Not gonna ask."

"Probably a good idea." Damon says as he walks over to Ric "What you got?"  
Ric places the box on the table "Oh, this is Isobel's research from Duke. Her assistant sent it to me."  
"Hmm. Vanessa, the hottie."  
"Yeah, Vanessa, yes. Now, do you remember the old Aztec curse she told us about?"

Buffy steps forward "Kinda of hard to forget, considering little old me is in another ancient book."  
"Aztec curse, cool." Jeremy says as he steps over to the three of them.

Alaric nods "Yeah, supposedly vampires and werewolves used to roam freely until a shaman put a curse on them to limit their power. Since then, werewolves can only turn on a full moon and vampires are weakened by the sun."

Buffy tilts her head "Kinda liking this shaman guy man, made my job a hell of a lot easier. Meant I could actually have a social life."

Ric chuckles before continuing "According to the legend, the werewolf part of the curse...it's sealed with the moonstone."  
"What do you mean, sealed?" Jeremy asks.  
"It's a witch thing." Damon tells him "Whatever seals the curse is usually the key to unsealing the curse."  
"Maybe Mason Lockwood believes he can use the moonstone to break the curse." Ric suggests.

Buffy looks over at the teacher "Was there anything else in the research which might explain, why some crazy shaman was daydreaming about me?"  
Alaric shakes his head "No, I'm sorry Buffy. I couldn't find anything. What about Giles?"

Buffy sighs "Still hasn't contacted me. Which, in Giles's language means, he's got nothing."

Damon turns back to the group "Look, if we start believing in some supernatural witchy-woo legend from a picture book, we're idiots."

Buffy turns to Damon "After everything, I've seen...this wouldn't be the craziest thing. So far that would be the Sunnydale Mayor transforming into a giant snake." Buffy turns to Jeremy "Who has the stone now?"  
"Tyler."  
"Can you get it?" Damon asks.  
"Damon!" Buffy hisses.  
Jeremy turns to his cousin "Buffy, I wanna help."

The blonde sighs "Ugh, fine. Can you get it?"  
"Yeah."

"See, now your life has a a purpose." Damon tells him.  
"Shut it, jackass." Buffy says to the vampire.  
"Oh, come on. Look that is the same book that says a werewolf bite kills a vampire."  
Buffy shrugs "Meaning, ignoring it would make you an idiot. Even more so than you are now."  
"See, blonde get's it. Let's go."

* * *

"Eww, eww, eww. I did not want to know that. Especially cause she looks exactly like me." Buffy moans after Stefan tells her and Damon about Mary and Mason.

"Mary's with Mason Lockwood?" Damon asks astonished.

"We missed it." Stefan tells him "He got into town right after she did. Plus Katherine did say Mary's was on a 'business trip' near enough the same say Mason drove into town. Maybe she was with him. It makes perfect sense."  
"I know, but Mason Lockwood?!"

Buffy shrugs "He's kinda hot."

The two of the guys turns to her "What? It's true." Damon rolls his eyes before turning back to pacing, while Stefan raises an eyebrow at Buffy, who smiles.  
"Werewolf thing aside, the guy's a surfer." Damon complains.  
"Now look who's jealous." Buffy comments.  
"Not jealous. Suspicious. She's gotta be using him. She has to be."

"Using him for what?" Stefan asks

"Mason Lockwood's looking for a moonstone that allegedly can break the full moon werewolf curse. Maybe Mary wants it as well."  
"Why?"

"Well...maybe it has something to do with Little miss Slayer here being in the Aztec's book. It's the beauty of Mary and Katherine. They're always up to something.  
"How are we going to get this moonstone?"

"Jeremy's getting it from Tyler." Buffy tells him.  
Stefan turns to Buffy shocked "I thought you didn't want Jeremy or Elena involved in any of this."

Buffy sighs "I don't. But unfortunately, he keeps placing himself in the middle of these situations, the best thing I can do is just make sure he sticks with simple information gathering. Hence the whole Tyler thing."

* * *

After finding out Tyler no longer had the moonstone, Buffy, Damon and Stefan grab Bonnie and pull her over away from the crowd. "This is as far as I go." Bonnie tells Damon "What do you want?"  
"A favour." Damon tells her.

Bonnie raises an eyebrow in shock "Like that's going to happen."  
"So predictable. That's why we brought her." Damon says tilting his head in Buffy's direction.

Buffy sighs as she looks down at her phone, she turns to Stefan "Could you fill Elena in? I think she's panicking."  
Stefan nods "Sure."  
As Stefan walks away, Buffy turns to Damon "Shoo." She tells him.

Damon shakes his head, but Buffy gives him a pointed look, he pouts before walking off.

Once both brothers are out of sight, Buffy turns to Bonnie. "I need your help."  
Bonnie nods "What is it?"  
"Look, I know you don't wanna help them, but in this case, it may be best for everyone. Stefan told us, that you were the one that linked both Mary and Mason."  
Bonnie nods "Yeah, so?"  
"This may be the one and only chance we have to get an upper hand on both of them."

Bonnie hesitates "Will this help you figure out the connection between you and Mary?"  
Buffy shrugs "I don't know. But what I do know is that Mason may have information about her that we don't."  
"What do you need me to do?"

"All you need to do is touch him again. See if you can see and find Mary."

Bonnie sighs "Buffy, my visions...they don't work like that. Same with your Slayer dreams I can just summon one up. Plus I don't get to ask questions."  
Buffy thinks for a moment "What about that awesome vampire repellent spell of yours. Do you think it would work on Mason?"

Bonnie nods "It would work on anyone with a supernatural healing ability. But Buffy...I won't help Damon hurt Mason."  
Buffy nods "Look, I know but he's working with Evil one and two. And they're a threat to us all. Please, Bonnie, I need your help."

* * *

"Hey, how'd you get stuck doing that by yourself?" Mason asks as he walks over to Bonnie who is struggling to get one of the tables into the back of the van.  
"The guys bailed." She tells him "Something about draft picks, I don't know, I don't speak that language."  
"Here, let me give you a hand."

Bonnie backs away and stares at Mason who then starts to groan in pain, as he falls to the ground Buffy walks over and knees him in the face before throwing him over her shoulder, before walking over to the car and dumping him in the truck.

* * *

After Bonnie and Damon headed off with Mason, Buffy is helping Elena with the masks. As she does Stefan walks over to her "Anyone seen Mason?" Tyler asks as he enters the room.  
Stefan turns to Tyler "He, uh, took off. Said he wasn't sure when he'd be back."  
"So weird." Tyler mutters.

As Tyler walks off, Buffy's phone buzzes, she looks down to see a message from Bonnie _'Look in well. Old Lockwood property.'  
_ Buffy looks over at Stefan giving him a swift nod.

Elena looks between the two confused and tries to walk closer but Buffy shakes her head, before her and Stefan quickly exit the room.

* * *

"It that it?" Buffy asks Stefan, as she spots the well.  
Stefan nods "Yeah. If Bonnie's right, the moonstone should be in here."

"What's going on?" Elena asks as she runs over.  
Buffy turns to her cousin "Elena what the hell? You shouldn't be here."  
"I know, but I am. What's going on?"

Buffy sighs "Bon, thinks the stone thingy is down there."

Stefan breaks the lock and then Buffy pulls the gate off the top and throws it away. The two of them look down the deep well and sigh. Buffy moves to climb in but Stefan stops her "We don't know how deep it is. I heal faster."  
Buffy huffs, "Fine, take away all my fun why don't you."  
Stefan chuckles before climbing onto the top of the well "Be careful." Buffy tells him.|  
"I'll only be down there for a minute."

Stefan jumps into the well after a minute Buffy hears Stefan scream "Buffy!"

Buffy eyes widen panicked "Stefan! What going on!?"  
"Vervain!"

"Oh, god." Buffy breaths before looking around for something to get down to him with "What do we do?" Elena asks.

Buffy sighs then spots the chains on the ground. She quickly bends down and lifts them up "Elena! Buffy!" Caroline yells as she runs over.  
Elena turns to the vampire "Caroline, Stefan's down there, it's filled with vervain."

Buffy moves in front of Elena and throws the chain over the hook "We have to get him out. So I'm going down there. Caroline, can you lower me down?"  
Caroline nods "Of course."

* * *

"I got you, ready?" Caroline asks.  
Buffy nods "Just do it."

"What's going on? You just disappeared in a blur?" Bonnie asks Caroline as she runs over.  
"Not the time." Buffy says before turning back to Caroline "Do it. Now!"

Slowly Buffy is lowered inside the well once she is in the water, she grabs Stefan "Oh, god." She breaths seeing the burns covering his face, she quickly attaches the chain around his waist and calls up to Caroline "Bring him up!"

As Caroline starts pulling Stefan up Buffy begins to search around the well. "Ready for you!" Caroline calls after a few minutes.

"Just a sec. Gotta find the rock." Buffy tells her as she continues to search around the cave.

Finally Buffy finds a box containing the stone, but before she can open it the snakes that had been hiding in the water start to jump up at her. Buffy groans "Yew." She grabs onto the chain "Pull me up."

Suddenly Caroline pulls on the chain, ripping Buffy free of the waters below.

The moment she climbs out of the well, Buffy runs over to the badly burnt Stefan. "Stefan." She gasps, she pulls the rock by Stefan's head across her wrist, as the blood begins the flow she places her wrist to Stefan's mouth; he slowly begins to heal.

* * *

"All this for that?" Damon asks his brother as he stares at the moonstone.  
Stefan nods "Yep. I see you've exercised your usual restraint." Stefan says as he stares at the now covered body of Mason Lockwood.

Damon shrugs "Had to be done." Damon quickly picks up Mason's phone and sends a text to the mayor to help cover his tracks. After sending the message Damon spots the number on Mason's phone "Last number dialled. I wonder who that could possibly be."  
Stefan shakes his head panicking slightly "No, no, no. Don't provoke her."  
Damon ignores him and presses the call button.

 _"Hello, Damon."_ Mary answers.  
Damon frowns "You knew it was me. That's taken away all the fun of this."  
Damon listens to Mary as she chuckles slightly _"Well, I'm sorry. Why don't you say it anyway, Katherine is listening so I'm sure she would love to know what you have done."_

 _:_

While Mary puts the phone on speaker Katherine walks over "Where is Mason?" She demands.  
 _"Right beside me."_ Damon informs the girls _"Although his heart's across the room."_

Katherine's eyes widened "You shouldn't have."  
 _"I've had a very busy day today. Killed a werewolf, found a moonstone. Hey, did you know that he hid the moonstone in a bottom of a well full of vervain? Guess he didn't trust you very much did he, Katherine? Although, he did love you, Mary. Poor guy. Hey, where are you guys, 'cause, you know I could bring him over. Last good-byes and all that."_

Mary chuckles slightly "Sorry to burst your bubble Damon, but he's of more use to me dead. However, from the look on Kat's face, I guess it's time for plan B."

Katherine smiles "Well, there also a plan 'c' then plan 'D' and—you know how the alphabet works, don't you? Send my love to Stefan." Katherine then hangs up the phone.

Katherine turns to Mary "Well that's unfortunate. Although everything does have a bright side."

Mary giggles "Yes. It does. Now I'm going to go have me a little boost."

Katherine laughs softly as Mary teleports out of the room.

* * *

Mary teleports into the Salvatore house and peeks around the corner to see both Damon and Stefan arguing.  
 _"Duratus."_ Mary whispers before blowing on her palm, suddenly a black fog comes out of her hand and heads towards the brothers. The moment it surrounds them the two boys freeze in place, unable to move.  
Mary smirks before walking past the brothers and over to the body.

Mary sighs "Such a shame, so handsome." She shrugs "Oh, well."

Mary quickly places one hand on his chest and the other on his temple _"Sanguinem quam potentiae consulebant. Sacrificium sanguis pro virtute._ " Slowly the darkness flows up out of Mason and into Mary, after a moment Mary's eyes return to normal and she stretches "What a rush. You really did love me, huh? What a shame."

Mary then turns back to the brothers and waves her hand _"Reditum."_ She says before quickly teleporting out of the room. While the brothers go back to arguing as though nothing had happened.

* * *

"Oh, come on, already." Buffy says as she taunts the vampire currently trying to fight her, he growls before running at her again, but she simply tosses him face first into his own grave. Buffy pouts "You know you could at least try, you know, really get into it."

"Don't you ever shut up?" The vampire groans as he stands.

Buffy shrugs "Not really."

Suddenly Buffy's phone starts to ring, the vampire takes advantage of Buffy's distraction and runs at her, he manages to tackle her to the ground. Buffy, who was momentarily stunned, comes back to the present and elbows the vampire in the face, she then raises the stake and brings in down, stabbing him through the back.

Once he turns to dust, Buffy stands and dusts herself off. She grabs her phone "Hello?"  
 _"Buffy?"_ Comes the crying voice of Elena.

Buffy's eyes widen "Elena, what's wrong?"  
 _"It's Jenna. Katherine made her stab herself."_

Buffy eyes widen, she drops her stake and begins to run.

* * *

"Hey, is she ok?" Buffy asks as she runs into the hospital waiting room, where Jeremy and Elena are currently sitting.

The two of them stand to face their cousin "The doctors told Alaric that she got lucky." Elena tells her "She's gonna make it. She's going to be ok."  
Buffy takes a relieved breath letting a few tears fall "Thank god."  
"Does she remember what happened?" Jeremy asks.

Elena shakes her head "No, nothing. It's all part of Katherine's mind compulsion."  
Buffy's fist clenches "Katherine did this?" She hisses holding in the rage.  
Elena nods "She got Jenna off the vervain, she was reporting to her the whole time."  
"Oh, god."  
"Why would Katherine hurt Jenna?" Jeremy asks confused.  
"Because she's trying to send a message." Elena says.

"That she can get to anyone." Buffy finishes "This is all my fault."  
"Hey, hey, hey, come here." Jeremy says hugging both girls as they begin to cry.

Buffy pulls away after a moment and looks at Jeremy "She's going to pay, Elena." Jeremy assures his crying sister, before looking over at Buffy.  
Buffy shakes her head "Yes, but first... She's going to suffer. I'm gonna make sure she begs for death."  
"Buffy." Elena says softly as she turns to her cousin.  
Buffy backs away "No, Jer's right. Bitch is gonna pay. I'm gonna make sure of it." Buffy then turns away and walks out of the hospital.

* * *

Buffy walks into the living room at the boarding house to see Stefan standing by the fireplace. As she walks closer, Stefan turns to her a look of despair on his face "I'm so sorry."

"We're idiots." Buffy tells him as she takes a shaky breath, she didn't want to do what she was about to but she had no other choice "We let our focus slip, we were too busy trying to pretend we weren't together that we let the whole killing that bitch plan go down the drain. And now because of that, Jenna's in the hospital and Jeremy or Elena could be next."

Buffy walks closer and sighs sadly letting a tear roll down her cheek as she prepares for what she was about to say "I let myself become consumed and I constantly lose myself in you. And I promised myself I would never do that again. Because when I do, I don't think clearly, so I didn't take Katherine's threat seriously. Us—together, we're destructive. Because we're together someone else I love is in the hospital..." Buffy pauses "I love you, more than I have ever loved anyone...but Stefan..."

"I know what you're going to say." Stefan says sadly, hoping she won't continue.

Buffy walks closer so she is standing in front of him "Then you gotta let me say it. I lose myself in you, constantly. And I know that's how it's supposed to be when you love someone, but... because of who I am...I can't be selfish anymore. I can't risk losing anyone else. So it has to be over."

Stefan shakes his head, holding back tears "Buffy, I don't..."

"Don't, Stefan." Buffy says sadly as she takes his face in her palm "We're over." She says softly, she closes her eyes and kisses him one last time before quickly exiting the room.

Buffy reaches the door and is about to open it when she hears Damon "Buffy..." Buffy turns to him, tears in her eyes.

"I riled Katherine up." Damon tells her "I called Mary to gloat, but Katherine...I wasn't thinking. I didn't think."  
Buffy shakes her head "Doesn't matter, Damon. Katherine got what she wanted. All that matter's now is me killing her for what she did to Jenna. All that matters is me driving a stake through her heart."

* * *

 **Sunnydale, California**

"The Curse of the Sun and the Moon!" Giles exclaims.  
Willow and Xander turn to him "What?" They ask.

Giles sighs "I was finally able to translate this, it talks about the curse of the sun and the moon. It talks about how thousands of years ago, vampires and werewolves used to roam freely until a shaman placed a curse on them. Vampires, which I presume would be the kind Angel spoke of, would be weakened by the Sun and werewolves could only change during the full moon."

Willow nods "Ok, but isn't that stuff Buffy already told you?"

Giles nods "Yes, but I was able to figure out the ingredients for the curse. Whoever intends to break the curse needs a number of things, including something known as a moonstone as well as the doppelgänger. The moonstone binds the curse, but the sacrifice of the doppelgänger breaks the curse."

Xander stands "Wait, doppelgänger?"

Giles nods "It's a living breathing double of one's self."  
"So what does Buff have to do with the curse?"

Giles shakes his head "That's what peculiar, there is nothing to say why she's involved but just that the Slayer is needed."

"Are we sure this Slayer is Buffy?" Willow asks hoping that her friend was not the one at risk.

Giles shakes his head sadly "Well with the image looking so much like Buffy, I believe we can say it is her. Plus I was able to finish translating the description underneath the image, it doesn't just say Slayer. _'A dolore stimulatus cum a mortuis resurrexerit.'_ A Slayer risen from death."

Xander and Willow's eyes widen as they realise now that Buffy was definitely in danger.  
"We need to help her." Xander argues.  
"And we are." Giles tells him "Buffy, needs information. I will inform her of what we have learned and then we will continue to look."


	41. Masquarade

Buffy knocks on the front door at the boarding house when Caroline turns to her "Maybe this isn't a good idea."  
Buffy sighs "Caroline, don't worry about Katherine, we're gonna get rid of her. Now we may have that opportunity."  
At that moment the front door opens and reveals Damon "Ah the blonde duo." He says with a grin "What can I do for you?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes and moves past him "We have work to do."

Damon turns to her confused "Wait, what?"  
Buffy stops in her tracks and turns to Damon "Katherine left another message."

* * *

"She wants to do it in public." Stefan says after Caroline had finished telling them about what happened with Katherine "Killing Mason threw her off guard."  
Buffy sighs "Well done Damon. Now we're dealing with a desperate, crazy vampire who is already unpredictable as it is."  
Damon rolls his eyes "She's out of tricks that is a good thing."  
"We can't underestimate her." Stefan tells him "We have to play this smarter than her."

"Can't we just give her the moonstone so she'll leave?" Caroline suggests.

Buffy scoffs as she continues to pace the room "Yeah, that bitch is getting jack squat. Other than hours of torture and a stake through the heart."

Damon chuckles, he was really enjoying watching the Slayer instinct that Buffy attempted to bury reveal itself "Blondie's twisted vengeful little mind is right, Katherine's not getting dick. I've had it. I'm going to go to the Masquerade ball, and I'm going to kill her. Tonight."

"You're not gonna kill her. Because I am." Stefan says.

"Get in line." Buffy says as she moves over to the brothers her arms crossed, there was no way in hell after what Katherine did to Jenna that she wasn't going to be the one to drive a stake through her heart "Cause if I get to her first there's not gonna be much left when I'm done."  
Damon smirks "You know, vengeance suits you."

Buffy glares at him "Let me make this clear if either of you try and kill her without me, I will have no problem breaking something precious. That bitch has been playing a game of kill or be killed monopoly with my family members, and I'm done. I'm gonna kill her. And then I'm gonna kill Mary. And I can guarantee, it's not gonna be pretty."

Damon smiles "Well then, let's plan a murder."

* * *

"Where should I put these?" Miss Flowers asks Katherine and Mary as they enter the room carrying many shopping bags.  
Mary turns to her "Right there. Thank you, Miss Flowers. You've been such a wonderful help."  
"Oh, it's my pleasure, girls. Let me know if there's anything else I can do." She says with a smile before exiting the room.

Mary pulls out the black dress for Katherine and holds it in front of her friend. Katherine smiles before nodding and grabbing the dress.  
As Katherine walks over to the mirror Mary's eyes go black and she raises a hand.

Katherine turns and runs over to the woman Mary currently has pinned to the wall clawing for breath "Whoa, Kat, May, chill." The woman says.  
Mary chuckles and releases the woman "You know as a fellow witch, I thought you would have learned never to sneak up on a vampire or a thousand-year-old witch."  
The woman smiles "It's good to see you, girls."  
Katherine hugs the woman "I'm glad you made it."

"You called. I came. Plus it's always nice to see you May." The woman says turning to Mary "Gotta any new tricks you could show me?"  
Mary chuckles "Yes. But later."

Katherine draws the witch's attention again "We know you wouldn't be here if you didn't have a choice."  
The witch raises an eyebrow "Don't get all boss lady on me. You know I love you." She then picks up one of the masks in the bags "Now, where does one wear this?"  
"To a masquerade ball. Tonight. You wanna be my date?"  
"What about you May?"

Mary turns to them "I'm thinking of playing hooky this time."

* * *

"Thank god." Buffy says as she sees Bonnie walk into the room "You, brought the Grimoire. Thank you. You are an angel."  
Bonnie smiles "You're welcome." She says before looking around the room, spotting a lot of weapons "What's going on?"

"We're gonna kill Katherine." Jeremy says as he enters the room.  
Buffy nods "Yep. But I will be the one that literally rips out her heart. Damon and I flipped for it. He picked tails, moron."

"Hey!" Damon calls from the other side of the room "We both know I won, you just threatened to rip off an appendage I'm rather fond of. So I agreed to watch and enjoy as Buffy delivers the final blow. But I still want some shots in."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and sees the confused look on Bonnie's face "I can explain."

Bonnie nods "Please."  
Buffy opens her mouth but nothing comes out "Someone explain." Buffy says.  
Stefan turns to Bonnie and shrugs "We're gonna kill Katherine."

Buffy and Stefan then head over to Damon and Alaric. "Now, this works with compressed air." Alaric tells the three as he shows them one of the weapons "The trigger is here. I've got 2 of these in a different size."

Buffy turns to Jeremy and takes the crossbow out of his hands "Nope."  
Jeremy's eyes widen "Oh come on." He begs.  
Buffy shakes her head "Crossbows require experience and a gentle hand, plus you had your finger on the trigger and you were pointing it at me. All big no-nos, when it comes to crossbows."

Buffy turns back to Alaric "You got anything for me, unfortunately, a lot of the weapons I have, don't agree with you when you're wearing a dress."  
Alaric nods "Well I assume you'll have at least have one stake on you somehow, but I do have this." Alaric pulls out a small black bag and opens it up on the table revealing a set of knives."

Buffy whistles "Nice."  
"They won't kill her but at your request, I had any weapons for you steamed in vervain which means..."

Buffy nods and picks up one of the knives and places the base against Damon's arm, he suddenly screams "What the hell?"

Buffy smirks "It means it will hurt like hell. Plus I could easily cut off her head with one of these babies. There was this one time, with this guy with a really thick neck and all I had was this..." Buffy then remembers that her younger cousin is in the room and stops talking, she quickly turns to Alaric "Please continue."

Alaric nods "You got it." He then turns to Stefan "And for you, I recommend this. Fits nicely under a jacket sleeve. Here's the trigger when you're ready." Alaric demonstrates it then turns to Damon "You wanted me to show you weapons that are more modern than Buffy's, but still effective. You wanted me to show you how to kill vampires."

* * *

"You sure you guys don't want me there tonight?" Alaric asks once they're all ready to go.  
Buffy shakes her head "No, I need you to stay with Elena. I'd rather she not know about this. I would really rather not get yelled at till tomorrow."  
Alaric nods "Ok. I'll make sure she doesn't leave my sight."

Stefan then turns to the group "All right. If anybody wants to back out, I'll understand."  
Buffy nods as does Damon "Yeah, cold feet speak now." Damon says.  
Buffy looks at the group "Look, we can't have this going wrong, so if you want out, get out now. If one person chickens out we're screwed."

"Caroline?" Damon says.

Caroline shakes her head "I won't. She killed me. Fair's fair. As long as there are no werewolves running around."  
Damon smirks "Oh, I took care of Mason."  
"And as long as Tyler doesn't kill anyone—he won't turn." Jeremy points out.  
Buffy turns to the witch "Bon, you with us?"  
Bonnie hesitates but nods "But no one gets's hurt."

"Except Katherine." Damon says with a smile.

Buffy nods "Dumbass is right. Bitch pissed me off, she's gonna die. I just haven't decided exactly how yet. But it won't be pretty."

* * *

At the party, Damon and Stefan are standing in the middle of the large staircase watching out for the Katherine, when something catches their eyes, heading down the stairs is Buffy in a dark red leather dress with the back and arms completely covered in lace.( /images/zp8K3T)

"Hey." Buffy says as she makes her way over.  
Both guys are pulled out of their daze when she speaks "Hi." They both say.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "You guys ok? Not with the panicky right?"  
Stefan shakes his head "We're not panicked. You look beautiful by the way."

Buffy smiles "Thanks." She then turns to Damon "You hesitate and I will hurt you."  
Damon shakes his head "What? I'm not gonna hesitate."

Buffy rolls her eyes and crosses her arms "Remember jackass I have good hearing, so I may have eavesdropped on your conversation. You have spent the past 145 years loving Mary and if Katherine dies, you'll hurt her feelings so—"

"I won't hesitate." He assures her.  
Buffy nods "Good." She then turns to Stefan "She won't go near me or Damon. She'll come to you."  
Stefan nods in understanding before making his way down the stairs.

* * *

Damon and Buffy walk around the party, keeping an eye out for Mary or Katherine.  
"No sign of the witch." Damon tells Buffy.  
Buffy nods "Good. Although it may have been nice to make her watch as Katherine dies."  
Damon smirks "Vengeance, rage. It suits you."

Buffy turns to him "What's your point?"  
"Maybe your darker than you think"  
Buffy pauses in her steps and faces him fully with a frown on her face.

Damon sighs and looks down at her trying not to get too distracted by how beautiful she looked, he opened his mouth only to be cut off as he spots Jeremy walking over to them "Buffy, the room's ready."  
Buffy nods, "Damon go find your brother."  
Jeremy and Buffy then walk off.

* * *

Buffy watches in enjoyment as Caroline cries in front of Katherine before finally bursting into laughter.  
"I can't believe I did it."

As Katherine attempts to attack her friend only to be blocked by the barrier Buffy steps out of the room she had been hiding in and glares at Katherine "Hello. Katherine."  
Katherine's eyes widen but she suddenly she screams in pains as Damon shoots a stake into her back. Buffy steps into the room and kicks her in the face.

As she stumbles Stefan runs at Katherine but she pushes him off.

Katherine tries to stake Damon as he comes at her but Buffy comes up behind her and lifts her up off the ground by her hair "Aww poor little Katherine does it hurt?"

Buffy slams Katherine against the wall forcing her head into the wall painfully, when Katherine tries to hit her Buffy flips Katherine onto the ground and kicks her in the ribs.

As Damon runs over ready to stake Katherine, Jeremy runs in "Stop! You're hurting Elena. Everything you're doing to her is hurting Elena."

The three of them turn to Katherine who smirks as she stands "My witch is a thousand years old. She has friends. So something tells me my new witch is better than your witch."

Katherine takes the stake out of Damon's hand but Buffy grabs her and smashes her against the wall again "Jer, check on Elena now!"  
"Let's all make sure poor Elena is ok."

Buffy tightens her hold on Katherine's neck "I suggest you shut up. Cause the moment that spell is fixed I might just cut out your tongue."

Katherine smiles "Mary was right, you are interesting. Mary!"  
Suddenly Mary teleports into the room, "What!"

Buffy stares in shock and Katherine takes advantage of her distraction, she grabs one of the stakes and shoves it into Buffy gut.  
Buffy screams before punching Katherine sending her tumbling into the wall.

"Buffy!" Stefan and Damon yell but before they could do anything they are both thrown into the wall by Mary.

Mary moves past the boy's and over to Buffy who was now on her knees clutching her stomach which was heavily bleeding "Shh." She tells Buffy.  
She waves her hand over the wound and it starts healing. "You'll live." She tells Buffy.  
"Why?" Buffy asks as she stares up at the witch in confusion.

"Because I need you alive." She says bluntly before her eyes go dark and she turns to Katherine a look of fury filling her gaze.  
"You idiotic woman."  
"May." Katherine begs, looking truly petrified for the first time in centuries.  
Mary's eyes turn black as she raises her hands "Dimittam vinctum!"

"No!" Katherine screams as she groans in pain.  
Mary walks over to her "I warned you what would happen if you got in my way. I love you, Kat. I do. But now you're too much of nuisance for me to keep around."

Mary stands and turns to the brothers and the Slayer "I broke the binding spell. Elena's fine. Katherine's all yours. A bit of advice Stefan, what you're thinking about Katherine trading the moonstone because she was running. Well, you right. "

Mary then turns to focus on Buffy "Be seeing you soon." Mary then teleports out of the room.

Buffy turns to Katherine and smirks. She walks over to Katherine and lifts her up by the throat, she takes one of the knives she keeps attached around her thigh and drives it into Katherine gut, as she screams in agony Buffy smiles "Hurt's doesn't it? This is gonna hurt a lot more."

Buffy then grasps Katherine head between her hands and snaps the woman's neck.

* * *

A little while later after she had checked on Elena, Buffy heads down to the lake and takes a deep breath, she looks down at her dress which now had a gaping hole from where she had been stabbed and had dried blood all over it "Great" She mumbles before turning to face the water.

"Buffy." Stefan says as he makes his way over to her.  
Buffy turns to him "Hey. Where's—"  
"Damon took her. He's gonna put her and the moonstone in the tomb.."

Buffy smiles softly, enjoying the irony "Where she was supposed to be the whole time, kinda poetic."  
"Are you okay?" Stefan asks her as he spots the hole in her dress with a worried frown,

Buffy nods "Yeah, you know, for someone who got a fatal stab wound a little while ago I'm good. Whatever her reasons Mary healed me up. And threw Katherine to the wolfs it seems."  
Stefan nods "True. But maybe you should see a doctor."  
Buffy shakes her head as she interjects "No. No. Doctors and Buffy don't mix."  
Buffy takes a deep breath and closes her eyes "She's gone."

Stefan smiles "Yeah. She is." Stefan places both hands on the side of her face, but Buffy backs away "Stefan—I..."

Stefan looks at her confused before realising what was happening "Katherine being gone doesn't change anything for you, does it?"

Buffy sighs before looking at him seriously "I wanna be with you. You know that. But we still have Mary to deal with and ...I need to see that that the people in my life are gonna be safe. I need to protect them. I don't know if at the moment I can do that if we're together. Like I said I lose myself in you. And I need to know if that's a good thing or not. I'm sorry."

Buffy backs away and slowly walks away.

* * *

Buffy walks over to Elena in the parking lot "Hey you okay?"  
Elena nods "Yeah. Whatever Bonnie did it helped I'm starting to feel better. Let's just get out of here."  
"What about Jer?"  
"He's taking Bonnie home." Elena tells her.

Suddenly Buffy is grabbed from behind and a needle is inserted into her neck.  
Elena screams before she is grabbed and thrown in the car, with the unconscious Buffy.


	42. Elijah

Buffy groans slightly as she begins to stir, she doesn't open her eyes yet but tries to listen to her surroundings. She was lying on a cold wooden floor that much she could tell.

However, before she even had another second to contemplate where she was or who had taken her a loud scream fills her ears. Elena.  
Buffy's eyes slam up and she looks over to the couch where a man with dark hair trying to bite Elena as she tried to crawl away.

Buffy jumps up and runs at him, she rips him off Elena and throws him into the corner of the room, as he goes flying she grabs Elena off the couch pulling her up and moves to stand in front of her, protecting her.

"Trevor!" A woman yells as she strolls into the room furiously.  
Buffy turns towards the voice while she continues to try and block Elena from view.

"Why did you bring someone else here?"  
Trevor stands "Because...just look at her Rose."

Rose sighs in frustration and turns towards Buffy only to freezes, her whole body freezing in shock. "Dear God." She breaths as she stares at the blonde.  
Before Rose can say anything else Buffy punches her in the face and sends her crashing into the wall.

Buffy moves forward pulling Elena with her "Come on, we gotta go."  
Suddenly though Trevor appears behind Elena and hold her tightly cutting off, her oxygen supply "Move and she dies."  
Buffy freezes and holds up her hands in surrender.

Rose moves behind Buffy and places two large metal cuffs attached to chains on her wrists. She then bolts the chains to the wall.  
Rose turns back to see Trevor staring at Elena again "Control yourself." She tells him.

Trevor rolls his eyes before throwing Elena back onto the ratty couch "Buzzkill." He says before walking out of the room, but not before he glances at Buffy once more.

"What do you want from us?" Elena asks terrified.  
Rose stares at Elena intently "My god, you look just like her."  
"But I'm not. Please, whatever you want—"  
"Be quiet." Rose orders.

Buffy's eyes widen as she watches Rose's temper rise, she quickly looks over at Elena begging her cousin to stop speaking but Elena merely continues "But I'm not Katherine. My name is Elena Gilbert. That's my cousin Buffy. You don't have to do this."  
Rose groans in frustration, she was getting annoyed now "I know who you are. I said be quiet."  
"What do you want?"

Rose suddenly swings out her arm hitting Elena across the face and sending her back onto the couch "I want you to be quiet."  
"Elena!" Buffy yells as she pulls at the chains.  
"She live." Rose tells her.  
Buffy glares at her "Look I don't give a shit, what your problem is but touch my cousin again and I will end you."

Rose smiles "You interesting. You know, I know her. But not you. What's you name?"  
Buffy smirks "I'm Buffy, the vampire slayer and you are?" Buffy then headbutts Rose in the face.

Rose falls backwards onto the ground. She groans in pain before looking back up at Buffy. Rose's eyes widen as the realisation hits her "It's not possible, the Slayer, the fallen slayer. The one he's has been searching for, for almost a thousand years. Mary was right, she changed things and now you're here instead of on the Hellmouth. You know I never thought her spell would work." Rose says more to herself than anything.

Buffy raises an eyebrow "Colour me confused here. Okay, I gotta a couple questions."  
Rose sighs "In time. Answers will come." Rose then turns away and leaves the room.  
"Hey!" Buffy yells as she pulls at the chains.

* * *

After finding out Buffy and Elena were missing Stefan begins to panic "This has Katherine written all over it." Stefan says.  
Damon shakes his head "A-Buffy could kick Katherine's ass. Katherine won't go near her now that Mary's screwed her over. And B- Katherine's in the tomb. Trust me. I'm the one that shut her in."  
"Did you?"  
"Did I what, Stefan."  
"Well, I know the hold Mary has on you, maybe she asked you to let Katherine go."

Damon glares at his brother "She's in the tomb. Period. End of story." Damon pauses, he had not mentioned what had happened when he had locked Katherine up, he hadn't taken her seriously "But she did say something to me right before I shut her in. I thought she was lying."

Stefan turns to face his brother "What did she say?"  
"Buffy and Elena are in danger."  
Stefan's eyes widened "What, and you didn't think you should ask her to elaborate?"  
"Everything she says is a lie. How am I supposed to know if she's gonna start spouting off the truth."

"We have to go talk to her."

Damon shakes his head before blocking his brother from leaving the house "No, no. Let me tell you how that's gonna go. We're gonna go ask her for help. She's gonna negotiate her release, which we're gonna be dumb enough to give her, and then she's gonna get out and kill us. And if she doesn't, Buffy will. Look if someone was able to get the Buffy machine then who knows how strong they are, considering the shortie can kick both are asses, that worries me."

Stefan starts to walk away "I don't really care."  
"It's a bad idea, Stefan."  
"It's Buffy." As Stefan says it Damon expression softens, he then watches his brother storm off.

* * *

"Buffy?" Elena whispers as she wakes.  
"Shh." Buffy tells her.

Elena closes her mouth and listens to the voices of Rose and Trevor:

 _T: So you called him?_  
 _R: No. I called one of his contacts. You know how this works."  
T: Did you or did you not get the message to Elijah?"_  
 _R: They say he got it."_

Elena takes her attention away from the conversation and silently stands to make her way over to Buffy "What's happening Buffy?" She asks terrified.

Buffy shakes her head "I don't know but Elena, listen to me. You have to get out of here."  
Elena shakes her head panicked "What? No. I'm not gonna leave you here. They'll kill you."  
"You don't know that. But I can handle myself. Elena, you need to run, whoever is coming is coming for you, so I need you to run."

Elena sighs, she tries to move towards Buffy but the floor creaks.  
"You!" Rose exclaims as she spots Elena. "Back away from the Slayer."

Elena nods and backs away, Rose then moves in front of her "There's nothing around here for miles. You can't get her down which means you are tragically wrong is you think you can get out of this house. Understand?"

"Who's Elijah?" Elena asks after a long moment, Rose was angry and she needed to distract her plus her own curiosity was biting at her.  
"He's your worst nightmare." Rose then walks off.  
"Hey!" Buffy calls "Why does she gets an answer to a question and I don't."

* * *

"Alaric sure likes his weapons. Almost as much as Slayer." Damon says as he and Stefan continue to drive to the location Bonnie gave them.  
"What the hell is that?" He asks Stefan who was playing with one of the grenades.  
Stefan places the grenade back in the bag before glancing at his brother "Well, it's a vervain bomb or grenade launcher or something like that."  
"Weird." Damon replies "Although beats out using a crossbow."

"Hey, how much farther is it?" Stefan asks.  
"About 80 miles."  
"Who do you think took them?"

Damon shrugs "Someone from Katherine's past. She said she was running from someone. The thing is whoever took them got a jump on Buffy. And whoever has her now, is strong enough to keep her a prisoner. Cause we both know by now that girl should have broken out of wherever they took her."

Stefan turns to his brother, a serious look covering his face "Thank you for helping me."

Damon rolls his eyes at that, he just wanted to find Buffy and Elena and get this whole thing over with "Can we not do the whole road trip bonding thing? The cliché of it all makes me itch."  
Stefan chuckles at that "Oh, come on, Damon. We both know that you being in this car has absolutely nothing to do with me, anyway."  
Damon raises an eyebrow stunned Stefan was being so blunt about the subject "The elephant in the room lets out a mighty roar."

Stefan shrugs "Well, it doesn't have to be an elephant. Let's talk about it."  
Damon chuckles "There's nothing to talk about."  
"That's not true. Sure there is. Let's get it out. I mean, are you in this car because you want to help your little brother save a girl that he loves and one of his good friends, or is it—is it because you love her, too? I mean, come on. Express yourself. I happen to like road-trip bonding."

"Keep it up, Stefan." Damon tells him "I can step out of helping as easily as I stepped in."

Stefan shakes his head "Nope. See, that's the beauty of it. You can't." Damon glances at his brother with a glare but turns his focus back to the road.

* * *

"Why are we here?" Elena asks Rose, who was currently moving around the room.  
"You keep asking me these questions like I'm gonna answer them." Rose responds.  
Buffy turns to Rose "Hey maybe if you let me down, you and I could have a chat."

Rose chuckles "Yes because releasing one of the strongest Slayers in history, who I have happened to piss off is an excellent idea."  
Buffy shrugs "Maybe if you answer some questions, I'll let you live."

"Not gonna happen." Rose tells her.

Elena steps forward "You got us. Ok? Buffy's chained up so it's not like we can go anywhere. The least you can do is tell us what you want with us."  
Buffy nods "Yeah and maybe finishing that little bit about Mary and some thousand-year-old search for _'the fallen slayer'._ Cause I'm still coming up blank here."  
"I personally want nothing." Rose tells them "I'm just a delivery service."

Buffy raises an eyebrow "Delivery service? Where's the little red bike and basket?"

Rose chuckles but stops when she hears Elena speak "Delivery to who? Elijah?"  
"Ah heh. 2 points to the eavesdropper."  
"Who is he?" Elena asks "Is he a vampire?"  
"He's one of the vampires, the originals."  
Buffy looks at her confused "Like the Master?"

Rose shakes her head "No, that's for the other kind."  
"So what are the Originals?" Elena asks.  
"Haven't the Salvatore's been teaching the both of you vampire history. And not the kind you accustomed to Miss. Slayer."  
"You knew Stefan and the dumbass?" Buffy asks.

Rose chuckles "Interesting nickname. And yes, I know of them. A hundred years back, a friend of mine tried to set me up with Stefan. She said he was one of the good ones. I'm more of a sucker for the bad boys though, but I digress."

Buffy rolls her eyes "Look, this is great and all, but can you get to the explain-y part?"

Rose sighs but turns to face them "Trevor and I have been running for 500 years. We're tired. We want it over. We're using Elena here to negotiate ourselves out of an old mess. You, Buffy, are just a lucky coincidence. Once they know we have you they will do whatever it takes to get you."

Buffy sighs "Okay still slightly confused here. But let's start with the simple stuff. Why Elena?"  
"Because she's a Petrova doppelgänger. You're the key to breaking the curse."  
"Curse?" Elena asks confused "The sun and the moon curse?"  
Rose tilts her head "Ohh, you do know your history."

"What do you mean the key?" Buffy asks "I thought that moonstone, soap looking thing breaks the curse."  
Rose turns to Buffy "No. The moonstone is what binds the curse. Sacrifice is what breaks it."  
"Sacrifice?"  
"The blood of the doppelgänger." Rose explains "Elena's the doppelgänger, which means in order to break the curse, she's the one that has to die."

Buffy freezes, she couldn't believe that Elena had to die. The blonde glances over at Elena who was staring at the vampire in horror.

Buffy takes a deep breath before turning back to Rose "Hey, it's my turn now. You just told me that my cousin is going to be sacrificed, which kinda pisses me off. So tell me what I wanna know."  
"Captivity has made the both of them pushy, eh?" Trevor says as enters the room.

"What do you wanna slayorlicious?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Never call me that again. And I want Rose and me to finish the conversation from after she knocked out Elena."  
Rose chuckles "You're lucky I like you. Fine. I'm guessing I should start with Mary?"  
Buffy nods "Yep."

"Fine. You're not a Doppelgänger. Mary did not always look the way she does now, all I know is that many years ago something happened and she ended up with your face."

Buffy's eyes widen "Huh?"

Rose sighs "Mary is a thousand-year-old witch trained by one of the most powerful witches of all time. She was close to the Originals until a big falling out. As payback for what happened Mary used a large amount of dark magic to change fate. And it seems it worked. You see there is a Prophecy about the Fallen Slayer and one of the Originals. You were supposed to be on the Hellmouth, Mary altered fate so that you would leave. Which means the Original looking for you has no idea where you are."

Buffy just shakes her head "Fate, prophecy, not words I like. And what's the gest with the whole Fallen Slayer thing?"  
Rose shrugs "Not sure. Are we done now?"  
Buffy smiles and shakes her head "Nope. It's Elena's turn again."  
Elena turns to Rose "Who are you running from?"

"The Originals." Trevor answers.  
"Yeah, she said that. What does that mean?"  
"The first family—" He explains "The old world—Rose and I pissed 'em off."  
Rose clears her throat "Correction—" Trevor says "I pissed them off. Rose had my back. And for over half a millennium, they've wanted us dead."

"Colour me curious." Buffy says as she stops pulling at the chains "What'd ya do?"  
"He made the same mistake countless others did." Rose tells the cousins "He trusted Katerina Petrova."  
"Katherine." Elena clarifies.

"The one and only—the first Petrova doppelgänger."

"I helped her escape her fate." Trevor tells them "And now I've—sorry, we've—been marked ever since."  
"Which is why we're not gonna make the same mistake again." Rose says before she and Trevor leave the room.

Elena huffs and walks over to the couch as she sits she notices something by her foot, she picks up the piece of paper only to see a message from Bonnie _'D and S coming for you both – B.'_ Elena smiles and quickly stands and quieting walks over to Buffy.

"Elena, what is it?"  
Elena shows her the note causing Buffy to smile "Bout damn time." Buffy says before going back to pulling at the chains.

* * *

Buffy and Elena watch as Trevor enters the room panicked "He's here." He tells Rose "This was a mistake."  
Rose tries to calm him "No, I told you I would get us out of this. You have to trust me."  
"No! He wants me dead, Rose!"  
"He wants her more." She says pointing at Elena "And think what will happen when he learn we found the Fallen Slayer."

"I can't do this. You give her to him, he'll have mercy on you. Hell giving him the Slayer will most probably make you the safest person on the planet. But I need to get out of here."

"Hey." Rose says still trying to reassure him "What are we?"  
Trevor closes his eyes and takes a deep breath "We're family. Forever."

Suddenly there is a pounding on the door and the vampire look at the hall terrified "You're scared." Elena realises.  
"Genuinely, when the bad guys are scared of something..." Buffy says "That something is bad like bad bad."  
Rose turns to Trevor "Stay here with them and don't make a sound."

"I can't see a thing from here." Buffy says.  
Trevor places a hand over her mouth. "You here for a reason, you're the surprise gift, he's more likely to grant freedom if we give him you."

Buffy shakes him off and huffs "Fine. But when I get out of here, you'll have to run from me."  
Trevor rolls his eyes "Shut up."

Suddenly a look of fear comes across his face "He's here." He whispers.

Buffy looks over Trevor's shoulder to see a man standing in front of Elena before she could call out Trevor places duck tape over her mouth. Forcing Buffy to just watch.

Elijah moves closer and smells Elena's neck, as he pulls away a look of astonishment crosses his face "Human. It's impossible. Hello there." He says to the terrified Elena.  
"Well, we have a long journey ahead. We should be going." Elijah says to Elena.  
"Elijah, there's more..." Rose starts.

"No!" Elena screams "Leave my cousin out of this. Please."  
Rose looks at her sadly as Elijah turns to Rose confused "What is she talking about, Rose-Marie?"  
Rose sighs "When we took her, we found something else. Trevor."

Trevor nods and moves out of the way revealing the still chained Buffy.

Buffy slowly lifts her head and glares at Trevor, she tries to speak but can't. She pulls at the chains again but only manages to move them slightly.  
Elijah stares wide-eyed at the blonde and moves closer to her "How-? How did you find her?" He asks Rose.

"They were together. They're cousins." Rose tells him.

Elijah moves closer so he is standing right in front of Buffy, he slowly pulls the duck tape from her mouth, the moment he does Buffy turns to Trevor and Rose "I swear to God, if anything happens to my cousin, just because he lets you go doesn't mean I will."

Elijah moves to touch her but Buffy tightens her hold in the chains and flips herself backwards kicking him in the face. Elijah lands on the opposite end of the room and instead of being angry he just smiles "Slayer. We never thought we would find you."

He then turns to Rose and Trevor "Before we leave one last piece of business."  
"I've waited so long for this day, Elijah." Trevor says "I'm truly very sorry."  
"Oh, no, your apology's not necessary."  
"Yes. Yes, it is." He continues as Elijah circles him "You trusted me with Katerina...and I failed you."

"Oh, yes, you are the guilty one, and Rose aided you because she was loyal to you. That, I honour." Elijah moves to stand right in front of Trevor "Where was your loyalty?"  
"I beg your forgiveness."  
"So granted." He says before swinging out his arm and cleanly removing Trevor's head.

"Noooo!" Rose screams as she crouches down by her best friend's body in despair.  
"Don't Rose," Elijah tells her "Now that you are free."  
Elijah turns back to Buffy and Elena "We must go." He tells them as he starts to move towards Buffy.

"What about the moonstone?" Elena asks panicked.  
"Elena." Buffy hisses "Don't."  
Elijah turns to the brunette "What do you know about the moonstone?"  
"I know that you need it, and I know where it is."  
"Yes."  
"I can help you get it."  
"Tell me where it is." He tells her.  
Elena shakes her head "It doesn't work that way."

Elijah smiles "Are you negotiating with me?" He turns to Rose "It's the first I've heard of it." She assures him.

Elijah turns back to Elena and looks into her eyes when nothing happens he sighs "What is this vervain doing around your neck?" He grabs the back of her head.  
"Elena!" Buffy screams, she pulls on the chains and manages to pull them from the wall, the moment she does she runs at Elijah and tackles him to the ground.

Elijah throws her off and slams Buffy against the wall "Where is it?"  
Buffy headbutts him "Can't be compelled dumbass."

Elijah smiles "True, but..." Elijah does the same with Buffy's necklace and places both hands on the side of her head. "...I can't control you. But I am capable of seeing."

Elijah closes his eyes and sees flashes of aspects of Buffy's life.

 _Merrick: "Your destiny awaits"_  
 _Buffy: I don't have a destiny. I'm destiny-free really._  
 _M: Yes, you have. You are the chosen one. You alone can stop them._  
 _B: "Who?_  
 _M:"The vampires._  
 _B:"Huh?_

 _B:"Sorry you had to wait. Ok, look, if you're gonna be popping up with this cryptic wise man act on a regular basis, can you at least tell me your name?"_  
 _A:"Angel."_  
 _B:"Angel... It's a pretty name"_

 _Buffy: So that's it, huh? I remember the drill: one slayer dies, the next one's called. I wonder who she is. Will you train her? Or will they send someone else?_  
 _Giles: Buffy, I..._  
 _Buffy: Does it say how he's gonna kill me? Do you think it'll hurt?_  
 _[Angel walks towards her]_  
 _Buffy: Don't touch me! Were you even gonna tell me?_  
 _Giles: I was hoping I wouldn't have to, that there was some way around it. I..._  
 _Buffy: I've got a way around it: I quit._  
 _Giles: It's not that simple._  
 _Buffy: I'm making it that simple: I quit! I resign! I-I'm fired! You can find someone else to stop The Master from taking over._  
 _Giles: I'm not sure that anyone else can. All the signs indicate..._  
 _Buffy: Signs? Read me the signs! Tell me my fortune! You're so useful, sitting here with all of your books, you're really a lot of help!_  
 _Giles: No, I don't suppose I am._  
 _Angel: I know this is hard._  
 _Buffy: What do you know about this? You're never gonna die!_  
 _Angel: You think I want anything to happen to you? Do you think I could stand it? We just gotta figure out a way._  
 _Buffy: I already did. I quit, remember? Pay attention!_  
 _Giles: Buffy, if The Master rises..._  
 _Buffy: I don't care! I don't care. Giles, I'm 16 years old. I don't wanna die._

 _The Master: You tried. It was noble of you. You heard the prophecy that I was about to break free and you came to stop me. But prophecies are tricky creatures. They don't tell you everything. You're the one that sets me free. If you hadn't come, I couldn't go. Think about that._

 _The Master: You're dead!_  
 _Buffy: I may be dead, but I'm still pretty. Which is more than I can say for you._  
 _The Master: You were destined to die! It was written!_  
 _Buffy: What can I say? I flunked the written._

 _Buffy: Open your eyes, Mom. What do you think has been going on for the past two years? The fights, the weird occurrences... how many times have you washed blood out of my clothing, and you still haven't figured it out?_  
 _Joyce Summers: Well, it stops now!_  
 _Buffy: No, it doesn't stop! It never stops! Do-do you think I chose to be like this? Do you have any idea how lonely it is, how dangerous? I would love to be upstairs watching TV or gossiping about boys or, God, even studying! But I have to save the world, again._

 _Angel: Buffy? What's going on? Where are we? I-I don't remember._  
 _Buffy: Angel?_  
 _Angel: You're hurt. Oh, Buffy... God. I... I feel like I haven't seen you in months. Oh, my God, everything's so muddled. I... Oh. Oh, Buffy... What's happening?_  
 _Buffy: Shh. Don't worry about it._  
 _[kisses him]_  
 _Buffy: I love you._  
 _Angel: I love you._  
 _Buffy: Close your eyes._  
 _[kisses him again then runs him through with the sword]_  
 _Angel: Buffy..._

 _Stefan: "You ok?"_  
 _Buffy: "Wait, were you the one following me?"_  
 _Stefan: "No, I, uh, I just – I saw you fall."_  
 _Buffy: "Yeah-uh, and what you just happen to be chilling in a cemetery."_  
 _Stefan: "I'm visiting. I have family here."_  
 _Buffy: "Oh, god I'm sorry. It's just there was the fog and the crow and it just went bad, very bad. God, I sound like a crazy person. I'm Buffy._  
 _Stefan: "I'm Stefan."_

 _Stefan: "What are you?"_  
 _Buffy: "Capricorn on the Cusp of Aquarius. You?"_  
 _Stefan: "I'm sorry it's just your human but your stronger than any vampire it doesn't make sense."_  
 _Buffy: "I thought a 100-year-old vampire like yourself would have figured it out by now I'm the Slayer. Slayer? Chosen one? She who hangs out a lot in cemeteries? You're kidding me! Ask around. Look it up. Slayer, comma, The."_  
 _Stefan: "You're The Slayer? I thought it was a myth."_  
 _Buffy: "Well you were myth-taken."_

 _Damon: "By the anger in your eyes I'm gonna go on a limb and guess. Stefan finally fessed up. But here's what odd you're not afraid of me."_  
 _[Buffy punches him in the face, flips over him and kicks the back of his knees so he falls. She pins his hands behind his back then lifts him shoving him against the wall.]_  
 _Buffy: "What the hell do you want?"_  
 _Damon: "Well if you would let me go I would gladly explain."_  
 _[Buffy pulls on his arm threatening to pull it from place]_  
 _Damon:"Geez super blonde, I'm just looking for Stefan."_  
 _[Buffy releases him]_  
 _Damon: "Damn you've got fire I like that. Are you sure you wanna date my brother I think your too much fire for his innocent little self."_  
 _Buffy: "Cut to the chase Damon. Or I start removing body parts. Who knows maybe I'll rip out your ribcage and wear it as a hat."_

 _Buffy: "No. He's alive. I couldn't just let him die. So I went to get the cure. The problem was the cure was the blood of the Slayer. I tried to kill Faith."_  
 _Elena: "Wait what?"_  
 _Buffy: "I stabbed her, but she threw herself off the top of a building before I could take her to Angel. She's in a coma."_  
 _Elena: "So you didn't kill her. So how is Angel alive?"_  
 _Buffy: "I made him drink from me. I almost died. And after the battle, he left."_  
 _Elena: "Buffy, I'm so sorry."_  
 _Buffy: "I know I shouldn't be sad that Angel's gone. But I just feel like—"_  
 _Elena: "He was your first love. It's understandable. But everything is going to be alright. I promise."_

 _Katherine: "May."_  
 _Mary:"Dimittam vinctum!"_  
 _Katherine: "No!"_  
 _Mary:"I warned you what would happen if you got in my way. I love you, Kat. I do. But now your too much of nuisance for me to keep around." [Turns to the brothers] "I broke the binding spell. Elena's fine. Katherine's all yours. A bit of advice Stefan, what you're thinking about Katherine trading the moonstone because she was running. Well, you right. "_  
 _Mary: "Be seeing you soon." [Mary then teleports out of the room.]_

 _Buffy: [she walks over to Katherine and lifts her up by the throat she takes one of the knives she keeps attached around her thigh and drives it into Katherine's gut.]_  
 _Buffy:"Hurt's doesn't it? This is gonna hurt a lot more." [Snaps Katherine's neck.]_

Elijah releases Buffy and she falls to the ground, "Your life has been rather interesting. So Katerina has the moonstone in the tomb. And it seems as though Mary is still playing games. Interesting."  
Buffy coughs "Oh, I am so gonna kill you."

Suddenly the sound of glass shattering echoes through the house "What was that?" Elijah asks Rose "I don't know." She responds.  
"Who else is in this house?"  
"I don't know." Elijah glares at Rose before grabbing the chains still attached to Buffy's wrist and pulling her up from the ground. He wraps the chains around her ribs and then drags her along with him. "Take the other one." He tells Rose.

Rose nods and grabs Elena by the arm dragging her alone "Move!" Elijah orders them.  
"Get the hell off me head chopper." Buffy exclaims.

Suddenly a figure moves past them too fast to see "Rose?" Elijah says.  
"I don't know who it is." She tells him.  
Buffy smirks "Idiots." She mutters.  
Elijah tightens his hold on her causing the chains to begin crushing her ribs "Who is it?"  
Buffy smiles sweetly "I'm sorry, I don't help sociopaths who go through my personal thoughts."  
"Up here." A voice says from above them.

Elijah runs up the stairs only to hear another voice from below "Down here."  
Suddenly a stake buries its self in Elijah's hand.

Elijah looks down the stairs to see both Elena and Rose gone and Buffy no longer with chains on her, smiling up at him with her hands behind her back.  
Elijah turns to Buffy "You're making a mistake if you think you can beat me. You can't. Even with these friends of your."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, I make mistakes a lot. So let's do this."  
"Just because I won't kill you doesn't mean I can't hurt you."  
"We'll see about that."

Suddenly Buffy swings one of the chains at him which she had hidden behind her back. It wraps itself around him, the moment it does Buffy pulls causing Elijah to fall down the stairs.

Buffy walks over to the wooden coat rack by the door and snaps it in two before quickly running back to Elijah, she forces it down but Elijah grabs the end of it and rips it from Buffy's grasp before standing.  
Elijah goes to hit her but she backflips away, she sends a roundhouse kick to his face and attempts to flip over his head. However, mid-air he catches her and tosses her onto the ground "You cannot beat me, child."

Buffy flips herself back up "Well, you know what they say, fail once...alright I don't actually know what they say. Or who _they_ are."

Buffy swings the chain again and when Elijah goes to hit her she catches his fist with the chain, she then twists the chain so Elijah is forced to turn away from her. Buffy then kicks him in the centre of his back sending him flying across the room.

"Stop!" Elena says as she appears at the top of the stairs.  
Buffy momentarily distracted losses sight on Elijah who comes up behind her, ripping the chain from her grasp and holds it tightly around her throat.  
"Elena, run." Buffy manages to get out before she is silenced by Elijah.

"I'll go with you." Elena tells him. "Just please don't hurt our friends. They just wanted to help Buffy and me out. Leave Buffy and them and I'll go with you."

"What game are you playing with me?"

Suddenly Elena pulls out a vervain grenade and unhooks it. Buffy manages to push herself away from Elijah quickly enough to miss the blast.

Elijah screams in agony but quickly heals, he starts up the stairs only to have Stefan appear and start shooting stakes at him. When he runs out, he tackles Elijah and the two go crashing down the stairs towards Buffy.

Elijah kicks Stefan away before turning to Buffy, she swings her arm out but he catches it "I have indulged this too long." He says before snapping her arm.  
"Buffy!" Stefan yells as she screams.

Elijah then takes her by the throat and throws her upwards causing her to crash through the ceiling. Buffy groans in pain as she lands on the upstairs level but as she moves the floor beneath her gives out and she comes crashing down through the floor and lands on the ground by Elena.

Buffy looks up and sees Damon run at Elijah with a massive stake and pin him to the door killing him.  
"Buffy are you okay?" Elena panics as she runs over.  
"Oh, I'm a hoot and a half." Buffy jokes.  
"Buffy, you're bleeding." Elena tells her.

Buffy looks down to see both her leg and her side bleeding "That's not good."  
"Stefan!" Elena calls.

Buffy begins to stand on shaky feet but begins to fall, Stefan catches her and lifts her into his arms "Come on. We're gonna get you fixed."  
As he walks her to the door Buffy looks over at Damon 'Thank You, Dumbass' she mouths.  
Damon gives her a smile 'You welcome, blondie' he mouths back.

* * *

"Where's Buffy and Elena?" Damon asks as Stefan walks into the room. "They're home. Elena's gonna keep an eye on Buffy tonight, her injuries are bad, she's gonna make sure Buffy doesn't try and go out and patrol with a dislocated shoulder and several broken ribs as well as two stab wounds."  
Damon chuckles "Girl, will most probably find some way around Elena. So you're here why?"

"Buffy wanted to be with her family. Jeremy and Elena." Stefan explains.  
"Here." Damon says as he offers him a drink.  
"Thanks. Listen what Rose told Buffy and Elena about the curse..."

Damon nods "I know. We'll keep them safe. Although the blonde is likely to run off if we start treating her like a –"

"Damsel in distress yeah." Stefan finishes "You know the only way we're gonna be able to do that is if we're not fighting each other. We let Mary come between us. We let that happen with Buffy, we're not gonna be able to help her in this fight, or protect her. Even if she doesn't think she needs it."

Damon raises an eyebrow "Yes, Stefan. Heard it all before." He says before downing his drink.  
"Hey."  
"What?"  
"I'm sorry." Stefan explains.  
Damon rolls his eyes "About what?"  
"For being the guy who made you turn 145 years ago."  
"Enough, Stef. It's late. We don't need to rehash that."

Stefan stands from his seat "You know what? I've never said it out loud. I guess I just need to say it, and you need to hear it. I'm sorry. What I did was selfish. I didn't want to be alone. Guess I just needed my brother."

* * *

Damon stands outside Buffy's window trying to think of what to do next.  
"Well, well, well. Hello, Damon." Mary says as she walks out of the shadows.  
Damon huffs in annoyance "What are you doing here?"  
"Just out for a stroll. You?"  
"None of your business."  
Mary chuckles "Really? So you do realise if you tell her what you wanna tell her, you can't take it back. You can't compel it away. It's out there."

Damon rolls his eyes "What do you want?"  
"Here." She says as she tosses him a small vial of clear liquid.  
Damon stares at it confused "What the hell is this?"

"A small dose of memory potion, I've been working on it a long time pour it on the gift you have for her. That amount gives you about two minutes to get it out. To tell her. It will then take away those two minutes once she's wearing it again."

"Why are you doing this?"  
Mary sighs "I owe you. That night I showed up at your house. It was a favour to Katerina, she asked me to break you. So I did. I owe you. Plus I'd rather not have the slayer confused over feelings when she needs to be focused."  
"What do you want from her?"  
Mary shrugs "That's for me to know and you to dot dot dot." Mary gives him a smile before teleporting away.

Damon sighs and runs a hand through his hair before looking down at the vial. Carefully he takes Buffy's necklace out of his pocket and pours the liquid over the necklace.

* * *

Buffy winces as she touches her shoulder, which Jeremy had helped her put back into place. She slowly limps into her room only to spot Damon sitting by the window "Cute Pj's." He tells her.  
Buffy looks down at her yummy sushi PJ's before looking back at Damon "What are you doing here? I'd really rather get some sleep. You know try and heal."  
Damon nods "How's your shoulder?"

"Back in place, but hurts like hell. Don't change the subject."  
Damon chuckles and stands "I brought you these." He says holding out two necklaces. "Thought you and your cousin would want them back."

"Figured those be gone." Buffy says stunned.

Damon shakes his head and places Elena's necklace on the table but keeps a hold of Buffy's "Thanks." Buffy says as she tries to take it back but Damon pulls it out of her reach "Damon, please give it back. I've already had one person going through my memories today, it's a painful experience, so I swear—"

Damon cuts her off "No. Look I just have to say something."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "And you need my necklace because?"

Damon sighs "Look this may not make sense to you. But right now I just need to get this out. Because what I'm about to say is...probably the most selfish thing I've ever said in my life."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Damon, don't...don't do this."  
Damon steps closer to her "No. I just have to say it once. You just need to hear it. I love you, Buffy. And it's because I love you that...I can't be selfish with you. Why you can't know this. I don't deserve you...but my brother does."

Damon steps closer again and places a soft kiss on her forehead. As he pulls away he looks down at her sadly "God I wish you didn't have to forget this...but you do." As a tear falls Damon places the necklace around her neck and quickly heads out the window.

A moment later Buffy blinks slightly confused, she stares at the window for a moment, she didn't remember opening the window. She frowns for a second before turning to hit the light switch only to spot Elena's necklace on the nightstand, as she does she looks down only to spot her own necklace resting around her neck.

Frowning in confusion she glances around the room one last time before switching off the light and heading over to bed.


	43. Marianna

**A/N: Marianna - Think Adelaide Kane from Teen Wolf and Reign**

10th Century A.D

A young woman with grey eyes and long dark curly hair paces the small room as the older blonde woman sits at the small table.  
"Esther, please." The stunning raven haired beauty begs, she couldn't do this and couldn't comprehend how Esther could ask of her such a task "You cannot ask this of me."

Esther stands turns to the raven haired girl, placing her hands on the girl's arms "Please, Marianna you are my last hope. The spirits have turned on me. I need your help."  
Marianna shakes her head pulling away before staring at her in horror "It's inhuman, it goes against all the laws of nature."

"These are my children, Marianna. I have already lost so much. You know that it's possible, you have the sight. Marianna, you know it can work."

Esther walks over to her and places a hand on her cheek much like a mother would do when comforting her own child. "You have immortality now. You can help me. Please, I took you in after your mother, aunt and father passed, raised you as though you were my own. So please, do this for me."

Marianna sighs, she contemplates what to do, if she did this she could lose everything, but if she didn't...she could lose the only family she had ever known "The spirits gave me immortality to help guide the future generations. Not to use my power for this."

Marianna begins to leave the room but hesitates at the door when she sees Elijah and Finn with Rebekah outside. Marianna closes her eyes, they were her family and despite her promise to the spirits, she couldn't lose them "I can't do the spell. But I will help you, I will show you how to help them."

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present Day

"Hello, Buffy. Elena." Damon says as he answers the door for Buffy and Elena.  
Buffy nods "Stef here? He called all with the important drama and stuff."

"Right this way." He says as he opens the door for her, as she steps through the door Damon looks away, he hadn't spoken to Buffy since his big confession, he had worried that Mary had been screwing with him and that it wouldn't work but clearly Buffy had no memory of what he had told her.

Buffy and Elena walk through the door and into the hall.

"Hey. Are you okay?" Stefan asks Buffy as he walks into the hallway and makes his way over to her taking one of her hands while cupping her cheek in his palm.  
Buffy nods and squeezes his hand slightly "I heal fast. So what's the jest?"

Stefan moves to the side revealing Rose "You." Elena says shocked.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Does no one take my death threats seriously anymore?"

* * *

"Ok, you have to understand I only know what I've picked up over the years." Rose tells them as they all sit in the living room "And I don't know what's true and what's not true. That's the problem with all this vampire crap. It makes me envy the other kind. But Klaus, I know is real."

Buffy looks at her confused. "Klaus?"

Rose nods "Apparently he's the one from the Fallen Slayer prophecy." Buffy's eyes widen, so that was the jackass that was gonna ruin her life. 'Great' she thinks sarcastically.  
"What is the prophecy?" Stefan asks curiously, Buffy had only mentioned it when he had brought her home, nothing concrete.  
Rose shrugs "No one knows except Klaus."

"Who is he?" Elena asks.  
"One of the Originals." Damon explains "He's a legend."  
"From the first generation of vampires." Stefan clarifies.  
"Like Elijah?"  
Rose rolls her eyes at Elena "No. Elijah was the easter bunny compared to Klaus."

Buffy gives Rose a pointed look "Says the girl who didn't get thrown through a ceiling and have her arm dislocated." As she speaks Stefan places a hand on Buffy's knee keeping her calm.

Buffy glances at her boyfriend smiling softly before focusing back on the Klaus problem.  
"I'm sorry but it's the truth. He was a foot soldier. Klaus is the real deal."  
"Klaus is known to be the oldest." Stefan tells them.

Buffy nods "Okay, I think I got it. Oldest vampire in time from your species wants to sacrifice Elena on an alter... and then something to do with me."  
"Yes." Rose says while both Brothers say no.  
"What they're saying is—" Damon says "I mean if what she's saying is true..."

"Which it is." Rose argues.  
"And you're not just saying it so Buffy won't kill you..."  
"Which I'm not."  
Damon shrugs "Then we're lookin' at a solid maybe."

Buffy sighs, this was all getting so complicated, it was like she had never left the damn Hellmouth "From what Giles told me about the curse this morning, I think I'm team Rose on this."

Rose smiles while Damon moans irritated.

"Look, Elijah's dead, right?" Stefan says as he stands and circles the group "So no one else even knows that the both of you exist."  
"Not that you know of."Rose says.  
"That's not helping." Damon tells her.  
"She's right." Buffy tells him "Think about it Damon, Mary knows about us and she's not exactly predictable. Plus like Rose explained to me Mary changed fate, but that's it. Which means that while no one else knows about Elena, everyone loyal to Klaus..."

"Will be searching for you."Rose finishes.

Stefan tries to calm everyone "Look, other than Mary I've never even met anyone who's laid eyes on him. And she's a manipulative liar. We're talking about Mary's word plus centuries of truth mixed with fiction. We don't know what's real."

"He's real." Rose assures them "And he doesn't give up. If he wants something, he gets it. If you're not afraid of Klaus then you're an idiot."  
"All right we're shaking." Damon jokes "You've made your point."  
Suddenly Elena stands "Buffy. Can we-?"

Buffy, noticing how freaked her cousin looked nods, she knew Elena was struggling with all of this, and this conversation was most probably just making it worse "Sure."

Buffy grabs her bag and starts to follow Elena "Where are you going?" Stefan asks with a worried frown, Buffy was still injured and vulnerable.

Buffy turns to him "School. We're late. Although expected from me, it's not for Elena. So we're gonna go."

Stefan stands "Let me, uh—let me grab my stuff. I'll go with you."  
Buffy shakes her head "It's cool. We're fine." Buffy then follows Elena out of the house.  
"Older cousin's in denial. Blondie is protective." Damon tells Rose once the girls are gone.  
Stefan glares at him "Shut up, Damon."

* * *

"You want me to what?!" Buffy asks Elena as she and Caroline walk with her down the stairs towards the tomb.

"I need you to keep Mary busy." Elena explains "Look you said it, she's unpredictable. One minute she's Katherine's sidekick and the next she is throwing her under the bus. I need you to make sure she doesn't have a change of heart while I'm talking to Katherine."

Buffy shakes her head, she didn't like any aspect of this plan, she didn't want to put Elena at risk "How the hell am I even supposed to find her. Girl's a teleporter. Tel-eport-er. Meaning she could be on a beach in Spain at the moment for all we know."

Elena sighs "You know she's keeping an eye on you. So she's more likely to reveal herself around you. Plus this means you can learn the rest of her story."

Buffy runs a hand through her hair "I don't like this." She says before looking at her cousin seriously "But I get it."  
Buffy turns to Caroline "Remember your job right?"  
Caroline nods "I still don't know how I let you talk me into this. I'm a terrible liar."  
"Look, just keep Stefan busy. He's been extra protective-y since the whole Buffy gets's thrown through a ceiling thing."

"Stefan's gonna see right through me."  
Buffy sighs "Care, you're our friend. Do you promise?"  
Caroline groans, she hated it when they double team on her with the girl-code "Stupid cousins, a double whopper of the girl code. So not fair." She moans before rolling her eyes "Fine. I'll do it."

Buffy grins "Good She says before she turns to Elena "You ready?"  
Elena nods, as she does Buffy steps forward and lifts the tomb door.

Once the door is open, Buffy turns to her "Stay on this side. Don't do anything stupid. And remember Klaus only. Don't digress. I'm giving you a small period of time to do this then I coming back. You understand?"

Elena smiles, despite Buffy being a few months younger she always acted like a protective big sister, even though Elena was exactly the same "Yes." She says before hugging the blonde tightly and whispering in her ear "Be careful."

* * *

Buffy walks into the middle of the woods and sighs "This is stupid. Not gonna work."  
Buffy kicks at the floor and takes a deep breath "Mary!" She calls "Mary, come on I know you and your crazy bat ears are watching me."

After a long moment of silence Buffy groans in annoyance, the one time that bitch of a witch doesn't show up was the one time she needed her too.  
"Bloody hell, your voice is loud. You called?"  
Buffy spins round to face the voice, only to spot Mary leaning against a tree.

"Well, I haven't got all bleeding day." She sighs, slightly irritated.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Okay, drama queen. Look I have a little something for you."

Buffy slowly pulls out two large books and holds them up allowing Mary to read the titles "Von Swartzschild" Mary reads "Been a long time since I heard that name. What's the other one?"  
Buffy shrugs "I figured you're not gonna tell me jack, so I have a gift for you."

Mary looks at the book curiously "What is it?" She asks genuinely curious, if there was anything that would capture her attention it was a book. She was worse than Rory Gilmore in that regard.

"This book is one of the Books of Ascension." Buffy tells her holding back to smirk as she spots Mary's eyes widening "Took it back after the battle with the Mayor. I figured you'd find it interesting."  
Mary grins "I've always been curious about Ascensions. You have a deal. Gimme."

Buffy shakes her head as the witch holds out her hands towards the book "Hold your horses. Talk. Then you get the book material."  
"Fine. Have it your way." Mary looks around the forest "But, first. If we're gonna talk that's gonna happen somewhere not so...miserable and depressing."

Suddenly Mary waves her hands and the next second the two of them are sitting in a beautiful library.

"What the—Where are we?" Buffy asks as she stares around confused before she begins feeling dizzy and sick, she quickly to lean on the table to balance herself.

Mary smiles before walking around the wobbly Slayer and over to one of the bookshelves where her hand hovers over the written material "This is one of my favourite places. It's my library, I've been expanding my collection for years. Yet I have never been able to get ahold of that book. I figured this would be an appropriate location."

Buffy takes several deep breaths before she sits down at the table and places the Von Swartzschild book on the table, "I've gone through this once or twice. There's not much. Only that your mother and father were killed in Europe and then you disappeared, assumed dead."

Mary sits and taps her fingers on the glass table "It's a rather complicated and long story. But the simple version; it was over a thousand years ago, my parents were killed in a fire while I was still young. I survived because my father's sister got me away. We got on a boat and went to the New World. That's how I lived."

Buffy nods "What about you and the Originals?"

* * *

Spain, 1252

"Make it stop!" Marianna begs as she holds her head before crying out in agony and collapsing on the ground.  
"Marianna! What's wrong?" Elijah asks as he enters the room.

Suddenly Rebekah enters the room and runs over to Marianna and places a hand on her cheek "She's having a vision again. The Spirits are still upset with her for helping mother. This is her punishment. The visions used to be painless. Now they're excruciating for her." Rebekah explains as she strokes the young girl's cheek trying to comfort her.

"What do we do?" Elijah asks his sister.  
Rebekah sighs sadly before placing Marianna's head in her lap and running her hand through the witch's raven hair "There's nothing to do. We must let it past."

Suddenly Marianna stops crying, "Mari? What did you see?" Rebekah asks as the witch sits up before crawling over to the table in the corner of the room.  
Marianna shakes her head, she reaches for some paper and something to write with.

"What are you doing, Marianna?" Elijah asks.

Marianna ignores his question and continues to write. After a few minutes, she stops and lifts the paper shoving it towards the two of them "Get Niklaus." Marianna says before passing out.

As she falls into slumber, Rebekah lifts her up and places her on the bed, while Elijah looks intently as the paper. He stares at the phrase Marianna had written _"Dolore stimulatus cum a mortuis resurrexerit"_ Elijah reads.  
"What does that mean?" Rebekah asks.  
"A Slayer risen from death."

* * *

Present Day

"Wait-hold up." Buffy says stopping Mary "You were the one who started the whole Fallen Slayer jest?"  
Mary shrugs "I had the sight back then. I saw a prophecy. I saw fate, Klaus's fate. Which as I learnt that night, was entangled with yours."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Huh?"

* * *

Spain, 1252

"What's the bloody hell is going on?" Klaus demands as he enters the room.  
"She had a vision, Niklaus." Elijah explains.  
Klaus rolls his eyes, he was getting really sick of Marianna and those visions, in his opinion it was nothing more than a cry for attention "And your point is?"  
"This one had something to do with you."  
Klaus's eyes widen "Was it to do with the curse? Has she seen a doppelgänger?"

"No." Marianna says as she slowly stands from the bed taking a shaky breath, she was still weak. Rebekah looks at her with a worried frown and strokes her back making the witch smiled gratefully before turning back to Klaus "This is not about the doppelgänger."

Marianna takes a deep breath "Nik, I saw fate, your fate. In the future, there will be a young woman, very beautiful and strong. A Slayer."  
"Aim I to be killed by some bleeding slayer?" Klaus demands.  
Marianna chuckles "No. This Slayer she will be different. She's a Slayer who has experienced death."  
"What is some important about the dead Slayer then?"

"Well, the spirits showed me a prophecy. You will find the Slayer on the Hellmouth and the two of you will be the most powerful force on this planet. You will drink from her when you break the curse and it will bind the two of you. And once the time comes your power will double as will hers. The two of you together will be an unstoppable force."

Klaus slowly begins to smile "A Slayer for my Queen."

Mary sighs "Nik, the spirits say that she hasn't even been born yet. And won't be for a long time. The spirits say she will be the best and strongest Slayer to ever have lived. She will not join you easily."

Klaus shrugs "Well I'm a rather charming man. I'll convince her. But in order to do that, I'll need to know what she will look like. So tell me."  
Marianna looks down, she couldn't do that, in all honesty, she shouldn't have told him about the prophecy, to begin with. She couldn't risk him finding out what she looked like, he would go made with searching for her, just like he had the doppelgänger.

"Tell me!" Klaus yells.  
"I can't! The spirits say if I show you, that's it. They'll be done with me."

Klaus glares at her before wrapping a hand around her neck and lifting her off the ground "Show me! And not through some bloody drawing, I want to see her!"  
"Nik! Let her go!" Rebekah begs.  
"Show me!" Klaus says again ignoring Rebekah as he continued to choke the life out of Marianna.

After a long moment, he tosses her across the room causing her to slam into a glass mirror and cut her head.

As blood flows from the wound Klaus walks over to her and kicks her in the stomach harshly making her gasp in agony.  
As she continues to gasp in pain he presses a foot on her neck cutting off her oxygen.

Mary's eyes widen as she feels the life being drained from her, he was enjoying this, she could see it in his eyes. Unlike them she wasn't immortal, she may not age but she could still be killed, and he just loved to remind her of that.

As she feels herself become weaker she panics, she didn't want to die, she wasn't ready.  
"I'll do it." Marianna coughs.  
Klaus smiles before releasing her "See, that wasn't so hard."  
Klaus steps back from Marianna as she rolls onto her side and coughs up blood.

As Elijah helps Marianna stand, Klaus clicks his fingers "Come on. On with it."

Marianna glares at him but walks over to the table and lights a candle, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Facies tempus locus." She chants "Statua tulit legendo Hectorem pugnantem indicaverunt mihi"

As she finishes the chant Marianna's raises her hands over her face, after a moment she removes her hands to reveal the face of the Slayer, her eyes now a forest green.

Klaus stands and walks over to Marianna, his hand hovering over her cheek yet not touching her.  
"Are you satisfied now?" She says harshly as she continues to glare at him.  
Klaus smiles "Very much so."

* * *

Present Day

"So that's why he wants me?" Buffy asks stunned "Because you told him that he had to drink from me and whatever?"  
Mary nods "Precisely. Klaus was obsessed with the idea of power. Knowing that he's power would double, made him that much more determined to break the curse.  
"The Sun and The Moon Curse."  
Mary smiles "And here I thought you weren't a book girl."

Buffy rolls her eyes "So why do you still have my face? Were you that self-conscious about your looks?"  
"Please. Me keeping your face wasn't for a lack of trying."

* * *

Spain, 1252

Marianna runs out of the room and screams in pain, stumbling against the wall of the library as she does "Please. Please. Don't abandon me." She screams for the Spirits.

 _"You have taken advantage of the gifts we gave you."_ One of the voices in her head says _"Don't worry sister once we take your magic, you will fade quickly."_

"No!" Marianna screams again.

She quickly runs towards the staircase and goes to the top floor where the books on magic were kept. She walks to the back and raises her hand towards the locked book on the shelf "Recludo."  
The book flies off the shelf and into her hands before the lock on it falls to the ground. Marianna quickly flips through the book till she finds the page on the strongest of dark magic.

 _'Almost limitless power, strengthened by sacrificial magic. Different from most sacrificial magic., the more loyalty one person feels for the witch the more power the witch will receive after the sacrifice.'_

Marianna flips through to the end of the book _'This type of magic darkens the soul.'_ She reads, she takes a deep breath, as the spirits in her head beg her not to do this.  
"I'm sorry." She cries "I don't want to die."

Marianna places her hands over the book and closes her eyes, as she lets the darkness consume her.

"Mari?" A young man calls as he enters the library when he sees Marianna he runs over to her but freezes when he sees her face "Rebekah told me you were here. What happened to you?"

Marianna doesn't answer the question, she just continues to watch him intently "Joseph, you are loyal to me. Are you not?"  
Joseph nods "Of course. I am. What is going on?"

Marianna looks up at him and quickly grabs the small letter opener on the table and drives it through his heart. "I need...more."  
Marianna's eyes turn black and she waves her hands over his now dead body "Sanguinem quam potentiae consulebant. Sacrificium sanguis pro virtute."

Marianna breaths in the darkness as it leaves his body and sighs with relief "That's better."

* * *

Present day

"You gave into darkness?"  
Mary shrugs "It was that or die. The spirits took my magic, as well as the immortality they granted me. I had been alive for almost three hundred years, I would have died the moment the rest of the magic left my body. I did what I had to do to survive."

Mary sighs "But unfortunately the spell that gave me your face was cast by spirit magic, so once I started using sacrificial magic I lost that ability to get my face back."  
Buffy nods slightly disturbed "So what's the darkness thing that comes out of them?"

"It's their life force." Mary explains "That's how I lived for all those years after I lost my immortality. Human sacrifice allows me to not only use the dark magic but allows me to keep myself young."  
"You're disgusting." Buffy hisses.

Mary chuckles "You would see it that way. But the magic I use has a price not only does it darken your soul...but like with being a vampire, there is a hunger. For me the hunger is power. I learnt to adjust to the hunger. Control it. Means I only need large sacrifices when I'm weak or need to do a large spell."

Buffy glares at her still disgusted and very tempted to throw something at her but holds back the urge.  
"What about that necklace thing you gave Katherine?"

Mary sighs "It's a talisman I created, I bound it to myself so that if I was ever killed, whoever had the necklace only has to say a short phrase. Basically, my life force goes into the necklace, and then I am reincarnated. It's rather complicated, the specifics of it."

Buffy stays silent for a few minutes before speaking again "Why aren't you with the originals anymore."  
Mary leans back in her chair "Well after I lost my power and my face, let's just say I wanted Klaus to pay. But I wasn't able to receive my revenge until the doppelgänger appeared."

"Katherine."  
Mary smiles "Yes. Goes back to England, 1492."

* * *

England, 1492

"Katerina you must run." Marianna tells the young girl.  
Katerina looks at her confused "I don't understand, what is happening?"  
"You need to run." Mary tells her again, more urgently "Klaus is going to hurt you. He is going to kill you. So you need to run!"  
Katerina turns to her panicked "Where am I supposed to go?"

"The woods. Trevor. He will find you. He will get you to safety then I will come and find you. I promise."  
Katerina hugs Marianna "Thank you, Mari."  
Marianna smiles "You're welcome. Now go. I will deal with Niklaus. Go!"  
Katerina nods before running out of the house and into the woods.

"Where is she!" Klaus yells as he storms into the room "What did you do?!" He yells at Marianna before shoving her against the wall "Where is the doppelgänger?!"  
Marianna waves her hand sending Klaus tumbling into the opposite wall "She's gone. You'll never find her."

"Why would you do this to us!"

Mary shakes her head "Why?! Because of you I lost everything! And yet you expect me to be grateful! I am a monster because of your impulsive behaviour!"

Marianna twists her hand causing Klaus leg to break "But now that I've embraced the monster, the darkness. All I want is to make you suffer. I'm going to take away the things you want most. Starting with the doppelganger. And then I'm going to make sure you never find the Slayer."

Klaus growls at her "You're not strong enough to do that."  
Marianna gives him a cruel smile "But I will be. I'll be seeing you, Klaus."  
Marianna then teleports out of the room leaving a furious Klaus in her wake.

* * *

Present Day

"You're the one who saved Katherine?"

Mary nods "Klaus wanted to drain every ounce of blood out of her body on some alter. I knew she would be terrified. One push and she ran."  
Buffy's eyes widened "You manipulated her for your own agenda."  
"Oh, please she was going to run no matter what. I just made sure that I would be the one she trusted."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "So what was your master plan for revenge then."

Mary smiles "I changed fate."

* * *

Bulgaria, 1492

Marianna teleports into an open field and spots the bodies leading towards a small cottage "Dear Lord." She breaths as she stares at the bloody bodies. "Klaus." She whispers before making her way inside the house.

Marianna walks into the small room where she sees Katerina crying over one of the corpses "Mama." Katerina cries.

"Katerina."  
Katerina gasps and spins around to spot Marianna. "Mari." She cries "He killed them."

Marianna nods "I know. I'm so sorry." Katerina nods and goes over to Marianna, she continues to cry in her arms.

* * *

Present Day

"Wait he killed them?" Buffy asks shocked.  
Mary nods "Yes. Her entire family. Just to get back at her for running."  
"Oh, my god." Buffy breathes slowly as she stands from her seat.

Mary shrugs "You're realising now. Aren't you? What Klaus will do to get to you and Elena. If Elena runs Klaus will kill your entire family. And you're already short on members as it is."  
"Shut your mouth" Buffy hisses.

Mary chuckles "Oh but I haven't even got to the best part."

* * *

Bulgaria, 1492 – 2 months Later

"This will work." Marianna assures Katerina "We will get revenge for your family."  
"He will kill us." Katerina reminds her friend.  
Marianna scoffs "He can try. But once we are done here we will disappear. I promise you. I won't let him hurt us."

Katerina sighs "How is sacrificing a large village going to hurt him exactly?"

Marianna smiles mischievously "Because even though the people in this village aren't loyal to me, their deaths will give me the strength to take away the thing Klaus wants most."  
Katerina slowly breaks out into a smile "Well then I guess we better get to work."

Katerina bends down and lifts the burning torch and holds it against one of the houses, causing it to catch fire.

The two of them watch as the people in the house scream for help as the fire begins the spread. "You ready?" Katerina asks.

Marianna nods "Yes." Marianna slowly raises her arms towards the large village and as her eyes begin to turn back she begins to chant "Saeva mutari alter velit . Tolle quod infernum sit petere licentiam occulit. Sinite illam ut effugiet eam fortunam habituros."

Marianna finishes the chant and closes her eyes "It shall be done." She says before collapsing onto the ground.

* * *

Present day

Buffy stares at her appalled "You sacrificed an entire village just to get back at Klaus?"  
Mary rolls her eyes "Stop with judgy eyes. I did what I had to do."  
Buffy shakes her head "You're a psychotic lunatic bitch."

"Yes. Yes I am." Mary says with a smile.

Buffy glares at her before looking at her phone to see the time "We're done here. Take me back."  
Mary sighs "Fine."  
She waves her hand and the two of them are now back in the woods by the tomb.  
"My book please."  
Buffy glares at her before tossing the book on the ground by her feet.

Mary sighs and picks up the book, she is about to leave when Buffy turns to her.  
"What did you change? You said that the spell changed my fate. What exactly did you change?"

Mary rolls her eyes "I took away the thing that bound you to the Hellmouth. The only thing that could possibly keep you there."

Buffy thinks for a moment when a thought comes to her "My mother." She whispers "You killed her."  
Mary shakes her head "No. I just altered fate. She was going to die, I just speed up the process. So you would be forced to move away from the Hellmouth."

Suddenly Buffy runs at her "I'm going to kill you."  
Mary however teleports away and Buffy lands on the ground.  
"No!" She screams "Come back here!"

"Buffy!" Elena says as she runs up the stairs from the tomb followed by Stefan.  
"What happened with Mary?" Elena asks  
Stefan turns to Buffy "You did the exact same thing Elena did. What were you thinking?"  
Elena turns to Stefan "Not now."

She turns back to her younger cousin who now has tears streaming from her face "What is it?"  
Buffy slowly looks up "Mary. She's the reason my mother is dead."

* * *

"Buffy." Stefan tries but Buffy cuts him off.  
"I can't talk about it, Stefan" Buffy says as she and Stefan stand on the porch outside her house.

"You have to." He tells her "Don't shut me out." Buffy turns away from him "Buffy, please."  
Buffy shakes her head "I got the truth. That's all that matters. It's not just me and Elena who are screwed. It's everyone, one wrong step and they will die."

Stefan moves forward but Buffy back up "No! Don't! Mary is the reason my mother died! My mother is dead and now everyone else is at risk. Just because of some stupid feud between Mary and Klaus. And now Elena is at risk because of that stupid curse."

Buffy takes a deep breath "If I had just stayed dead after the Master...maybe none of this would be happening, it's my fault. My entire life everyone around me dies and it's not anyone else, it's me. I'm the problem." Buffy feels tears begin to fall and Stefan pulls her into a hug holding her tightly.


	44. Sacrifice

"Ready to die slayer?" One of the two vampires asks Buffy.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "You really think that's the first time I've heard that?"  
One of the vampires runs at her but Buffy moves out of the way and easily stakes him.  
"I won't be that easy." The other one says as he pulls out two swords  
Buffy's eyes widen "Not good."

The vampire swings the swords at her, Buffy does an aerial flip out of the way and then using a front flip lands on the hood of the car near her. The vampire comes over and swings the swords at her feet; Buffy jumps up so the swords miss her legs.

She does a triple tuck off the car and lands behind the vampire, she kicks him in the back so he collides with the car face first.  
The vampire growls and turns on her and moves to swing the swords again but Buffy does a double layout away.

Once she lands on her feet the vampire runs at her again, Buffy sweeps out her leg knocking one of the swords away. When he swings the other sword; she grabs his wrist and twists it behind his back. She kicks him in the stomach then sends a haymaker punch to his stomach before hitting him in the face with an elbow strike. The vampire drops the second sword right into Buffy's palm, she pushes him to the ground then lifts the sword before bringing it down to his heart.

As his body turns to dust Buffy walks over to the other sword and picks it up "Ooh, shiny." She says happily as she swings both swords.

* * *

Buffy climbs in through her window and doesn't notice the man inside slip into the bathroom. She walks over to her door and opens it only to freeze when she sees a horrified Elena standing with a half naked Jenna and Alaric.  
"What—"  
The three of them turn to Buffy, Jenna groans "Not another one." She looks up at Buffy "That's was us. Sorry."

Alaric chuckles nervously "Well...I'm naked. So I'm gonna go." Alaric quickly escapes. Jenna turns to the girls "I'm really, really sorry."

"It's ok, Jenna." Elena says "Don't worry about it."  
"I know he's been staying over a lot. Are you—Are you guys sure it's ok?"  
Buffy nods trying to keep from laughing as she does "As long as I don't have to see that again. I'm good."  
Elena smiles then turns back to Jenna "Seems like things are good."  
Jenna blushes "They're extremely good."  
"Then I think I can say for the both of us. That we're extremely ok with it."

As Jenna walks off Elena turns to Buffy "How'd it go."  
Buffy shrugs "Two vamps. No biggy. Although I did get one with two shiny swords. Night, Elena."

Buffy quickly heads back into her room. Closing the door behind her she heads into the bathroom and pulls up her shirt where she sees a deep sword wound in the same place where she had been injured during the battle with Elijah.  
"How in the hell?" She says to herself in a panic, she hadn't even felt that.

* * *

The next morning Buffy opens the door only to see Damon and Stefan.  
"Can we talk? Stefan asks.  
"Umm...wanna explain?"  
Stefan turns to Damon who answers "We went to see Katherine."

Buffy sighs, for once she would like to have a Thursday morning start on a good note "Come on in."

* * *

"And you believe her because..." Buffy says as she stares at the two of them, she couldn't believe that would actually believe a word that came out of that woman's mouth.  
Damon shakes his head "NO, we don't. We just want the moonstone."  
"According the Rose's friend Slater, there's a way to destroy the spell that Klaus wants to break." Stefan tell her.  
"No spell. No doppelgänger sacrifice."

Buffy nods, she may not know this Slater guy but if he's intel could help save Elena, she'd try anything "So Elena will live. So what do we do?"  
Stefan leans across the kitchen counter as he explains "To destroy the moonstone we need to release the spell from it."  
"Bonnie."  
Damon nods "The crafty witch agreed."  
Buffy turns to Stefan "You need me to get the moonstone, don't you?"  
Stefan nods "You're the only one strong enough who can get into the tomb. You just need to get in grab the moonstone and get out."

Buffy sighs "Let me make one thing clear, if I go into that tomb the way I get the moonstone is by prying it from Katherine's cold dead hands."  
"I'm cool with that." Damon says with a smirk, he was really enjoying this side of her.

"You're not doing it." Elena says as she walks into the room.  
All of them turn to her confused "Elena, we don't have a choice." Buffy tells her.  
"What about Klaus?"  
"We'll deal after we get the moonstone."

Elena shakes her head, she couldn't...no, she wouldn't let Buffy put herself in danger to protect her "Buffy, you know what will happen if we do this. Klaus will kill everyone we care about. Then god know's what he'll do with you."

Stefan steps forward trying to explain "Elena, if we can de-spell the moonstone, we can save your life and make sure Klaus never get's his hands on Buffy."  
Elena sighs "I know. Everybody keeps saying that."

* * *

"This isn't necessary." Buffy tells the brothers as she stands in the Salvatore living room.  
"Buffy." Stefan says as he comes to stand in front of her "We just need a backup plan. You are still healing, you were seriously injured when you went up against Elijah."

"I'm fine now." She argues "Katherine is not Elijah. She's weak." Buffy sighs "I just killed two vampires before dawn, I think I'll be fine."  
"Well those testy anger issues of yours could cause some problems" Damon comments.

Buffy turns to him crossing her arms "What are you talking about?"  
"Your little vengeance gig. I'm talking about you going all crazy with the slayage since you found out witchy was partially responsible for mama slayer's death."

Stefan turns to Buffy, trying to get her attention off his brother who was intentionally pissing her off "Look it's just in case. We must probably won't need it. We're just being cautious."

Damon turns back to Bonnie "Can you do it?"  
Bonnie shrugs "I might be able to lower the tomb spell long enough for one of you to get in there and grab the moonstone, if it comes to it."  
"How?" Jeremy asks, he knew her magic was taking a toll on her and it worried him "It took both you and your Grams last time, and look what happened to her."  
"I'm well aware of what happened. But I've learned a few new things."

"Bonnie..."

Bonnie turns to Stefan "If Buffy doesn't do this, how will you get it?"  
"She hasn't been feeding." Stefan explains "She's weaker. We're not."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "And I'm stronger than both of you combined. We don't need this."  
Stefan turns to her "Buffy, it's just in case."

"You wouldn't be underestimating her, would you?" Bonnie asks.  
"It's a plan." Damon says "Is it perfect? No, but hopefully, the vengeful slayer will calm it long enough to focus on the moonstone."

"If Buffy can't do it, let me." Jeremy suggests "I've got my ring I can get in. Get out. No spells necessary.  
"Not a chance in hell." Buffy says "You go anywhere near Katherine and I will make sure you spend the next year in a hospital bed. Do you understand me?"  
Damon chuckles "Slayer's right. You're a 16 year old child. Why are you even here?"

"Maybe I can help better with plan B." Bonnie tells them "Do you have anything that belongs to Katherine?"  
Buffy and Damon both turn to face Stefan who sighs.

* * *

"This belonged to Katherine." Stefan tells Bonnie "Found it with her things after I thought her and Mary were dead." He explains as he hands over the image of Mary and Katherine "But it was hers."  
Bonnie takes the image and places it in the small bowl. The group watch as she lights fire to the image and chants in latin.  
"What will this do?" Damon asks  
"I can turn the metal to ash." Bonnie explains "Blow the ashes on her and it'll incapacitate her for a minute or two. Long enough for you to get the stone and get out."

As they watch the fire burn Jeremy glances at his cousin only to freeze "Buffy?" Jeremy says in a panic as he sees blood begin to seep through her clothing.  
Buffy turns to him "What Jeremy?"  
Jeremy stands and walks over to her "You're bleeding"

Buffy rolls her eyes "What are you talking about? I'm not—" Buffy looks down at her shirt to see it now almost completely covered in blood "Oh, maybe I am."

Buffy begins the wobble but Jeremy catches her "Buffy!" He looks up at Stefan and Damon in a panic "What's happening?"  
"That's where one of her injuries was after Elijah, but it was almost healed this doesn't make sense." Stefan says in a panic as he speeds over trying to examine her wound.  
"Forgot it. I'm fine." Buffy says as she tries to pull away from Jeremy.

Damon turns to the blonde "You've been going out every night, you're losing your damn mind."  
"Shut up, Damon. I'm fine."  
"You're bleeding out of your gut and you didn't even notice. You're not fine."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "It's a little sword wound. I don't even feel it. I'm fine."

Buffy walks out of the room and over to the bathroom.

She quickly pulls off her shirt and grabs the needle and thread from the first aid kit. When there is a knock at the door Bonnie's head pop's in "Hey." She says as she walks in and quickly closes the door behind her.  
"Are you okay?" Bonnie asks.  
"I'm fine." Buffy tells her.  
Bonnie raises an eyebrow "Buffy, I'm your friend. I know you."

Buffy sighs "Here." Bonnie says as she takes the needle and thread "I may never have done this, cause it's kinda gross but Grams taught me how to sew."  
Buffy sits on the toilet seat as Bonnie helps her. "This is really deep Buffy. Maybe you should go to the hospital."

Buffy shakes her head "I heal fast." Buffy pauses before closing her eyes letting the emotions building up inside slip through her defences "I don't feel it. The pain. You're sewing up my wound and I don't feel it. I poured alcohol on it but I didn't even flinch."

Buffy looks up at Bonnie as she stands "What's wrong with me?"

Bonnie shakes her head "Nothing." She assures her friend.

Buffy turns away to face the mirror as she bandages up the wound "Then why don't I feel anything. Bonnie, I don't feel pain, or hope, or anything. All I feel is rage."

"Considering what you just found out, it's understandable that your emotions are a bit... unstable at the moment. But you can't keep doing this to yourself, you're gonna get yourself killed. So please, as one of your best friends I'm asking you, to take it easy."

Bonnie hugs Buffy before handing her a shirt, "Here. Yours is kinda ruined."

Buffy chuckles "Thanks." She says before Bonnie gives her a smile before following her out of the bathroom.

* * *

Buffy is buttoning her shirt in Stefan's room when her phone starts ringing "Hello?"  
 _"It's Rose."  
_ Buffy raises an eyebrow "No offence but how the hell did you get my number?"  
 _"I stole it off Elena's phone."  
_ "Wait Elena? Why is she with you?"  
 _"Don't be angry with me."_ Rose tells her.

Buffy takes a worried breathe "What did you do?"  
 _"You need to get to Richmond immediately."  
_ Buffy's eyes widen "What did she do?"

* * *

Buffy runs out the front door and over to her car, as she opens the door a hand pushes it shut "Now where do you think you're going?" Damon asks.  
Buffy turns to him "I thought you left with the others."  
Damon shrugs "Left one of the torches, now stop avoiding."  
"I don't have time for this." Buffy says as she moves to pull the door open again.  
Again Damon pushes it closed "What's got you and your injured self going all crazy..ier."

Buffy huffs, she didn't have time for this, Elena was on a suicide mission, she needed to get to her now "Fine. Rose called, Elena's trying to contact Klaus. She's on a suicide mission."  
Damon groans "Your cousin's a idiot. Get in the car."  
Buffy moves to get in the car but Damon clears his throat "I'm driving."  
Buffy turns to him shocked "You're not coming with me. I don't have time to babysit."

"You're injured. If your stitches come out again you will bleed out on the road and die. So I'm driving. Get in the car."

Buffy huffs but turns back to the car and moves over to the passenger side, as much as she wanted to argue she needed to be on the road to Elena now, she didn't have the time to argue with someone as stubborn as Damon. As she reaches for the door Buffy notices something on the window. Buffy gasps as Elijah's face appears in the window. "What is it?" Damon asks.

Buffy blinks only to find the image gone "Nothing. Let's go."

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Buffy asks Elena as she and Damon step into the apartment that Rose had told them to come to.  
Elena turns and gasps in shock as she sees Buffy and Damon standing in front of her.  
"What are you two doing here?" Elena asks.  
Elena turns to Rose "You called them?"

"Actually she called me." Buffy tells her "Damon's just a bad fungus that won't leave me alone."  
Elena turns to glare at Rose "You said that you understood."  
"She lied." Damon says.

"Damon Salvatore." Alice says as she walks over, she then turns to look at Buffy "And...Oh, my, god. You're that girl. That one Slater talked about...The Fallen Slayer."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Oh someone get rid of her." Rose nods and pulls Alice away leaving the room.

"Come on. We're leaving." Damon tells Elena.  
"No." Elena says.  
Buffy turns to Elena "Elena get your ass in the car."  
"I'm not going with you guys."  
Damon glares at her "You do not get to make decisions anymore."  
"When have I ever made a decision? You, Buffy and Stefan do that for me. Now this, this is my decision."

Damon shakes his head "Your decision's gonna get yourself killed as well as your cousin. Or is she just collateral damage to you."  
"Of course not!"  
Buffy turns to Elena "Then do me a favour and move your ass. Because right now your decisions are really causing me to question how many times I'm gonna have to save your life every week."

"You're not listening to me, Buffy. I don't want to be saved. Not if it means Klaus kills everyone we love and he finds out about you."

Damon turns to Elena "Get your ass out the door before I throw you over my shoulder and carry you out myself. You're really testing my patience Elena."  
Buffy grabs Elena's arm but Elena tries to pull away "No. Buffy, let me go."

Elena tries to shove her away but ends up hitting her injured side. "Dammit." Damon moans before pulling Elena away from Buffy "Well done, Elena. The cousin you're so intent to keep from Klaus now has torn stitches."

"What are you talking about?" Elena asks confused before she looks down to see the blood starting to seep through Buffy's shirt.

* * *

Damon helps bandage up in the bedroom next to the living room. Once he was done Buffy then tries to stand, but as he pulls her up she wobbles.  
Damon catches her "Dammit. You've lost a lot of blood. You should be dead."  
Buffy chuckles "I've been dead. Didn't stick."

Damon pulls her out of the room and into the main room where Elena was currently sitting with Rose. "Time to go."  
He turns to Rose "Alice is asleep and won't remember a moment of this horribly stupid day."  
"Lucky girl." Buffy mumbles.

Suddenly the door slams open and in walk three vampires "We're here to meet the doppelgänger."

"Thank you for coming." Elena says as she tries to step towards them, but Buffy moves in front of her "Elena, I love you but I will break both your legs if I have to."

Damon turns to Buffy "You up for this."  
Buffy sighs "We'll see."  
She turns to face the three and one of the vampires turns to the other "The blonde. Klaus said if we ever—"  
The leader of the three nods "The two girls are coming with us."  
"I'd like to see you try when you're missing a head." Buffy says.

Suddenly one of the vampires groans in pain before falling to the ground, as his body falls Elijah is revealed. He quickly speeds over to the other vampires. While Rose runs Damon stares at Elijah confused "I killed you. You were dead."  
"For centuries now." He tells them.  
"Who are you?" Elijah asks the vampires.  
"Who are you?" The leader demands  
Elijah tilts his head at the man "I am Elijah."

The vampire's eyes widen and he stares in fear "We were going to bring them to you. For Klaus. She's the doppelgänger and the blonde is the fallen slayer. I don't know how she exists or why the Slayer is with her but Klaus will want to see them."  
"Does anyone else know your here."  
"No." The vampire answers straight away.

Elijah smiles "Well, then, you have been incredibly helpful." Elijah then shoves his hands into both vampires' chests and pulls out their hearts, before then leaving the apartment.

* * *

"Thanks for driving me home." Elena tells Buffy.  
Buffy shrugs "My house too. Plus your ride kinda took off."  
"She didn't mean to run."

"Yes, she did." Damon tells her "She's been running for 500 years."  
Buffy nods "How the hell is Elijah alive. You staked him." She says to Damon "You did hit the heart right."  
Damon rolls his eyes "Yes."

"Why do you guys think he killed those 2 vampires and just let us go?" Elena asks.  
Buffy shrugs "Beats me. Maybe he's losing his mind."  
"Please if I had a dollar for every time some evil vampire surprised me."

Elena begins to head inside but Buffy grabs her "What you did today was incredibly stupid."  
"Actually, the only thing that was stupid was that I got caught. I don't question why you Stefan and Damon, everyone else tries so hard to save me. You shouldn't question why I would try to save all of you."

Damon raises an eyebrow "You don't see it do you. You say you wanna protect Buffy, but if you hand yourself over to Klaus it's basically like handing her over on a platter."  
Buffy glares at him "Shut up, Damon."  
Before anyone could say anything else Jeremy opens the front door "What?" Damon demands.

Jeremy looks over at Buffy "It's Stefan."

* * *

"Stefan!" Buffy calls as she runs towards the tomb. She stops at the door "Stefan!" She calls again. She is about to step inside when Damon grabs her and throws her away from the door. Buffy rolls on the ground but quickly flips herself back up and glares at Damon "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Damon speeds over to her and slams her against the wall "Don't you dare."  
Buffy shoves him "Stefan's in there, Damon! How could you let this happen?"

"What are you talking about? I was too busy trying make sure you don't bleed to death while saving your cousin from her crazy kamikaze mission."  
Buffy shoves him again and raises her leg to a kick him but Damon blocks it, he grabs the leg and twists it so she falls to the ground again. Buffy flips herself up kicking him in the face in the process. Damon quickly recovers and moves to block her before she get's to the door, he slams her against the wall by the door and places a hand on her injured side forcing her to stay.

Buffy groans in pain "Dammit! I didn't ask for your help, you should have made sure they didn't go in there. It was supposed to be me in there in the first place."  
"It was the right call Buffy. You would have bleed to death in the middle of the road. Then we're out a Slayer."

"Right call. Have you completely lost your mind? I don't need protection, Damon."

Buffy tries to push him away again but he forces his hand on her side more "Damon, let go of me. Damon, let go of me! Or I swear to god I'm gonna kill you."

Buffy stops trying to shove him away after a minute "Please."  
"Are you done?"  
Buffy nods, so he backs away. When she goes towards the door again he moves in front of her "Don't."  
Buffy glares at him before making her way up the stairs.

Once she's out of sight Damon turns towards the tomb "Of all the idiot plans, Stefan."  
Stefan moves out of the shadows and over to the door "Yeah."  
"I'll find a way to get you out."

Stefan shakes his head "No, that's all right. I'll handle it myself. Bonnie has the moonstone. Work with her, try to figure out how to de-spell it."

"You martyr yourself into a tomb and I get partnered with a semi-competent witch. Wonderful."  
"Keep Buffy away from here. And try to make sure she doesn't keep fighting every night, with those injuries she'll get herself killed at some point."

Damon scoffs "Yeah. 'Cause getting a vampire slayer to do anything is that easy."  
"Promise me. No matter what happens no matter how much she says she doesn't need it. You'll protect her."  
"Promise." Damon nods before slowly moving away from the tomb.

* * *

Sunnydale, California

Spike pulls himself from the hole and slowly into the chamber. He raises the torch and makes his way around the room. He stops in front of a skeleton and gazes at the Gem of Amara currently hanging from his neck. "Ooh." Harmon says as she climbs up the hole, startling Spike "Pretty. Can I take stuff?"

Spike sighs in annoyance "Take whatever you want, I don't care."

Spike turns back to the Gem and yanks it from the skeleton's neck.

"Yew." Harmony moans "Like you're too good to work a clasp."

Spike ignores her and places the gem around his neck "So?" Harmony asks "Is it doing it? Do you feel it? I mean, you don't look any different...if you wondered. I thought maybe you'd look taller or glow or something." Harmon shrugs then goes back to playing with the jewels. Spike huffs and makes his way over to her. He reaches for the cross but screams in pain as his hand burns "Ahh!"

"You should put some butter on that." Harmony suggests "But, hey, maybe it's worth money anyway. That would be something. And then we could go to France. And I always wanted to go to France and stay in a chateau."

Spike at this point is fed up, he breaks the end of a chair with the newly made stake he stakes Harmony through the heart.

When he pulls the stake out however she heals.

Harmony looks at him angrily "I can't believe you just did that." Harmony starts hitting him in the chest but Spike grabs her wrists and stares at the ring "Hold on."  
He picks up the cross and placing it against her head.  
Harmony tries to pull away "What are you doing you big freak?"  
Spike smiles "That's my gem."  
Spike tries to take the ring but Harmony shoves him off "Fine. Fine. If that's all that matters to you, then just take it! Just take it and get out."

Spike smiles as he places the ring on. "That's a good idea. I think I'm going to go take a trip to Virginia, say hi to a pretty blonde."


	45. An Old Acquaintance

"So how does the bar of soap work exactly?" Buffy asks Bonnie as they sit in her room.  
"Right now, it's what's binding The Sun and Moon Curse. If I can figure out a way to remove the spell from the stone, the stone becomes useless."  
Buffy nods "Cool. Then we just have the vengeful Klaus to deal with. But one step at a time."  
Bonnie chuckles slightly "We should be able to keep him from finding out."

"Shouldn't you guys be focused on getting Stefan out of the tomb." Elena says as she enters the room.  
Buffy raises her hands in annoyance "Does anyone knock in this town."  
Bonnie turns to Elena "Stefan wants me to focus on this."

Elena turns to Buffy, shocked that the blonde was not panicking at the idea of her boyfriend being trapped with Katherine "Don't you want him out. He's in there with Katherine."  
"I know that, Elena." Buffy sighs "And as much as I dislike it, he's right. If we don't do this now then we're all screwed."  
"You guys are wrong, you don't need to protect me." Elena tells them.

"I'm with Buffy on this Elena." Bonnie tells her "We're not gonna let you get used in some creepy sacrifice ritual. And we're not gonna let Buffy be forced into becoming some psycho's Queen slash prisoner."  
"What are you guys arguing about?" Jeremy asks as he enters the room.

Buffy huffs "Seriously, people. Knocking is an actual thing. And we're not arguing bout anything."  
Buffy then hands Bonnie the moonstone. Once she places it in her bag Bonnie stands "I need a coffee."  
Elena sighs as she is left with only Jeremy and Buffy glaring at her "What?"

"Why are you on some suicide mission?" Jeremy asks his sister.  
Buffy tilts her head towards Jeremy "Because she's crazy and thinks drawing a thousand-year-old vampire to town in a good idea."  
"I'm trying to prevent everyone else from getting hurt." Elena argues.

Jeremy scoffs "So bringing Klaus the moonstone so you can get yourself killed is ok? And basically leading Klaus right to Buffy so she can become his bitch-"  
"Hey!" Buffy exclaims.  
"Sorry."

Buffy sighs then turns to Elena "What you're doing is stupid. You're helping Klaus break a curse that will allow vampires to walk in the day. How many people do you think are gonna die if that happens Elena, huh? Cause I suggest you think about that next time before you basically hand over to the key to million's of people's deaths."

Jeremy and Buffy glared at her once more before slowly leaving the room.

* * *

"She took the moonstone." Jeremy announces as him and Buffy come down the stairs where Bonnie was currently blocking Elena from leaving the house.

Buffy scoffs at Elena and turns to Jeremy "You know common sense isn't working anymore."  
Elena turns to Bonnie confused "How did you—"  
"We tested you." Bonnie explains "And you failed."

Elena shakes her head "Klaus killed Katherine's entire family just because she crossed him. I can't let that happen."  
Bonnie sighs "Elena, Buffy's right. Hundreds maybe thousands of people are at risk is you keep trying to hand yourself over."

When Elena doesn't say anything, Bonnie moves out the way. Elena walks down the stairs past Bonnie and over to the door. As she opens the door and tries to step outside she is blocked by a barrier.  
Elena turns to them stunned "What did you do?"  
Buffy shrugs "Don't look at me Bonnie's idea. Although I totally think it's awesome."

* * *

A little while later Buffy walks down the stairs and sees Damon walking in through the front door "You should really lock your front door." He tells her.  
Buffy huffs "What it is with all of you and knocking."  
Damon rolls his eyes and heads into the living room, Buffy right on his tracks.

Elena turns to them and pouts annoyed "Oh, come on pouty." Damon says "At least give me 2 points for ingenuity."  
Elena glares at him "Do you think this is funny?"

Buffy sighs "Yes it's hilarious how much of a pain in the ass you're being that we have to lock you in your own house to make sure you don't die."  
"Buffy!" Elena exclaims.  
Buffy shrugs "Sorry. But it's true."

Buffy turns to Damon "What did Stefan say?"  
"He had a good laugh?"  
Buffy sighs "The Elijah thing, dumbass."  
Damon shakes his head "Yeah, that. I didn't tell him."  
"Why not?"  
"Well, A—he can't do anything about it, and B...what I just said. Where's Bonnie?"

At that moment in walks Jeremy, "I thought she was meeting you."  
"No. She's on moonstone duty and I'm stuck on Elena patrol cause Buffy won't trade with me."  
Jeremy turns to Buffy "What'd you get?"  
"Actual patrol for Elijah. See if I can find out where he's staying."  
Jeremy nods "And who's on Tyler Lockwood and the full moon?"

Damon turns to the teenager "Vampire Barbie asked if she could handle it and I said why not? I figured if she screwed up, he'd bite her and then I'll be rid of two of my problems."  
Elena's eyes widen "Hold on a second. Tonight's the full moon?"  
"Yep, but you're too absorbed with all your suicidal tendencies to notice."  
Damon's phone rings and he leaves the room.

While Damon walks out of the room Buffy's phone begins to ring "I'll be right back." She tells Jeremy before walking into the kitchen "Hello?"  
 _"Buffy!"_ Giles exclaims.  
Buffy winces at the loudness of his voice "Hey Giles, what's with the yelling? I actually like being able to hear you know."  
 _"My apologies however you have a problem heading your way."  
_ Buffy's eyes widen "Did you find out anything else about the curse?"

 _"No, I'm still searching. But this has to do with Spike."  
_ Buffy groans "What happened and when can I come kill him?"  
 _"Buffy, I believe he's in Mystic Falls."  
_ "What!" Buffy exclaims.  
Buffy hears Giles sigh before he continues _"Do you remember when I spoke of the Gem of Amara."_

"Yeah, big thing makes vampires basically un-killable. Big load of folklore."  
Giles chuckles nervously _"Well it seems as though that's not the case. It's real and Spike seems to have found it while he and Harmony were in town."  
_ Buffy's eyes widen "Wait, Spike and Harmony?" Buffy starts laughing causing Giles to get annoyed _"Buffy this is of the utmost importance. With the gem, Spike is practically un-killable you need to—"  
_ "Find him and get it back. Got it." Buffy says.

Buffy freezes for a second before going on "Giles, one more thing do you know anything about a vampire named Klaus."  
 _"Klaus? I'm afraid not. Why? Is there something happening in Mystic Falls?"  
_ Buffy sighs "Don't worry Giles. I've got it handled."  
 _"Buffy, if you need help—"_

Buffy interjects "Don't worry I've got help. More help than I want." She sighs "I gotta go, find Spike, I'll let you know when I get the gem."  
Buffy hangs up the phone and walks back into the living room, she quickly grabs her bag "What was that about?" Jeremy asks.

Before Buffy can answer Damon walks into the room and looks over at Buffy "Change of plans. Hunt Elijah another day. You babysit."  
Buffy shakes her head as she shoves a stake into her bag "No can do. I gotta go."  
"Wait, what?" Damon asks confused.  
Buffy sighs and turns to him "Spike's in town."  
Damon raises an eyebrow "The Billy Idol wannabe?"  
"Who's Spike?" Jeremy asks.

"A pain in my existence." Buffy explains "He's got some gem thing. Makes him practically un-killable. I have to find him before he kills anyone."  
Damon grabs Buffy's arm as she heads for the door "Not a good idea."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I'll be fine. Now I gotta go. Jeremy, babysit Elena. I have to talk to Stefan."

"No. You're not going near there." Damon tells her.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I just wanna see if he knows anything about the gem. Giles didn't know a lot, not what it looks like or anything along those lines. And I'm guessing your brother is the only one that takes interest in things like that."

Damon shrugs "True. Fine. But I'm going with...make sure you don't do anything stupid."  
"What about your thing?"  
"It can wait a minute, come on."

Damon and Buffy start to head for the door but Damon pauses and pops his head into the living room and looks at Elena "Hey, you know, you should get out, enjoy the sun. Oh, wait. You can't."

Damon dodges the pillow throws at his face before him and Buffy exit the house.

* * *

"You wait here." Damon tells Buffy.  
Buffy's eyes widen "What? No. Not a chance."  
Damon sighs "Look, Stefan, doesn't want you here for a reason, he knows you'll do something stupid."  
"But—"  
"No."  
Buffy huffs "Fine just hurry up. Spike's out in the sun, I don't wanna think of all the crap he's up to."  
Damon nods "I'll be right back."

Damon heads down the stairs and walks over to the tomb "Stef?" Damon calls.  
"Two visits in one day. What's going on?" Stefan asks as he walks over to the door.  
Damon sighs "I got a blonde upstairs whose about to go on a hunt."  
Stefan's eyes widen "Buffy's here? I thought I told you to..."

"Yeah yeah yeah keep her away. But I can't control the Slayer and unlike Elena Buffy's useful in a fight. So I can't exactly lock her up in her house."  
"What happened, Damon?" Stefan asks.  
"Well, Missy Vampire Slayer got a call from the book man."

Stefan looks at him confused for a moment "Giles?"  
Damon clicks his fingers "Yeah that's his name. Anyway, he called gave her a little mission. Guessing those stuffy council guys want her back on the job."  
Stefan rolls his eyes "Back to the point, Damon."  
"Oh, yeah. Spike is in town."

"Wait, what?! Why didn't you say anything?"  
Damon shrugs "I just did, anyway apparently he has something called the Gem of Amara or something."

"Ooh, the Gem of Amara." Katherine says as she walks over "Interesting I thought it was just folklore."  
Damon ignores her and turns to Stefan "Know anything? Your girl's about to go after Billy Idol but she doesn't know what the damn thing looks like."  
"I know what it looks like. I hear things." Katherine says.

Damon glares at her "You shut up. Stef?"  
Stefan thinks for a second "Um last I heard it was said that it was a ring."  
Damon smiles "Thanks, Stef."  
Damon starts to walk off but Stefan stops him "Damon don't..."

"Make sure the blonde does anything that get's herself killed. Yeah yeah, I got it."

* * *

"It's a ring? Seriously?" Buffy asks Damon.  
"Yep. My guess big ugly, you know like Rick's ring."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Don't you have somewhere to be."  
Damon chuckles "Upset your boyfriend doesn't wanna see you."  
Buffy glares at him "Shut up, Damon. Just go meet Alaric."  
"I'm going. See ya later blondie. Oh, and you're welcome."

Damon waves before walking off in the opposite direction, Buffy rolls her eyes before walking towards her car.  
"Seems like someone's over tall dark and brooding." A voice says from behind Buffy.

Buffy spins around to see Spike but before she can say anything his fist connects with her face.

* * *

Buffy looks up to see Spike standing above her "What a fantastic day. Birds singin' squirrels makin' lots of rotten little squirrels, the sun beamin' down in a nice non-fatal way. It's very exciting. I can't wait to see if I freckle."  
Buffy quickly grabs the stake by her arm and jumps up she swings her arm out in an attempt to hit Spike but he dodges and blokes every one of her attacks.

Spike kicks her knocking her to the ground but when he advances on her she brings her legs up and kicks him in the chest knocking him to the ground. Buffy quickly stands "What's a matter, Spike? Dru dump you again? So I'm curious Harmony, what did you lose a bet?"

Spike flips himself up and glares at her "What makes you think she dumped me! Maybe I dumped her. And yes actually, I won a bet."  
Buffy quickly jumps forward and brings the stake back down through his heart. Spike smiles "Oh, do it again. It tickles. You know, in a good way."

Buffy pulls out the stake and watches as his chest heals "The Gem."

Spike grins "Oh, yeah. The Gem of Amara." Spike knocks the stake out of the blonde's hands before swinging out his arm which connects with her face knocking her down.  
Spike smirks "Official sponsor of my killing you." He says before his face morphs into his vampire form.

Spike advances on her and aims a kick at her face but Buffy crouches on her knees and blocks the kick, Buffy aims to punch him in the gut but Spike grabs her arm and twists it before throwing her, causing her to crash into one of the trees.

Buffy falls to the ground again but when Spike sends a kick at her head she blocks it with her arm before rolling over and standing back up. She sends a high kick to his face but he deflects it and twists her arm behind her back before shoving her against the tree.

Buffy groans in pain before reaching back and wrapping an arm around his neck. Once she feels him lose his grip on her arm she shoves him back and twists his arm before kicking him in the stomach, causing him to fall to the ground.

Spike flips back up and aims a spinning back kick at her, she manages to move before it makes contact then brings her left leg down on his knee causing him to fall to his knees. She then kicks him in the back before grabbing him from behind and tossing him onto the ground by the wooden bench near them. Buffy flips onto the bench and swings out her leg but Spike blocks it before grabbing her by the arm; he lifts her before smashing her onto the bench causing it to break.

Buffy rolls on the ground and looks up to see Spike "Getting tired, Slayer?"

Buffy stands and glares at him before blocking the kick he aims at her face, he however then punches her in the face, then sends an elbow strike before punching her in the stomach.

Buffy falls to the ground and struggles to stand.

"So I see you let a new boy take a poke, eh? Which one is it? The older brother or the younger? Or do you fancy a go at both?"  
Buffy glares at him as she clutches her shoulder "You're a pig, Spike."

Spike smiles before quickly jumping up and kicking her in the face. Buffy falls to the ground again and is forced to listen as Spike goes on "So let me guess, you got the good brother and the bad boy brother. If you think about it, you got an Angel and an Angelus."

Buffy runs at him and sends a roundhouse kick at him but he blocks it and when she turns swinging out her leg again he ducks landing behind her. He then kicks her in the back knocking her back to the ground.

"Seems from what I hear is that the younger one doesn't wanna see you. I wonder what you did wrong? Uh, too strong? Did you bruise the boy? My guess is the older one like it. Or maybe younger one just thought you weren't worth a second go. Come to think of it someone told me as much. Who was that?" Spike pauses for a second "Oh, yeah. Angel."

Buffy runs at him furiously and sends two elbow strikes to his face before tossing him to the ground she runs at the tree next to him and jumps on it using the momentum to punch spike in the face as he stands. Spike falls crashing against another tree, Buffy runs towards him and holds him down as she punches him over and over. When Spike tries to protect himself Buffy grabs his arm and twists it behind him back.

"Take it off me this way, we both burn!" Spike tells her as he sees her going for the ring.

"Really? Let's see." Buffy rips the ring his finger.

The moment she does he begins to smoke up and groan in pain. Buffy releases him for a moment giving him the opportunity to make a run for it.

* * *

Buffy sits opposite her computer as she skypes with the Scooby gang. She holds up the ring towards the screen.  
 _"I like it."_ Willow tells her.  
 _"It's small."_ Oz states.

Giles takes his focus off the ring and looks at Buffy _"It's obviously very dangerous, and we're destroying it."  
_ "I'm not destroying it. We don't destroy it." Buffy tells them.  
 _"Buffy, any vampire that gets his hands on this is going to be...essentially unkillable."_

Buffy stays silent giving Giles a moment to realise what she wants to do. As he does his eyes widen _"Oh."_

Buffy look down for a moment but look straight back up at the screen when she hears Oz speak _"I have a gig in Virginia I could pick it up. My next one's in L.A. I could swing by."  
_ "Thanks, Oz." Buffy says giving him a small smile.

Xander moves closer to the screen _"What's going on? What's in L.A.?"  
_ _"She's giving the ring to Angel."_ Willow explains _"Don't make a fuss."  
_ _"Buffy, are you sure?"_ Giles asks seriously.  
Buffy nods "He should have it."

After a long awkward moment, Buffy gives them all a wave goodbye before shutting her laptop and leaning back on the bed. Trying to process everything that had happened today.  
"Hey." Elena says as she pokes her head in the room "How did it go?"

Buffy smiles, sitting up she raises the ring "Easy peasy."  
Elena chuckles "It's pretty. Spike?"  
"Gone." Buffy tells her "Most probably far away from town by now."

Elena walks into the room and moves to sit on the bed by Buffy. "So that's the ring that can make the other kind practically invincible."  
Buffy nods "Yep."  
"So what are you gonna do with it?"  
Buffy looks down, after a moment Elena realises "Angel."

"He should have it." Buffy tells her "Oz is gonna come down and pick it up. Swing by Angel's and give it to him."  
"You don't wanna give it to him?"  
Buffy chuckles "Too much going on here, plus kinda weird."  
Elena laughs "Yeah I guess it would be."

The two sit together quietly for a moment before Elena gets to the reason she came in here "I brought you a present."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "My birthday is not for 2 weeks, why-?"  
Elena sighs "It's not that kind of present. Look I'll explain how tomorrow cause I'm guessing you're gonna be pretty pissed. But take tonight."  
Elena gives her cousin a hug before quickly exiting the room.

Buffy stares after her confused for a moment but freezes when she hears someone speak behind her "Buffy."  
Buffy turns to see Stefan walking into her room, her eyes widen in shock.  
"Hey." He says as he smiles at her.  
Buffy just continues to stare at him astonished "How-?"  
Stefan chuckles "It's complicated. I'll explain later."

Buffy shakes herself free of her frozen state and speeds over to him wrapping her arms around his neck.

After a moment she pulls away and the two just smile at each other before Buffy pulls him forward and kisses him. "Hi." She says before kissing him again.


	46. Suffering

"Stefan?" Buffy calls as she enters his room, Buffy stops and smiles when she hears him trying to sneak up behind her "Not gonna work Stefan."  
Stefan chuckles before wrapping his arms around her waist pulling her back against his chest "I'm gonna keep trying." He says before kissing her neck.  
Buffy giggled before turning to face the shirtless Stefan, she then leans up and kisses him.

As they pull away Stefan smiles "Good morning."  
"I like this." Buffy tells him "Us not being with the whole avoid-y thing."  
"Me too, but..."  
Buffy sighs "And the moments gone. I blame Elena and her whole deal with Elijah and her being the human sacrifice to Klaus's curse."

Stefan nods and he watches Buffy as she walks over to his desk "Plus the fact that apparently you and Klaus are destined to be..."  
"The evil twosome." Buffy finishes sounding very annoyed by the whole concept "But my end of this doesn't matter." Buffy pauses as she pours the vile of vervain into a glass for Stefan "You know Elena told me the details of the deal. It only says that she has to play by his rules."

Stefan smiles "That's right she did. Katherine said Isobel could have some answers, we could start there."  
"Maybe I should go. Alone." Buffy suggests "Not big on the whole anyone else getting hurt thing."  
Stefan looks at her intently as she walks over "We'll make sure no one else gets hurt. Together."

Buffy smiles softly before holding up the glass "Vervain. I made it light, but you sure. It's gonna be super gross, look I get Katherine has this whole tolerance thing..."  
Stefan interjects "Yes. Bottom's up." Stefan takes the glass from her hands and quickly downs it.

As he does, he begins coughing in pain "You ok?" Buffy asks him with a worried frown on her face.  
Stefan nods "Yeah. Ugh."  
Buffy smiles "Gross?"  
Stefan nods "Pretty much."  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement before looking at him seriously "So how do you think Elijah can compel another vampire?

"He's an original." Stefan says with an unsure shrug "I don't really know what that means. I don't think anybody really knows what that means."  
Buffy sighs "Fair to say I'm not a fan, he may not be able to compel me but having him go through my memories was a painful experience."

* * *

"Right, Buffy?" Damon asks as Buffy walks into the living room.

Buffy looks over at Rose to see the worsening bite mark on her back, Rose turns to her and Buffy gives her a small yet kind smile "Yep. You'll be ready for bikini season in no time."  
"Where's Stefan?" Damon asks.  
"He left. He's gonna find Isobel. I have my own method of research."

Damon nods and walks over to her "I need a favour. I need someone to play nurse for a little while...call Elena."  
"It's not necessary." Rose argues.  
"It is necessary. Elena's a do-gooder. She'll wanna help and Buffy is more likely to find intel on Klaus then Stefan is."  
Damon walks out of the room and Buffy follows him "She's dying, isn't she?"

Damon nods "Probably. The wolf bite caused some kind of infection. It's getting worse. Sooner she dies, the better. It's gloomy as hell in here. So get your cousin to actually do something useful for once and watch her."

* * *

After asking Elena to watch Rose, Buffy makes her way to the demon bar on the edge of town.  
She kicks the door open and heads over to the bar "You're Willy's cousin right?" She asks the bartender.  
The bartender nods terrified "Yes ma'am I'm Billy."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Willy and Billy. Wow. Anyways I need information."

Billy shakes his head "No can do. Me and my cousin agreed we don't do that anymore. We play fair, don't act as a snitch."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and slams his face onto the bar "Wanna talk now?"  
Billy nods quickly, a look of terror and fear filling his expression "Yes ma'am please just don't hurt me." He begs.  
Buffy smirks "Good so we understand each other. Original vampire goes by the name of Klaus. I need information."  
Billy's eyes widen in fear "I can't."  
"Well then tell me who can."

Billy shakes his head so Buffy grabs the front of his shirt and raises her fist. Billy raises his hands in surrender "No! I'll talk, I'll talk!"  
Buffy grins and releases him "So who do I need to talk to?"

Billy looks around the room nervously before grabbing a small pen and paper. He quickly scribbles out an address on the paper before sliding it over to Buffy.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "What the hell?"  
"A wizard lives there, maybe he knows something. It's close by."  
Buffy peeks at the note before tucking it into her pocket "Thank you."

* * *

Buffy knocks on the front door of the creepy house, as the door creeps open Buffy hesitates but she slowly makes her way inside "Hello?"  
"Anyone home?" Buffy looks around "This is not gonna go well." Buffy hears a bang and swings around to see the front door now closed "I've got to stop watching so many horror movies." She mutters.

Buffy slowly makes her way through the house but freezes when she sees a woman floating 6 feet above the ground, Buffy eyes widen "What the he—"

Suddenly the woman opens her eyes and looks over at Buffy "What are you doing here?!" She hisses.  
Buffy shakes her head and steps out of the shadows "Look, I'm not gonna hurt you, I just wanna talk."

The woman lowers herself to the ground but Buffy is unable to see her face due to the large robe, the woman looks up at her "Child you are not supposed to be here. You were never meant to be here."  
Buffy stares at the woman shocked "You know who I am?"  
"Of course child. I see everything."

"What about Klaus?" Buffy asks.  
The woman nods "I see him. He takes many forms, but I see him."  
"How do I find him?"  
The woman just shakes her head "You do not. He finds you, it's all he has wanted, it's his destiny."

Buffy's breathing becomes panicked "No. It's not I refuse to believe that destiny or the powers or whoever the hell is in charge up there want me to help Klaus."  
The woman chuckles "You're right child. They don't, you must resist. As long as fate is being kept off course the prophecy will never occur."  
Buffy shakes her head confused "Wait what do you mean as long as fate is being kept off it's course?"

"To get what he wants Klaus will try to set things right, you cannot let him, child. You must resist not matter, whatever he offers you do not take his deal."  
Buffy tries to ask more questions but before she can Buffy is blinded by a bright light, when she is finally able to see again the woman is gone.

"No! Dammit!" Buffy exclaims before kicking a small table next to her across the room.

* * *

Buffy sits on the floor in the abandoned house for what felt like hours when her phone starts ringing, Buffy answers not bothering to look at the caller I.D "Hello?"  
 _"Buffy!"_ Elena yells.  
Buffy shoots up "Elena what's wrong?"  
 _"It's Rose."_ Elena explains completely panicked and terrified _"Something's wrong with her. She thinks I'm Katherine and she -s he-she's trying to kill me."  
_ Buffy's eyes widen "Where are you now?"  
 _"I'm in Stefan's room, I barricaded the door."_

Buffy nods "okay. Stay there, I'll be there as soon as I can." Buffy quickly hangs up the phone and runs out the front door of the house.

* * *

Buffy runs into the Salvatore house and finds Elena gasping while pointing a stake at her "You ok?" Buffy asks.  
Elena shakes her head terrified before lowering the stake.  
"Buffy?" Damon asks confused as he enters the house, he then looks around "Where's Rose?"  
Buffy looks over at Elena who shakes her head again "I don't know."

Buffy hands Elena her car keys "Go. Now."  
"Buffy. No. I wanna help."  
Buffy shakes her head "Elena go home. We'll find her don't worry."

* * *

After Damon and Buffy had found Rose they brought her back to the Salvatore house.

Buffy walks into Damon's room where Rose was in bed "I'm sorry, Buffy." Rose says as Damon turns to her "I don't like taking human life. I never have."  
"You shouldn't be here." Damon tells her.

Buffy rolls her eyes "I'm not Elena. I can handle myself."  
"That's the worst part about death—the hunt." Rose says dreary "The need to kill. The thirst. Pleasure, it brings you afterwards. I wasn't meant to be evil. It hurts."  
"Well, then stop talking about it." Damon suggests before turning away.

Rose looks over at Buffy "Is it the same for Slayers, the hunt?"  
Buffy moves to sit down next to Rose and hesitates "As much as I hate to admit it, it can be a rush."

"Damon's like me." Rose tells her "He wants to care, but the minute he does, he runs away from it. I'm sorry for what I've done today."  
Buffy nods "I know, you didn't have control."  
"You need to fight." Rose reminds her "You may be the only one who can, you can make sure your cousin fights as well."

Rose starts coughing again and Buffy hold her head in comfort "Why are you so nice to me? You're a Vampire Slayer, you should hate me."  
Buffy chuckles "I don't like doing things I'm told. Plus I'm human, empathy if one of the faults."

"You can never forget it. What it's like to be human. It haunts me. It's the only thing that's kept me going. It doesn't hurt as much anymore. Damon told me you died once did it hurt."  
Buffy gives her a sympathetic smile "No. It was just like going to sleep."

Rose smiles but then begins to groan before screaming and grabbing her stomach.  
Buffy tries to help but Damon places a hand on her shoulder "Go, I've got this."

Buffy watches as Rose screams in pain "Oh, my god! Make it stop! Make it stop!" She begs Damon.

* * *

"You were supposed to leave." Damon tells Buffy as he enters into the living room.  
Buffy shrugs "I did. Patrolled. Figured after I would come to see how you were doin'." Buffy handed him a glass of bourbon; he takes the glass "I appreciate the gesture. I'm glad it's over."  
Buffy scoffs "Look I never admit and you better now tell anyone I said this but I know you and I are a lot alike. I have a lot more in common with you than I do with anyone. So I can tell you're doing the deflecting thing."

"Yeah, we're alike so you know what I'm gonna say. Go home, Buffy. Get some rest. It's a whole new day tomorrow."  
Buffy sighs "Look I'm your friend. No matter how much I try not to be."  
"I'm aware of that."  
Buffy interjects "And like I said we're a lot alike. You're doing the same thing I do denying you're hurt."

"I'm not denying anything Buffy. I didn't care. And I'm not upset."  
Damon starts to walk off again so Buffy goes on "I get it, feeling sucks. Pain, guilt everything hurts, but from time to time there is a light. In time you could have that."

Damon turns back to her "You're right. It sucks. What sucks, even more, is that it was supposed to be me. Jules was coming after me. Those little emotions you talk about guilt pain, it would be human of me to feel it right? But I'm not human. You're one to talk about denying emotions anyway."

Buffy's eyes widen "Excuse me?"

"Ever since Mary's little secret spill you deny everything, you deny that you're full of rage and grief." Damon pauses "Go home. There's been enough doom and gloom and personal growth for one day. And I would really rather get through this day without you threatening to kill me again."

Buffy sighs and picks up her bag "No problem."

She is about to walk past Damon but she freezes, slowly she wraps her arms around him and gives him a hug. A few minutes later she pulls away "Goodnight Damon."

* * *

Buffy walks in through the front door and spots Stefan "Hey."  
Stefan gives her a small smile "Rose?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Isobel?"  
"I called her. But—"

"It didn't exactly go as plan." John says as he walks into the room a very pissed off and annoyed Elena following him "Hello, Buffy."  
Buffy's eyes widen "You have got to be kidding me."


	47. 18 - Part 1

"Happy Birthday!" Elena, Jenna and Jeremy yell as they enter Buffy's room.  
Buffy moans "No! Go way." She says pulling the sheet back over her head.  
Elena and Jeremy chuckle and walk over to the bed.

Jeremy pulls on the bedding while Elena steals Buffy's pillows.  
"Hey!" Buffy exclaims as she attempts to reach for the bedding.  
Jenna chuckles "Oh come on humour us. Elena wouldn't let us celebrate her birthday and spent the day with Liam. So please?"  
Buffy moans "My birthdays end badly."  
"Don't think of it as your birthday then." Jeremy tells her "Think of it as a way for us to avoid John."  
Buffy's eyes widen in delight "Woo hoo. I can get with that."

Elena chuckles and takes Buffy's hand pulling her out of bed "They're are waffles downstairs."  
Buffy hesitates "Elena made them." Jenna assures her.  
Buffy sighs in relief "Sorry aunt Jenna."  
Jenna shrugs "Honey I made them once and I couldn't even eat them."

* * *

All of them head downstairs and Elena heads straight into the kitchen to confront John, Buffy is about to follow her when Jenna grabs her hand "I have a surprise for you."

Buffy raises an eyebrow "I thought I said no gifts."  
"I didn't say gifts I just said a surprise." Jenna turns to Jeremy "I'm going to see if I can get rid of John. You make sure she doesn't go anywhere."

Jenna leaves the room and heads into the kitchen, Buffy turns to Jeremy "I'm not gonna like this am I?"  
Jeremy sends her an apologetic look "I told her it was a bad idea, but I couldn't exactly explain why."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Jeremy. What did she do?" Buffy pauses as she hears the argument in the kitchen before hearing the back door slam "That didn't go well." She whispers to herself before turning back to Jeremy "What-did-she-do?"

Before Jeremy can answer the doorbell goes off, Buffy turns to Jeremy "We're not done yet." She says before going to open the door.

However, as she pulls the door open she freezes, as there on the porch stand Willow, Xander and Giles.

* * *

"You brought back John Gilbert?" Damon asks in disbelief "That was you big save-Buffy and Elena move?"  
Stefan shakes his head "I went to go look for Isobel and I got John instead. Which helps as Buffy only got cryptic information from that witch she went to see. Look, he said he could help us, and we're desperate."

"We're not that desperate, Stefan." Damon argues "We still have a freaking vampire Slayer on our side who Klaus won't touch. Plus the guy tried to barbecue me."

Stefan tries to argue with reason "Damon, Bonnie's new witch friend is working with Elijah, so we have to assume that the moonstone was never destroyed. Elena is putting all of her faith into some deal that she made with Elijah to keep everyone safe I mean, do you trust Elijah? I don't trust him, he threw Buffy through a ceiling and he's an original. He can't be trusted. It's not like we can just go up and kill him because apparently, he can't die."

Damon interjects "Still waiting for the part where John Gilbert is the answer."  
"He knew about the sacrifice and about the prophecy. Isobel told him. He said he knew of a way to keep both of them safe."  
"And how do we do that?"  
Stefan shakes his head "He's not talking at least not to me, anyway."  
Damon scoffs "Great work, Stefan. Top notch. As if I didn't have enough problems."  
Stefan sighs then looks down at his watch "Dammit. I gotta go."

"Where are you going?" Damon asks confused.  
"It's Buffy's birthday."  
Damon's eyes widen "It is?"  
"Yes. She hasn't had the best experiences with birthdays so..." Stefan starts to head for the door but turns back "I'm sorry about Rose."

* * *

"Happy Birthday, Buffy." Willow and Xander say.  
Buffy just stares wide-eyed "Jeremy!" She hisses.  
Jeremy walks over to her "I should have warned you."

Buffy sighs "Doesn't matter now. I'll deal with you later. Jeremy, this is Giles, Xander and Willow. Guys this is my cousin Jeremy."  
Jeremy gives them a wave "Hey." He gives Buffy a reassuring tap on the shoulder before heading up the stairs.  
Buffy looks back at her friends "Come on in." She tells them.  
The three of them sit on the couch but as Buffy moves to close the door Damon walks in "Where's John?"

Buffy rolls her eyes "Gone." Buffy looks over at her friends who were all watching with interest.  
Buffy grabs Damon's arm and pulls him into the kitchen.

"He left. After he dropped the whole being Elena's father thing on Jenna. He took off I don't know where. And Elena called Liam he's taking her out for the day."  
Damon raises an eyebrow "It's pubic knowledge now?"  
Buffy shrugs "Please I'm just grateful he's not mine." Buffy pauses and looks back over at her friends.  
"Who are they?" Damon asks.  
Buffy sighs "Sunnydale." She says simply.  
Damon's eyes widen "And they're here because...we don't have time for this."  
"I know okay?" Buffy says rather loudly.  
Damon's expression softens "Are you ok?"

Buffy nods "I'm fine. It's just the worst possible time with everything that's happening. I knew something bad would happen today. Something always does."  
Buffy sighs "Before you ask no. I don't know what John is doing here, and honestly - I believe he has an ulterior motive for being here."  
"Same."  
Buffy nods "Look I was fine with Isobel showing up cause her I can torture for information. That's easy." Damon chuckles "But I don't know what to do with John."  
"Kill him." Damon suggests as he walks into the hall and heads for the door.  
Buffy follows him "Damon-"

"I'm joking." He assures her, Buffy raises an eyebrow "Ok. I'm a little serious."  
"Damon!"  
"I'm not gonna—" Damon looks over at the humans in the living room pretending not to listen "I'm not gonna do anything, Buffy. I'm the good guy now, remember?"  
Buffy scoffs "Since when?"

"Since I decided to get a hero haircut of my own. It will be official after that." Damon pauses "Look I'm just gonna have a civil conversation with your uncle."  
"Uncle by marriage." Buffy argues.

"Whatever." Damon opens the door and shakes his head as she starts to follow "A-you're not coming, you have guests and B—Happy Birthday Buffy."

* * *

John reaches into his pocket as his phone begins to ring "Yes?"  
 _"Hello, Mr Gilbert."  
_ John sighs "Mr Travers. What can I do for you?"  
 _"I recently heard you were in Mystic Falls."  
_ John groans "Yes. I'm visiting family."

 _"Well it seems you forgot to mention last time we spoke that one of your nieces was in fact the current Slayer."  
_ John begins to get impatient "What do you want Travers?"

 _"Well as I'm sure you're aware it's the Slayer's 18th birthday, you remember the tradition we had, your grandfather must have told you, he was one of us."  
_ "I'm well aware of what is happening today, I'm just curious as to why your contacting me about this."  
Travers sighs _"Well Mr. Giles is currently in Mystic Falls he will be giving her the serum soon, I just would appreciate it if you keep an eye on Mr. Giles. Make sure he follows through with his duties, so of the other watchers have expressed some concern."_

John sighs "I have bigger concerns at the moment." He says as he spots Damon walking into the bar "But I'll contact him and make sure everything is ready. Travers do you believe she is ready for this?"

 _"Miss. Summers is rather competent. I believe that there is a chance. I will be in town in a few hours, I shall see you soon."_

* * *

"So what are you guys doing here?" Buffy asks as she sits opposite her friends.  
"Well, it's your birthday Buffy, we wouldn't miss it." Willow tells her.

Buffy gives her a soft smile "Look it's just there is a lot going on here at the moment, it's really not the best time."  
Xander grins "Trouble? Alright, then Avengers Assemble."

"No. Look I have people helping me. Don't worry about it."  
Xander pouts "We've been replaced."  
"Does this have to do with the book you sent me?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods "We found out a lot, and so little at the same time. Let's just say it's complicated."  
Willow turns to Buffy "Buffy, maybe we can help I could try a spell—"  
"No." Buffy tells her "Really I'd rather keep you guys out of this one."

The four of them sit in silence for a few minutes when Willow turns to Buffy "So who was tall dark and handsome?"  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Who?"  
"The guy who came in earlier Buff, common spill the dirty little secrets." Xander tells her.  
Buffy groans "Ew, that's Damon. My boyfriend's brother. And he's not that tall."

Suddenly there is a knock at the door, Buffy sighs and gets up and answers the door. As the door opens she smiles seeing Stefan holding flowers "Hey." He says.

"Hi." She says back before kissing him. Stefan pulls away and hands her the flowers "Happy Birthday."  
Buffy smiles "Not so sure about that but it's getting better." Buffy lets Stefan in "Sunnydale." She whispers gesturing to the living room.  
Stefan looks over her shoulder to see Xander and Willow and Giles staring at him and Buffy. "What are they—"  
"Jenna."

Stefan smiles "Well guess the introduction is going to have to be sooner rather than later."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Stefan..."

Stefan however just takes her hand and heads into the living room. "You must be Willow, Xander and Mr Giles. Buffy's told me a lot about you."  
"And you are?" Giles asks.  
Buffy answers "This is Stefan."

"Nice work Buff, I like him better than An—" Xander starts but Willow hits his shoulder "Ow." Xander moans confused.  
Buffy chuckles slightly but stops when Stefan's phone buzzes Buffy looks down to see a text from Caroline "Is that Care?"

Stefan looks down and sighs "Yeah I gotta go. I'm sorry. I promise I'll be back tonight." He kisses the top of her head for heading for the door.  
"Wait, do you need my –" The door closes "Help."

* * *

A little while later Xander and Willow go out hoping to explore the new home of the Slayer, leaving Giles and Buffy together "Why do we have to do this exactly?" Buffy asks.

Giles sighs "Buffy, as you have been slaying here the council believe that even though I'm not training you at the moment there are still certain things that as the slayer you need to know."  
Buffy pouts "This is the worst birthday gift ever."

Giles nods "As much as I know you do not like this but it is necessary so, this one?" He asks as he holds up the crystal.  
Buffy rolls her eyes and stares at the crystal "Amethyst."  
"Used for?"  
"Breath mints?"  
Giles sighs "Charm bags, money spells, and for cleansing one's aura."

Buffy looks up at Giles "Ok, so how do you know if one's Aura's dirty? Somebody come by with a finger and write wash me on it?"

Giles cleans his glasses "Buffy, I would appreciate your glib-free attention."  
Buffy puts "Sorry it's just something's up with my friend and now John's in town making things complicated. And Stefan—"  
"Yes that would be the tall young man with the interesting hair style."  
Buffy chuckles "That would be him."  
"So...are you happy?"

Buffy smiles "Yeah. He's a good guy, Giles, you don't need to worry."  
Giles smiles "Good. Now try to concentrate." He tells her as he places a large blue crystal in front of her.  
Buffy stares at the crystal "What am I looking for?"  
"Look for the flaw in its centre."

Buffy stares at the crystal and loses her self.  
"Buffy?" Giles tries when she doesn't respond he pulls out the needle from his bag and injects the serum into her vein.

As he pulls the needle away he quickly places it back in his bag before moves his arm in front of the crystal.  
Buffy is brought back to reality "Oh, sorry. Did I zone out on you? That's weird."  
"Well we're done for now. Why don't you go find Willow and Xander see if you can salvage the day."  
"What about you?"

Giles gives her a smile "I have some paperwork for the council. I will try to finish as soon as possible."

* * *

"He's a cutie, Buffy." Willow tells Buffy as the three of them walk through the graveyard.  
"Yeah and sunlight big plus." Buffy adds.

Xander shrugs "What's with you and guys with big hair, do you guys find that attractive. Do I need to start growing my hair out? Or up?"  
Buffy chuckles "I think you'll be just fine Xand."

As they walk Willow sighs "Really Buffy a cemetery?"  
Buffy shrugs "What? It's awesome."

Suddenly Buffy wobbles "Woah Buffster." Xander says as he catches her "You okay?"  
Buffy takes a deep breath "Yeah. I'm fine. Just a dizzy spill."  
Buffy takes a deep breath "Come on. I wanna show you something."  
Buffy leads them through the cemetery and towards a small mausoleum.

"Buff there like a hundred of these back in SunnyD. How's this one any different?"  
Buffy chuckles "It's not. But I figured we all bonded over an attack in a mausoleum, so I guessed we could celebrate our reunion in one."  
Willow chuckles "It's like a tradition."  
Xander smiles "Creepy enough for it to work for us."

Buffy giggles and makes her way over to the door she attempts to pull the lock open but can't. She pulls at the door again and again but it doesn't budge.  
Buffy's eyes widen, she quickly grabs the knife out of her boot and throws it at the tree near her, it goes wide. "What the hell?"

* * *

Giles walks around the house as the other Watcher's prepare for the test.  
"Hello, Mr Giles." John says as he enters the room.  
Giles turns to the man confused "Who are you? Where's Quentin?"  
"He's on his way. Asked me to over see things."  
Giles glares at him "Again I ask, who are you?"  
"Jonathan Gilbert."  
Giles eyes widen "You're Buffy's uncle."  
He nods "Yes." John walks around the room "Who will she be facing?"

Giles sighs "A true maniac, Zachary Kralik. I was hoping to discuss this with Quentin it's rather barbaric to place her in this space with such a monster."  
John nods "Yes, it is."

"It's been done this way for a dozen centuries." Travers says as he enters the room "Whenever a slayer turns 18. It's a time-honoured rite of passage."  
Travers nods at the two "Jonathan, Rupert please have a seat."

"It's an archaic exercise in cruelty." Giles argues "To lock her in this tomb...weakened, defenceless. And to unleash that on her." He looks over at the box with the vampire trapped inside. "If anyone on the council still had actual contact with a slayer, they would see, but I'm the one in the thick of it."

"But you're not Rupert." Travers says "The Slayer has been alone without supervision for too long. And you allow that, which is why you're not qualified to make this decision."  
Travers sighs "Once this is over believe me your Buffy will be stronger for it."  
"Or she'll be dead." Giles finishes.

Travers looks down as the ground refusing to directly answer the question, after a moment he looks up and over at John "Jonathan, you will make sure the slayer stays  
unaware."  
John hesitates "Of course."


	48. 18 - Part 2

Buffy tosses the knife at the wall in the gym but again it misses "Buffy?" Giles asks as he comes down the stairs, he looks around her own made gym in interest "Well this is rather interesting. I must say you've done well."  
"Giles, something's wrong." She says as she continues to stare at the wall.  
"Wrong?" Giles asks confused, he then however looks over at the wall "Ah, perhaps you shouldn't..." Buffy throws another but it goes wide "...Do that anymore." He says wincing slightly as it crashes into the bookshelf.

Buffy sighs "Giles something is seriously wrong I couldn't get a freaking door open because it was stuck, I can normally rip a door off it's hinges." Buffy sighs "I'm way off my game. My game's in Cuernavaca. Giles, what's going on here?"  
Giles sits down as he speaks "Well, perhaps you've got a bad flu or something."  
Buffy shakes her head "I don't think that's it. Giles..."  
"I'll have a look for you."  
Buffy smiles "Thanks."

* * *

John walks over to Damon who was walking in the town square "Where's your brother?"  
Damon shrugs as he stops and turns to Buffy and Elena's uncle groaning in annoyance slightly as he does "Don't know, don't care, why?"  
John sighs "The Watcher's Council are here."  
"What?!" Damon hisses.  
John hesitates "I told you I was here to help Buffy and Elena, so now you have to trust me."

Damon glares at him "What is going on?"  
"The Watcher's Council, every time a Slayer turns 18 they are put through a test."  
Damon's eyes fill with rage "What kind of test John?" He hisses.  
"They drug her, weaken her power. Then they lock her in a tomb with a vampire."  
"Where is she now?" Damon demands.  
John shakes his head "Why do you think I'm looking for Stefan, because I have no idea where she is."

Suddenly John's phone begins to buzz only to see a message from Giles.  
His eyes widen "What is it?" Damon asks.  
"The vampire Buffy's meant to face is Zachary Kralik." Damon's eyes widen "He escaped."

Damon glares at him before grabbing him by the throat, there was no way in hell he was going to let Buffy get locked up with some lunatic vampire let alone Kralik, they guy was a psycho, this was John's fault "Let me tell you something John. I don't like you very much, so let me make one thing clear, if she dies, so do you."

Damon releases John before storming off.

* * *

After spending most of the day researching with Willow and Xander Buffy drops them off at their hotel before making her way home, as she makes her way through the town she looks around nervously, unable to shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She speeds up her pace , as she does she hears someone humming. Buffy looks over her shoulder "Hummers. Big turnoff. I like guys that can remember the lyrics."

Buffy tries to continue to walk but she crashes into someone "You know, I wish I could, but my mind just isn't what it used to be." Zachary says.

Buffy's eyes widen as she spots the vampire, she panics and tries to pull away as he clutches her arms "Let me go."  
The vampire smiles "You didn't say please."  
"Get...off me!" Buffy screams "Somebody, please!" Buffy screams again as she manages to get out of his grasp however another vampire jumps out at her, she screams again before running.

"Somebody, please help me!" Buffy screams as she runs.

Suddenly someone grabs her from behind and covers her mouth "Shh."  
Buffy looks up to see Damon, gasping in relief she leans into him "Dam..."

"Shh." Damon tells her again before moving her behind him, as he does one of the vampires appears. Damon moves out of the shadows and speeds over to the vampire quickly removing his heart.

Once the vampire's body falls to the ground, Damon turns back to Buffy "You okay?"  
Buffy shakes her head as tears roll down her cheeks "Something is wrong with me."

Damon walks over to her and rubs the water from her eyes before he places his hands on her shoulders "I know. We're gonna fix it. Come on." Damon grabs her hand and quickly pulls her out of the alley.

* * *

After getting a call from Damon, Stefan quickly heads over to Buffy's house, as he enters he sighs at his brother. "Damon I don't have time for this, Jules took C—"  
"Shut up." Damon tells him before nodding his head in Buffy's direction.

The blonde was currently wrapped in a blanket staring at a wall as she sat on the couch.  
"What happened?"  
Damon shakes his head "Her powers are gone, and the council sent a vampire after her."  
"That's technically not true." John says as he and Giles enter the room.  
Giles looks between the two brothers "I assume the two of you know... about Buffy."

Both brothers nod, as silence fill the room Stefan and Damon both glare at him "Let me explain." Giles asks them.

Stefan hesitates before nodding, he walks over to Buffy "Hey." He says as he crouches down in front of her and cups her cheek in his hand "What happened?"

Buffy looks up at him, her voice wavers as she speaks "When I hit him, it felt like my arm was broken, it hurt so much. I can't just be a person. I can't be helpless like that. Stefan, what's wrong with me?" Stefan looks at her sadly before taking her hand and kissing it softly as he moves to sit next to her, wrapping an arm around her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder.

At that moment Giles walks over and places a leather pouch on the table, he opens it revealing the needle and serum. "It's an organic compound." He explains "Of muscle relaxants and adrenal suppressors. The effect is temporary. You'll be yourself again in a few days."

"Buffy..." Stefan tries to help her but she moves away from him and reaches out a shaky hand towards the needle "You..."  
"It's a test, Buffy." Giles tells her.

John turns to the blonde "It's given to the Slayer once she—well, if she reaches her 18th birthday."  
Giles continues "The Slayer is disabled and then entrapped with a vampire foe whom she must defeat in order to pass the test."  
Stefan turns to looks up at Giles "And the vampire?"

"He escaped. His name is Zachary Kralik." Giles informs them as he paces the room "As a mortal, he murdered and tortured more than a dozen women before he was committed to an asylum for the criminally insane. When A—"

Buffy cuts him off by chucking the leather pouch at Giles' head. "You bastard."  
Stefan stands trying to calm Buffy "Buffy think—"

"Shut up." Buffy orders before turning back to Giles "You saw what it was doing to me. All day, and you didn't say a word."  
"I wanted to."  
"Liar." Buffy cries.  
"In matters of tradition and protocol, I must answer to the council."

Damon scoffs "Yeah, a council that seem dead set on killing their biggest asset. Is it just me or is that a stupid tradition."

Giles turns to Damon "It is done to test a slayer's ability to use her wit and creativity." The Watcher turns back to Buffy "My role in this...was very specific. I was to administer the injections and to direct you...to the old house just on the edge of town."

Buffy shakes her head as she runs her fingers through her hair "I can't. I can't hear this."  
"Buffy, please."  
Buffy looks up at him tears in her eyes "Who are you? How could you do this to me?"

Stefan tries to place a hand on her but she backs away "Don't touch me." She says before turning back to Giles. "Why would you do this to me?"

"I am deeply sorry, Buffy..." He says as he steps towards her "...and you have to understand—"  
Giles tries to touch her but she backs away "If you touch me, I'll kill you."

Stefan and Damon both move in front of the blonde "You have to listen to me." Giles begs them "Because I've told you this, the test is invalidated. You will be safe now. I promise you. Whatever I have to do to deal with Kralik—"

Stefan cuts him off "We will deal with him. You need to leave."  
Giles looks over at Buffy "Buffy, please—"  
Buffy just glares at him, her expression broken "You poisoned me."  
Buffy turns away from Giles and heads for the stairs "Someone take him back to his hotel."  
"Buffy..." Giles tries again, but Buffy cuts him off.  
"I don't know you."

Damon turns to Giles and John "Let's go." He says dragging both men out of the house.


	49. 18 - Part 3

Once the door closes Stefan makes his way over to Buffy, he places a hand on Buffy's shoulder "Are you okay?" Buffy just shakes her head, Stefan looks down at her sadly and pulls her to him in a tight embrace, "Shh." Stefan soothes her as he runs his hands through her hair "We're gonna figure this out. We deal with Kralik."

Stefan takes her face in his palms before kissing the top of her head "I promise you."  
Buffy nods and opens her mouth to speak but the sound of Stefan's phone ringing cuts through the air, silencing her.

Stefan sighs and grabs his phone he quickly looks down to see a message from Jules, the vampire's eyes widen.  
Buffy notices the worried expression on her boyfriend's face "Stefan? What is it?"

"It's Caroline, Jules has her."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Go. You have to help her."  
"But Buffy—"  
Stefan tries to argue but Buffy cuts him off "Look I'll be fine in my locked house. He can't get in unless I invite him inside, so go help, Caroline."

Stefan hesitates before nodding, he quickly places a soft kiss on her lips "I love you." He tells her.  
"I love you too. Now go." Buffy tells him while practically shoving him out of the door.

* * *

A little while later Buffy walks upstairs to ask Jeremy if he wanted pizza "Jeremy?" Buffy calls as she peeks into his room when she realises the room was empty she looks around the hall confused.

She quickly heads back down the stairs "Jeremy?" She calls again.

When she doesn't hear an answer she walks over to the back door and pulls it open "Jer?" Buffy sighs and is about to close the door but she stops when she sees something on the porch floor. Buffy moves forwards and picks it up to see a photo, she turns it and gasps as she sees a photo of Jeremy tied to a chair and the word 'Come' written across the photo.

Buffy drops the photo and speeds upstairs to her room. The moment she enters she runs over to the wardrobe forcing it open and dragging her weapons chest out.

She quickly fills up her bag with as many weapons as possible, she slips some holy water into her jumper; then she lifts her bag, struggling to do so. Once she has the bag she heads for the door not looking back.

* * *

Buffy pulls out the crossbow from her bag and slowly makes her way inside the abandoned house. She silently moves around the living room then hears a door slam behind her "Not good." She mutters before continuing towards the staircase.

* * *

Damon opens the front door at Buffy's house and sighs "Damn British people." He mutters before heading towards the stairs "Buffy?" He calls "Buffy?" he calls again when she doesn't answer.

Damon quickly makes his way up the stairs "Buff? Don't have time for this Slayer, come on." He says as he pushes her bedroom door open. When he sees an empty room his eyes widen, he slams the bathroom door open only to find it empty as well.

"Dammit." He mutters before heading back down the stairs, he walks into the kitchen and opens the back door. When he still doesn't spot her he slams the back door closed angrily, he is about to turn away from the door but stops when he notices the photo on the ground; he picks up the photo and immediately knows what happened "Dammit, Buffy." He mutters before dropping the photo and speeding out the house.

* * *

Buffy clutches the bag tightly to her as she wanders through the dark hallway, suddenly out of the darkness Kralik appears and wraps a hand around her neck.

"Why did you come to the dark of the woods?" He asks her as he takes the bag of weapons from her grasp "To bring all these sweets to Grandmother's house." He says before slowly lowering his mouth to Buffy's neck, however before he can make contact she shoves her hand out forcing a cross onto his chest. He gasps and moves away but after a moment he laughs and grabs Buffy's hand, placing the cross on his stomach.

He continues to laughs as he speaks "Oh—oh, no, no. Just a little lower. Right—oh yes. Yes. Oh." He says as he moans in pleasure and he adjusts the cross.

Buffy stares in disgust and makes a run for it.

She runs into the closest room only to discover a body which had been ripped to shreds. She holds back the vomit threatening at the bottom of her throat and starts to search for some type of weapon. When she cannot find anything she sneaks out of the other door and makes her way towards the stairs

As she climbs the stairs Kralik, who had hidden underneath the stairway grabs a hold of her leg causing her to fall and smash her head against the stair.

Kralik tries to grab her again but she manages the pull herself up and continues up the stairs, with him running after her.

* * *

Damon smashes the door at the hotel room open and quickly speeds over to John lifting him up and slamming him against the wall.  
Giles stares in shock "What-Wh-What are you?"  
Damon rolls his eyes and continues to focus on John "Where is the house she was meant to go?"

John looks at him confused "What—why?"  
"Why do you think? Buffy's gone. The crazy ass vampire took Jeremy so she went after him."

Giles takes off his glasses "Oh dear lord."  
"Where is she?" Damon asks the librarian.  
"The house on the edge of town."

Damon releases John before turning to Giles "You won't remember what I am. Understand?"  
Giles nods mesmerised "Yes."  
Damon nods before disappearing from the room.

* * *

Buffy runs through the hallway trying every doorway, after several unsuccessful attempts she finally manages the get one of the doors opens and quickly sneaks inside, slamming the door behind her.

Buffy searches for the light in the darkened room but as she does she gasps horrified, as once the light fills the room she sees the photos of Kralik and Jeremy all across the walls. Buffy's eyes widen as she pulls photos from the wall, suddenly Kralik punches a hand through the wall, Buffy runs to the opposite door in an effort to escape. However, the moment she is free from the room she turns only to have Kralik appear blocking her path "If you stray from the path, you will lose your way." He tells her as he places a hand on her cheek and moves towards her neck "I won't take it all." He tells her as she struggles and screams.

Suddenly Kralik gasps in pain and clutches his head, Buffy tries to run but Kralik throws her into the opposite wall. Buffy groans in pain but freezes when she sees the pills in Kralik's hands, suddenly an idea pops into her head, she grabs the pills and runs towards the garbage shoot jumping inside.

* * *

"Buffy?" Jeremy mumbles as he sees Buffy crash painfully onto the ground.  
Buffy quickly stands and limps over to her cousin; she tries to rip the ropes him.  
"Buff-we have to—"

Jeremy is cut off when the two of them hear Kraliz pound through the door "Where are they? Where are they?!" He screams as he comes down the stairs, he sees Buffy and grabs her, throwing her against the wall before ripping the pills from her grasp.

He quickly runs over to the glass in the corner and drinks down the pills with a large amount of water. He sighs in relief before turning back to Buffy "You don't seem to understand your place in all this. Do you have any idea—oh my-" Kralik groans in pain "What have you—my pills."

Buffy slowly pulls the now empty glass of holy water out of her pocket as Kralik groans in pain "If I was at full Slayer power, I'd be punning right about now." Buffy and Jeremy then watch as Kralik's body turns to dust.

The moment Kralik is gone Buffy runs back over to Jeremy "Are you okay?" She asks him as she pulls at the ropes.  
"Yeah fine. What the hell was that?"  
Buffy chuckles painfully "That would be a vampire from my world." She says struggling to get the ropes off. Jeremy looks at her confused "Can't you just—you know."

"Not right now."

Suddenly the two of them hear another door slam open, they turn in fear but sigh when they see Damon "I got it." He tells them before going over to Jeremy and ripping the ropes from his body.

"Buffy!" Yells Giles as he runs down the stairs but freezes when he spots her.

Buffy just stares back at him, "Come on." Damon says drawing her focus as he helps her along with Jeremy out of the house.

Just as they are about to enter Giles' hotel Damon's phone buzzes.

"Dammit!" He exclaims when he sees the message from his brother, he turns to Jeremy "Watch her." He tells the teenager while gesturing to Buffy.  
"Where are you going?" Buffy asks.  
Damon sighs "My brother has royally screwed up, I have to deal with this mess."  
Buffy nods and watches as Damon walks off before turning to Giles and following him inside.

* * *

A little while later Buffy sits in front of Quentin Travers as John, Jeremy and Giles stand around the room.  
"Congratulations." He tells the blonde Slayer "You passed. You exhibited extraordinary courage and clear-headedness in battle. The Council is very pleased."  
"Pleased by the fact that you almost got me and my cousin killed?" Jeremy asks sarcastically.

Travers sighs and turns to John "Control your nephew Mr Gilbert." Travers turns back to Buffy who continues to glare at him "Do I get a gold star?" She asks.  
"I understand that you're upset—"

Buffy cuts him off "You understand nothing. You set that monster loose, and he came after a member of my family."  
"You think the test was unfair?"  
Buffy tilts her head "I think you better leave town before I get my strength back."  
"We're not in the business of fair, Miss Summers, we're fighting a war."

Buffy stays silent for a moment as she continues to just glare at him "Well, I'm not your business anymore."  
"What do you mean?" Quentin asks confused.  
"I mean that until the next Slayer comes around you can close up shop. I'm not working for you anymore."

"Now, Miss. Summers you cannot quit the council—"  
"I think she just did." Jeremy says.  
Giles steps forwards "We're done here."

Travers shakes his head "Not quite. She passed, you didn't. The Slayer is not the only one who must perform in this situation. I've recommended to the council, and they've agreed that you be relieved of your duties as Watcher immediately. You're fired."

Giles stares in shock "On what grounds?"

"Your affection for your charge has rendered you incapable of clear and impartial judgement, you have a father's love for the child, and that is useless to the cause. It would be bes—"

"Get out." Buffy says to Travers.  
Travers turns to her "Excuse me?"  
"I'm no longer your concern and you just fired Giles. You have no business here. So get out. Or I will make you leave."

Travers watches her carefully for a moment and as he realises she is not bluffing, he slowly makes his way towards the door.

* * *

Later that night Buffy sits on the couch staring at the wall, "Buffy?" Stefan calls as he enters the house, he quickly walks into the living room and crouches down in front of Buffy. His eyes widen as he sees the scar on her forehead "Damon told me what happened, Buffy, I'm so sorry—"

"It's not your fault." She says quietly "I guess my birthdays really are cursed."

Stefan looks at her sadly and places a hand on her forehead but when she winces he pulls away "Is Caroline okay?" Buffy asks.  
Stefan nods "Yeah."

"So what happened?"  
"I'll explain later." He tells her before sitting next to her and pulling her into an embrace.

* * *

"What are we doing here?" Buffy asks as Stefan leads her up the porch to Caroline's house.

Stefan pauses and turns towards her "You and Caroline both went through a lot of horrible things today. I think that you need the same thing she did."

Buffy looks at him confused but he smiles at her softly before knocking on the door, through the window Buffy see Caroline, Bonnie and Elena appear "We're gonna slumber it." Elena tells her.

Buffy's eyes widen and tears fill her eyes "Thank you." She whispers to Stefan.

"You're welcome." He says with a smile before opening the door for her.

The moment the door opens the three girls pull Buffy inside and hug her tightly.


	50. Damsel

As Buffy, Elena, Caroline and Bonnie sleep Buffy's phone goes off, all the girls groan and moan in annoyance and Caroline ends up shoving Buffy off the bed "Uhh! I'm still not a full strength you know." Buffy says as she crawls towards her phone "Hello?"

"Buffy!" The girls exclaim annoyed as she answers her phone, Buffy nods and crawls into the hall.

 _"How was the slumber party?"_ Stefan asks.

Buffy smiles as she leans against the wall "It's was good. However getting shoved out of bed by a tired vampire not so much fun, especially when my powers still aren't back to full blast. But otherwise, very much needed." Buffy slowly forms a smirk on her face "When can you and I have one? That is also very much needed."

Stefan smiles into the phone _"Hmm. That can be arranged."  
_ Buffy laugh "Thank God. Now. Today. Get me the hell out of here."  
 _"Even with everything that's going on?"_

"Well I'm still weak so I need time to regain my strength. And with everything that's going on, little old me needs a break. Look Elena is going to be spending the weekend with Liam, if she gets to have a nice break, I want one too."

 _"And you're sure this has nothing to do with you freaking out by the fact your powers are gone while Elijah is still running around."_

"Uh, it has everything to do with that. Right now I'm useless. Plus if I'm around John any longer, who by the way helped the council lock me up, I may go insane."

Stefan smiles _"Well, in that case, where would you like to go?"_

Buffy grins and looks over at Elena "Elena dibs on the lake house."  
Elena looks up "What? But—"  
Buffy gives her cousin her best resolve face so Elena huffs "Fine. So guess I'm stuck at his smelly dorm room, that's just great." She says sarcastically before burying her head under the pillow.

* * *

"Are you ready for our romantic weekend?" Stefan asks Buffy.  
Buffy grins "A world of yes. Let's go before John shows up and gives me the whole duty to the council speech."  
Stefan chuckles before grabbing her bag "I'll go put these in the car."

Buffy is about to follow him but freezes when she sees a message from Caroline _'Need to talk. Where are you?'_ Buffy reads.  
'Heading to the Lake house.' Buffy texts back.

Stefan turns to her "Uh, please tell me there's nothing wrong." Buffy hesitates and looks back down at her phone and sighs relieved when Caroline tells her it's fine.

Buffy smiles and looks back up at Stefan "We're good, just Care. Come on let's book." She says following him out of the house.

* * *

Tyler turns to the other werewolves "She's heading to Dunham Lake. Her family had a house out there."

Brady nods "The Slayer just turned 18, she'll still be weak, better get her now before her strength is back. We'll get the other doppelgänger after."

* * *

Stefan pulls the car up in front of the Lake house, and Buffy just continues to stare at it "You all right?"  
Buffy nods as she continues to stare "Fine, just last time I was here was when I still had a full family."

Stefan's eyes widen "Oh, my God. Buffy, listen. Just say the word, all right? We'll get back on that highway, we'll go anywhere else."  
Buffy slowly smiles "From what I remember it was all good here. Not a bad memory in sight. I want it to stay that way."

Stefan smiles at her and strokes her hair before the two of them climb out of the car and head towards the house.

Buffy pulls the front door open and enters, she then turns to Stefan and smirks "You're okay sleeping outside right?"  
Stefan looks at her confused "Wait, what?"  
Buffy shrugs "I can't invite you in, the house belonged to the Summers family when all of them died it was left to John."

"You're kidding right?"  
Buffy just sighs before finally a small smirk crosses her face "Get in here."

"You are such a liar." He says grinning before stepping inside and lifting her up "Hey." Buffy exclaims but can't hold back the giggles. She then kisses him as her legs wrap around his waist while he moves to sit her on the kitchen counter.

* * *

Buffy sits on the bench by the edge of the lake and sighs "You okay?" Stefan asks as he walks over wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek.

Buffy nods as she leans into him "Just remembering another time. I was normal here, got to be normal."  
"You miss it."

Buffy smiles "Everyday. Being who I am, makes things...complicated. The last time I was here was right before we moved to L.A, it's one of the only memories I have of living in Virginia. My mom and my aunt Miranda watched from here as Elena and I ran around chasing the birds."

Stefan smiles hugging her tightly, but Buffy simply sighs "At least if I were normal thinking about our future wouldn't be as difficult as it is."  
"I think there are long conversations to be had about our future, about the kind of life we could have together."  
Buffy exhales a deep breath "Maybe we should keep the box labelled the slayer who died and her vampire boyfriend, tucked away."

Stefan looks down at Buffy "That box is not going to be labelled that. But...we can open it. Whenever you're ready."  
Buffy shakes her head "I've had a similar conversation before, it's not fun so for now...I'd rather just be here with you, keep all that bad stuff in a corner."

"You know I think that you are going to live for a long time and that it doesn't matter what happened to others like you. I think that this... is going to be a future memory." Stefan leans in close to her "It's where your boyfriend whispered to you that he loved you."

* * *

Buffy watches as Stefan cooks the food and smiles "At least one of us can cook. I bet if it was me in that kitchen I would have burnt this place down by now."  
Stefan chuckles "Well until you are at full strength again I will do everything."

Buffy laughs "Really? So does that mean you're like my man servant?"  
"No." Stefan laughs "Just a good boyfriend."

Buffy smiles before turning towards the fire "Damn fires dying." Buffy says before standing and heading for the door, suddenly Stefan appears in front of her "I'll go get some you relax." He tells her.

Buffy rolls her eyes and places her hands on her hips "I can get fire wood."  
"I know that, but you're still healing. Plus I'm aiming for the boyfriend of the year award." He tells her before smiling and placing a soft quick kiss to her lips.

Buffy giggles "I think you are definitely getting towards the top of that list. But I'm still getting the fire wood. I don't like feeling useless."  
Stefan tries to argue "It's cold outside."

Buffy chuckles "Then I'll get a jacket." She says before heading into the nearest bedroom, Stefan follows her inside and stops when he sees Buffy standing in front of a picture.

Stefan moves closer and looks closely at the picture "Your mom?"

Buffy smiles as she strokes the photo of her mom and her two aunts, she then looks around the room "This was my Aunt Miranda's room." She realises as she walks around. She pauses by the wardrobe and pulls a shirt off the wall tossing it to Stefan "It was my mom's grandfathers. Can't have you getting cold if you're gonna keep being so sweet to me."

As he slips it on Buffy smirks "You really can make anything look good. Definitely top hotness level right now."  
Stefan smiles as he walks towards her "I look hot in your dead great granddad's jacket?"  
Buffy nods "Extremely so."

Stefan steps closer to her and wraps his arm around her waist bringing her closer to him before planting a kiss on her lips, Buffy who is slightly stunned pulls away "Ohh. What are you—"

Stefan cuts her off by kissing her again, pulling her inside the walk in wardrobe and walking until her back collides with the wall "Stefan!" Buffy says "It's my aunt's bedroom."

Stefan just grins before cupping her face and kissing her, Buffy smiles before kissing him back, just as he lifts her off the ground the two of them hear a thud on the wall behind her.

Buffy and Stefan look at each other oddly "Is that..."

"Hollow." Stefan finishes for her, nodding. Stefan places Buffy down as she turns to the wall knocking on it, she moves around to the side and tries to pull the wood apart but only manages after an extreme amount of effort. Buffy sighs "Strengths coming. Still not quite here though."

Stefan gives her a supportive smile before moving into her place and removing the wooden plaques. He removes them one by one until a wood door is revealed "Very good hiding place." He says before ripping the lock off and pushing the door open, however, what is revealed behind is extremely shocking to the couple, as inside was an arsenal of weapons specifically made for killing vampires.

* * *

Buffy's eyes widen as she picks up the large crossbow "Looks like my uncle and aunt had more weapons than I do."

Buffy places the large crossbow down "Maybe not a good idea for me at the moment." She mutters before making her way over to one of the shelves, where she pulls one of the books off "Look-y here." She says turning to Stefan "The Jonathan Gilbert journals. The douche that is John said there was more."

"I'll go get the firewood." Stefan tells her realising that there was no way she would be leaving this room anytime soon.

* * *

Buffy paces in the living room when her phone starts ringing "Hello?"  
 _"Buffy!"_ Jeremy says frantic.  
"Jeez Jer, what's with the yelling?" Buffy asks as she takes a seat on the couch.  
Buffy hears Jeremy sigh _"Buffy, Elijah is going to let Elena die in the ritual, that's his plan."  
_ Buffy's eyes widen "What?" She hisses.  
 _"The only way for Klaus to die is after the sacrifice. Elena has to die."_

Buffy covered her mouth with her hand "Oh my god. What can we do?"  
 _"Bonnie is looking for another way but we need to make sure Elena and you are safe."  
_ Buffy nods "I'll call her get her down here, Stefan can watch her then I'll come help."  
 _"Thanks, Buffy. Oh, and I'm sorry."  
_ Buffy raises an eyebrow "For what?"  
 _"For ruining your weekend away."_

* * *

After calling Elena, Buffy heads to the front door to look for Stefan "Stefan?" She calls "Come on it's not like your having to grow the trees."  
Buffy steps closer "Stefan?"

When he doesn't answer Buffy pulls the knife out of her boot and steps outside, she hears someone step behind her and turns around driving the knife into his gut before elbowing him in the face and kicking him in the groin causing him to fall to the ground.

Buffy then quickly heads back inside slamming the door behind her locking it. "Dammit it. Had to get attacked while my strength is on the fence." She mutters before running up the stairs just as she hears the man slam the door open.

* * *

Brady looks around the room and tilts his head upwards before smiling "I can smell you."

* * *

Buffy rolls her eyes "Damn super smelling." She mutters before pulling her jumper off and dumping it on the bed. She slowly makes her way downstairs where she slams the open front door shut, before sneaking into the weapons room and loading up a crossbow.

As he opens the door to the weapons room Buffy fires the crossbow hitting him in the neck, she then runs up to him and slams his face onto her knee for tossing him into the wall face first before running for the door.

Buffy hears him grunt in pain as she runs and start to follow her, however just as he steps out the house to follow her Stefan appears and rips his heart from his chest.

Stefan turns to Buffy breathing heavily "It's ok." He tells her as he walks unsteadily towards her, Buffy runs over and hugs him. As she does she sees Tyler "Tyler?"

Tyler looks at her sadly, his eyes full of grief "I didn't know what they were gonna do to you and Elena. I didn't. I just... I didn't want to be like this anymore." He says as his voice breaks.

Buffy looks at him sadly before walking over to him and hugging him "I'm sorry Buffy." He tells her.  
"It's ok." Buffy assures him.

* * *

A few hours later Elena arrives and sits on the couch "Why am I here?" Elena asks Buffy just as Stefan hangs up the phone.  
"We've learnt that Elijah plans for you to die in the sacrifice ritual." Stefan tells her.

Buffy looks over at Elena closely who was currently staring at the ground avoiding eye contact "Why don't you look so surprised at this crazy bit of intel?" Buffy asks as she crosses her arms.  
Elena slowly looks up "I know the deal I made, Buffy. Elijah's very careful with his words. He promised to protect my friends and you. He never said a word about me."

Stefan looks over at Elena "You mean, you knew that you weren't gonna survive this?"

Elena nods "If it comes down to the people I love getting killed and making sure Buffy doesn't have to become some psycho's bride and me getting killed. I know what my choice is gonna be."-

Buffy stares at her cousin in disbelief "How can you talk about the future you want and how you see things with Liam going when you don't even plan on having that future."

"I'm sorry, guys. I'm just trying to keep the people that I love safe." She looks over at Buffy "I'm trying to keep you safe. You're my little cousin do you really think I'm gonna let some psycho take you away?"  
Stefan turns to Elena "What you're doing is being a martyr."

Elena looks at him astonished "How is that any different from when Buffy and you constantly risk your life to save me?"  
Buffy looks over at her cousin "Because I have no future, Elena. And it's my job to keep you safe, it's who I am."

* * *

"I'm sorry about our little weekend but I gotta go deal with Elijah." Buffy says as she lifts her bag and walks towards the door.  
Stefan just smiles at her "I get it. But—"

Buffy brings a hand up and covers his mouth "Nope. No 'I think I should go with you'. No 'your strength isn't back yet'. I'll be fine. I promise I'm coming back too you."

Stefan looks at her worried for a second before kissing her "I'll take care of the martyr you do what you do best and get...as you would call it the 'big bad'."  
Buffy giggles "You are extremely hot when you use that term."

Stefan grins before handing her the car keys "Be careful. I love you." He tells her before kissing her once more.  
As Buffy pulls back she smiles "I love you too. Plus don't worry I always am."


	51. The Unwelcome Guest

Buffy makes her way upstairs to Damon's room and catches the end of his conversation "Got to run. I've a murder to plan. Busy day." Damon says into the phone.

"Need some help with that murder?" Buffy asks as she leans against the door frame, Damon turns to face her, a shocked expression on his face "What are you doing here? I thought you were on weekend escape with Stef."  
Buffy shrugs "I was but Jeremy squealed about Elena and she admitted she knew." Buffy leans against the door frame before smirking at the eldest Salvatore "I left Stefan to babysit. So you were saying something about a murder?"  
As she smiles at him a smirk appears on his face "Come on then, blondie, we got a murder to plan."

* * *

"Other than the lecture on the history of Mystic Falls, did you get anything out of Elijah?" Damon asks as he and Buffy sit with Alaric at The Grill.  
"No, it was boring." Alaric tells him "Of course, Jenna thinks he's charming."  
Buffy shrugs "It's the accent, women love a British accent. If you ask me, I don't get it."

"You sound jealous of the British man." Damon says as he stares at Alaric.  
Buffy rolls her eyes before slapping Damon's chest "Shut up, Damon." She says before she turns to Ric "Ignore him he's a jackass, look all we need in the right opportunity."  
"Speaking of perfect opportunities, there's Jenna with her new boyfriend."

Buffy turns to the front entrance only to see Elijah entering The Grill with Jenna, she quickly turns to Damon "Damon don't—"  
"Shh." He says before waving at Jenna and Elijah.  
"Hey, guys." Jenna says as she and Elijah walk over, she then turns to see Buffy "I thought you were with Stefan."

"Ahh-" Buffy momentarily panics "Stefan got a bug, he's not good so we came back. Got in bout an hour ago."  
Jenna nods before turning to Elijah "Elijah I don't believe you've met my other niece, Elijah, this is Buffy."  
Elijah turns to Buffy "A pleasure."  
"So..." Damon says as he cuts in "...I hear you two had quite a meeting of historical minds today."

Jenna nods "Yeah, I guess you could say that."  
Ric chuckles uncomfortably "As much as I'd like to continue, I've got papers to grade."

Damon turns to Elijah and Jenna "You know we really should continue this, Andy's been talking about having a little get together. How about a dinner party, I'll be happy to host. Jenna?"  
Alaric cuts in, he was seriously going to kill Damon "I don't know if tonight works—" At the same time Jenna says "Yeah, I'm free."  
"It'd be a pleasure." Elijah says giving Damon a smile, Damon smiles back "Great."  
As the words leave his lips Buffy groans slightly but forces a smile on her face, this was not going to go well.

* * *

"This is a bad idea." Alaric tells Buffy and Damon as the three of them discuss the plan in the library.  
"There's no such thing as a bad idea." Damon argues "Just poorly executed awesome ones."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Ignore him. Look yes, it's a bad idea, but it's the only one we got."

"Well, then we need to think of something else." Alaric tells them "Elijah wants you and Elena, Buffy. Having him in the house with you is not exactly a good idea, plus I don't like the idea of Elijah being in the same house with Jenna."  
"Jenna's will be perfectly safe. Plus don't worry about me, I can handle myself against Elijah."

Alaric raises an eyebrow "Last time he threw you through a ceiling and almost killed you."

Buffy shrugs, that was beside the point "Details." She says only for Ric to glare at her with a worried frown causing her to sigh "Look, last time I wasn't prepared, but I know what I'm up against now. Trust me, if it comes to it. I can take him."  
"And it's not gonna come to that." Damon assures him "It's just a fact-finding mission. It's totally harmless."  
Alaric stares at him with disbelief written in his eyes "Just a fact-finding mission?"  
"Yeah."

Alaric gives them both a pointed look "Listen, no sneak attacks. No surprise plans. Nothing that's gonna put you..." He says looking at Buffy "...or Jenna in harm's way. Ok?"  
"Scout's honour."

At that moment Andy walks in "Hey, Jenna needs help with the wine."  
Damon and Buffy both smile at Alaric who follows Andy out the room.

Once he's out of sight, Buffy glances over at Damon "You were never a boy scout were you?"  
"Nope." He says before downing his drink and walking over to the chest in the middle of the room.

"Are you sure we should lie to Ric?" Buffy asks still a little unsure.  
"We're keeping him safe and out of it, just what he wanted."

Buffy sighs, unfortunately completely agreeing with him "What's that?" She asks as she spots the knife in his hand.  
"Our surprise plan. Elijah is stronger than me and a little bit stronger than you, plus he's—"  
"Faster than both of us, yeah I know. Way to rub it in, Damon." Buffy tells him.

Damon turns to her as he dips the knife in the ash "Look it's all about the element of surprise. So I'm gonna have Andy convince the gentlemen to have their after dinner drinks in here."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "And where does that leave me?"  
"Stay close. If he gets suspicious hold him down long enough for me to get a clean shot."

Suddenly Buffy and Damon turn their attention to the hallway as they hear the front door open, the two quickly head into the hall but freeze when they see John, Damon forces a smile on his face "John. Surprise. Leave."

John smiles but freezes when he spots Buffy "I thought you were still at the lake house with Stefan." He says with slight disapprovement in his voice.  
Buffy smiles "I was, something came up. Plus you know, I still was not feeling a hundred percent" As the final phrase leaves her mouth the smile falls and is replaced by a hateful glare "So why are you here John?"  
John sighs before answering "When Jenna told me she was coming to a dinner party for Elijah, I decided I couldn't miss out on all of the fun and games."

Jenna rolls her eyes before leaving the room, "There are not going to be any games tonight, John. It's just a friendly dinner party." Alaric says as he walks towards them.  
Damon smiles "What he said."

* * *

"I hate to break it to you, Damon, according to Elijah your family is so not a founder of this town." Jenna says as she pours more wine.  
Damon looks over at Elijah "Hmm, do tell."

"Well, as I mentioned to Jenna earlier, a fraction of settlers migrated from Salem after the witch trials in the 1690s. Over the next hundred years, they developed this community where they could feel safe from persecution."  
Jenna chuckles and leans over to Buffy "Hmm. Because they were witches."  
Elijah looks over at Buffy "Now, Buffy, Jenna told me that you lived in Sunnydale for a few years."

Buffy nods, slightly uncomfortable that she was being brought into the conversation she would rather just observe "Uh, yeah. Not much with the witches there."  
"Ah yes, but you see Sunnydale as a rather interesting story behind it."

Jenna grins intrigued before nudging Buffy slightly "Really?"  
Elijah gives her a soft smile "Indeed, it's said that Sunnydale lies on the _'Secus infernum_ ' I believe that translates to—"

"The mouth of hell." Buffy finishes "Better known as the Hellmouth. Home of the big bad brewing evil."  
"You speak Latin?" Elijah asks, stunned.  
Buffy shrugs "Hear it enough times it starts to stick, plus it's not exactly the first time I've heard that phrase."  
Elijah smiles impressed "The Hellmouth is a rather curious tale, rumours say that just being around it can cause a rise in supernatural occurrences."

The smile falls from her face "It's a good thing the Hellmouth is just folklore, or God knows how many people would have died in that town."  
Buffy looks over at Jenna who nods in understanding "Sorry, Elijah Sunnydale is a tough subject for Buffy if it's alright with you..."  
"Of course." He says in understanding "Well how about more about the lore in this town."  
Andy smiles "Yes please tell us about the witches." She chuckles.

"Well, the lore says that there was this wave of anti-witch hysteria. It broke out in the neighbouring settlement, so these witches were rounded up. They were tied to stakes in a field together and, uh, burned. Some say you could hear the screams from miles around us. They were consumed by the fire. Could you pass the..."

Jenna interjects "I wouldn't repeat this to the historical society."  
The group laughs before John speaks up "It's starting to sound a little like a ghost story to me."  
Damon turns to Elijah "So why do you want to know the locations of these alleged massacres?"  
"You know...a healthy historian's curiosity, of course."  
Damon nods "Of course."

* * *

"Does anyone care for some cognac?" Damon asks once everyone has finished their meals "I have a bottle I've been saving for ages."  
Alaric shakes his head "None for me thanks. 9 Bottles of wine is my limit."  
The group stands from their chairs as they do Andy turns to everyone "The gentlemen should take their drinks in the study."  
Elijah smiles "I have to say the food was almost as wonderful as the company."  
Andy smiles "I like you."

As Damon lead Elijah off Buffy's phone starts ringing "Excuse me." She says quickly leaving the room.  
Once she out of sight she answers the phone "Now is really not a good ti—"  
 _"Buffy! You have to stop."_ Stefan's voice says urgently.  
Buffy, frowns in confusion "Stop? Stefan, what the hell are you talking about?"  
 _"You and Damon can't kill Elijah."  
_ Buffy scoffs "Stefan we have the opportunity why woul—"

 _"Because you'll die."  
_ "Wait, what?" Buffy asks completely stunned.

 _"No one with supernatural abilities can use the dagger without dying."  
_ Buffy's eyes widen "Oh, my God."

* * *

"So, let me guess. In addition to the moonstone, the doppelgänger, the slayer, the lion, the witch and the wardrobe, you need to find this witch burial ground." Damon says to Elijah as he pours them both a drink.  
Elijah continues to walk around the room as he answers "Because I feel as though we've grown so close, Damon, I'll tell you, yes. Do you know where it is?"  
"Maybe."  
Elijah turns and heads back over to Damon, "Tell me why it's so important." Damon asks as he hands Elijah a drink.  
"We're not that close."  
"What about Buffy?"  
Elijah takes a deep breath "I would have thought Marianna told you everything by now."  
Damon shrugs "She told us a lot but I'm still a bit skeptic on the whole Prophecy stuff."

Elijah smiles "Like I said, we're not that close." He turns away from Damon "It's quite a collection you have here. It's a funny thing about books, before they existed, people actually had memories."

Just as Damon picks up the dagger Buffy and Alaric walk into the room with Andy "Gentlemen..." Alaric says with a smile "...we forgot about dessert."  
Andy turns and smiles at Elijah "Elijah?" She asks as she holds out her hand towards him.  
"Miss Star." He says before taking her hand and leaving the room.

Once he's gone Damon hits Alaric's arm confused, Buffy rolls her eyes then quickly writes down what would have happened before shoving the paper into Damon's hand.

 **'It will kill both of us if we use it.'**

Damon reads it before a look of fury crosses his face; he crumbling up the paper angrily and tosses it into the fireplace.

* * *

As Buffy, Ric and Damon re-enter the dining room Andy turns to Ric "Ric, would you go me a favour and grab the notebook out of my bag?"

As Ric heads into the other room Damon turns to Elijah "Elijah, did John tell you that in contrary to being Buffy's uncle he also happens to be Elena's, uncle/father?"  
Elijah nods "Yes, I'm well aware of that."  
"Of course, they both hate him so there is no need to keep him on the endangered species list."

Buffy nods in agreement "You did try to have me killed." She says to John as she glares at him.  
"Excuse me?" Elijah asks confused.

John turns to Buffy trying to defend himself "I did not try to have you killed. The Council asked me to make sure Giles did his duties. And if you remember I told you about the test the moment Kralik escaped."  
"Actually Giles was the one that told me, you just kinda stood there and observed."

Elijah turns to John "This Council you speak of, I assume you mean the Watcher's Council."  
"Yep." Buffy answers "Douchebag in suede suits. Love to ruin a girl's 18th birthday."

Elijah at this point completely understands what they are discussing "Ah, yes. The test giving to any Slayer on her 18th birthday. I'm rather surprised they still use such barbaric methods."  
"Looks like you and I agree about one thing." Damon says.

Suddenly Andy looks over towards Alaric "No—it's in the right—you know what...I'll be back." She says before walking away from the table.  
John turns to Elijah "So back to business. Elijah, I'm a bit curious as to how you intend on killing Klaus?"

Elijah looks at the three of them "Well then there are a few things we should probably get clear right now." He turns to Damon "I allow you to live solely to keep on eye on Buffy and Elena." He turns to Buffy "I allow you and your cousin to remain in your house living your lives with your friends as you do, as a courtesy." He turns back to Damon "If you become a liability, I'll take them both away and you'll never see either of them again."

"Ok." Andy says as she re-enters the room now holding a pen and paper "My first question is when you got here to Mystic..."

"Ahh!" Elijah suddenly screams as Alaric plunges the dagger through his back penetrating his heart, the four people at the table stand shocked and watch as Elijah's body falls limp.  
As Alaric pulls the dagger back out he turns to Damon "Now, get rid of him before Jenna comes back with dessert."  
Damon just stares for a moment before answering "Alright."

* * *

As Buffy dumps Elijah body in the cell she huffs "Damn, even for me you're heavy." She turns to lock the door only to hear movement behind her, as she turns Elijah who is now awake swings out his fist sending Buffy crashing face first into the cellar wall.

Buffy tries to stand but Elijah walks over to her and stands over her "Apologies, this may hurt." He says before kicking her in the face, causing her to pass out.

Elijah slowly picks up the Slayer in his arms before speeding out of the house.

* * *

A few minutes later Damon comes running down the stairs "Buffy?!" He freezes when he sees both Elijah and her gone.

* * *

Elijah opens the door to Jonas' home still holding Buffy. Jonas looks down confused at the blonde Slayer who was now beginning to stir "What happened?" Jonas asks.

Before Elijah says anything he gestures to Buffy, the warlock nods in understanding before raises his hand and saying a small incantation, within a few seconds the Slayer is already asleep again.  
Elijah turns back to Jonas "I need you to find Elena. Now."

* * *

Elijah who now had Buffy on his shoulder throws the stones at the door of the lake house, tearing it from its hinges.  
"You know, I might not be able to enter this house...but I'm a very patient man. I'll wait you out. Although Stefan, I'm sure you'll want to come out to say goodbye to your beloved."

Inside the house, Stefan's eyes widen "Buffy?" He whispers he tries to move forward but Damon clutches his arm shaking his head. Stefan glares back at his brother, he couldn't just let Elijah take the woman he loved.  
When Damon gives him a pointed look Stefan takes a deep breath before nodding, if they made one wrong move Elijah would take both Elena and Buffy and they would be gone forever.

Slowly Elena appears in the doorway "They shouldn't have done what they did."

"The deal is off." Elijah says as he places Buffy on the ground, however, the jolt of being placed on the ground causes her to stir, she slowly looks up and spots Elena "Elena?" She whispers confused.  
Elena glances down at Buffy "It will okay." She assures her younger cousin before looking back at Elijah "I'm renegotiating."  
"You have nothing left to negotiate with."

Slowly Elena moves her hand revealing a knife, as Buffy's eyes widen, Elijah just rolls his.  
Elena stares at Elijah with determination "I'd like to see you lure Klaus into Mystic Falls after the doppelgänger bleeds to death."

"Elena, no." Buffy whimpers as she still struggles to move, most probably due to the spell Jonas had cast.  
"Stefan, won't let you die."

Elena shrugs "You're right, he's my friend so he'll feed me his blood to heal me, and then I'll kill myself and become a vampire, just like Katherine did. So unless you want that to happen again, promise me the same as before—promise me...you won't harm anyone me and Buffy love. Even if they've harmed you."

Elijah stays silent for almost a minute when he finally speaks again he offers her a small smile "I'm sorry, Elena. I'm going to have to call your bluff."

Elena stares at him for a moment before slowly with a shaky hand she brings the knife in front of her stomach, she takes a deep breath before driving the knife into her stomach.

"No!" Buffy screams, as Elijah runs towards the door but is unable to get in "Stefan!" Buffy screams desperately "Please! Help her! Stefan!" Buffy screams again as tears roll down her cheeks, she was terrified, if Elena died what else would she have, Elena was her best friend, her family, she couldn't lose her.

As Elijah stands at the door he begins to panic "Yes. Yes, you can have your deal. Let me heal you."  
"Give me your word!" Elena screams in agony.  
"I give you my word." As the words leave his mouth Elena limps out of the house and into Elijah's arms however as she does Buffy hears Elijah gasp, she looks to see Elijah collapse with the dagger in his chest.

As Elijah falls Elena begins to fall, Buffy manages to sit up and catch her just in time to stop her bashing her head into the ground "Stefan!" Buffy yells before he quickly runs over and gives Elena his blood.

As Elena heals the cousins clutch each other "That was a very stupid thing to do." Buffy whispers into her cousin's hair, Elena chuckles "Probably."  
"Little tip." Damon says as he appears in the doorway "Don't pull the dagger out."

* * *

After dropping Elena off at home Buffy and Stefan watch as Damon dumps Elijah's body back in the cellar. As he does he searches Elijah's jacket "What do we have here?" He says as he removes the moonstone from the pocket "A little moonstone bar of soap. I'll hold on to this."  
Buffy shrugs "As long as you don't hide it in a bowl with a ton of actual soap, I think we'll be fine."  
Damon glances over at her "I'm perfectly capable of hiding the shiny rock."

Buffy raises her hands in defence "If you say so." She says before looking over at Elijah "So we just gotta keep the stake in and Elijah stays dead-y dead dead. If you ask me it's a waste of a stake, I prefer them when they go poof."  
"You and me both Honey." Damon says as he continues to stare at the body.

Buffy sighs as she glances back at Elijah "Well I'm beat. Whatever magic mojo that witch guy put on me made little old me sleepy."


	52. The Bitchy Guest

"Stefan. Move it come on. We're gonna be late." Buffy says as she slips on her shirt while coming out of his bathroom.  
"Let's be later." Stefan says as he enters the room with a sly smirk on his face.  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement knowing what he really wanted to do but she couldn't no matter how much she wanted to, she would rather live to see graduation "Elena will kill me if I'm late for school. Plus I can't get expelled...again." She says as she slips on her brown leather boots.

Once Buffy has her boots on she stands properly only to have him grabs her "Hey!" She says as she giggles.

"School?" He asks before kissing her "Doesn't ring a bell." He says before lifting her off the ground, Buffy giggles while wrapping her legs around his waist "What the hell. Since when do I care about school?"  
Stefan grins "Exactly." He says before he kisses her once more and leading her over to the bed.

* * *

After finally tearing themselves away from each other to check out what the racket downstairs had been Buffy and Stefan come down the stairs and spot Damon holding Elena against the wall, his hands wrapped around her throat.  
"What the hell is going on here?" Stefan asks confused.  
Elena turns to Buffy "I don't know, you tell me. Is Katherine in the tomb or not?"

Buffy raises an eyebrow at her cousin before walking over to her and punching her in the face sending her flying across the room.

"That's not Elena." Buffy says simply before turning to Damon "Wanna explain why the bitch isn't locked up anymore."  
Suddenly Katherine stands "You have to admit I'm really good at this." She pauses "Well when it comes to tricking your boys."

Buffy quickly walks over to her and grabs a hold of the back of Katherine's head and pulls on her hair "You're irritating me." She says before slamming Katherine's face into the wall.

* * *

"Someone wanna get with the explain-y part here or can I beat the information out of her?" Buffy asks as he glances in between Stefan and Damon.  
Damon hesitates, as he considers letting Buffy beat Katherine for the fun of it "Well-"  
"Damon." Stefan says trying to get Damon back to the point.

Damon rolls his eyes "Fine. Look when we killed Elijah it broke the compulsion and freed the bitch from the tomb."  
"How's that possible?" Stefan asks confused.  
"He's an Original." Katherine says "They have all sorts of special skills."  
Buffy glares at her "I don't want you here, honestly I want you six feet underground as rotting corpse."  
"You need me, Buffy. You all do."  
Stefan scoffs "Like hell."

Katherine rolls her eyes "We all want the same thing—Klaus dead. Yet here you all are running around like chickens with their heads cut off."

Buffy just continues to glare at her "I don't need your help. And I don't want it, so why don't you leave before I drop you out head first."  
"Wanting me gone is incredibly stupid of you. Do you know where Klaus is? When he's coming, what he looks like? Mary is gone and it's not like she would help you anyway."

Damon steps towards Katherine "If you know something, say it or get out."  
"Fine. Then I'll just go to The Grill and have some lunch. Maybe, Aunt Jenna's free for a bite."

The moment the words leave her mouth Katherine finds herself pinned against the wall, Buffy's hand around her throat "Let me make something very clear." Buffy says to her "Your little witch bitch of a friend, is the reason my mother is dead and you are the reason my cousin is in danger. So the moment you are no longer of use to me, I will rip off your head. Do you understand?"

* * *

Buffy hangs up the phone after speaking to Elena, who like her was not pleased with Katherine being here. As they pull into the school parking lot Buffy climbs out of the car and turns to Stefan "I don't get it, she knows I will kill her, she was free if I were her I would run from me."

Stefan shrugs "She wants what we want—Klaus dead. Maybe she sees us as her only chance."

The two of them start walking towards the school and Buffy turns to him "Or option B, she's bored and wants to see if she can lure you and Damon into her evil web now that Mary's gone. I want her gone. No correction I want her dead."

Stefan nods in agreement "So do I. But you're right even with you threatening to kill her when she becomes useless, she's staying. Shouldn't we at least try to figure out why?"  
Buffy turns to him "And we do that how? The girl is an expert liar."

"Look, I hate it as much as you do, but she does make a point. We don't know anything about Klaus. Other than what Mary told us and that mostly had to do with you. Katherine knows."  
"I know that." Buffy says as she sighs "Doesn't mean I want her shacking up with you. Can't we just lock her up in a coffin at night?"  
Stefan chuckles softly before hugging her "Maybe we should stay at your place tonight."

Buffy groans "Hmm, I can't. I promised Elena that I would hang and take the night off. Apparently, Bonnie's freaked cause she lost her powers and Caroline's having more guy trouble, so Elena says that we're all hanging at the house. AKA girls' night."

Stefan smiles and kisses the top of her head "Come on." He says before leading her into the school.

* * *

"It was bad." Alaric tells Buffy as they sit in his classroom together after class "You know, John planted all these seeds about Isobel and now Jenna knows I'm lying about something."

Buffy scoffs "That man is going to end up on the shiny end of one of my swords, first he and the council almost got me and Jeremy killed and now he is screwing you over. So gonna beat him till he bleeds."

"Yeah, well, easier said than done. I gave him back his ring." He tells her showing her is now bare ring finger "Look, Jenna keeps asking about Isobel. You know, was she murdered? Why haven't they found the body? I mean, how much longer can she stay in the dark?"

Buffy raises an eyebrow "You wanna tell her the truth?"  
"I'm saying I can't be with her and not tell her. It's not fair to her, and it's not the kind of relationship I want."  
Buffy nods "I wanna tell her, I do, but then I remember how mom reacted."  
Alaric looks over at her confused "I thought she was fine with it."

"Eventually but she was always really uncomfortable. When I first told her she saw me kill a vampire, she then thought I was insane and needed help. And when I told her that I have to go save the world she kicked me out of the house."

"Wow." Alaric whistlers "So that's the worse scenario."

"Pretty much. Look I get it the longer she doesn't know...I thought it was protecting her but know it's putting her in danger. Elena wants to wait until we've dealt with Klaus but...I don't know how she's gonna take it no matter when we tell her."

Alaric sighs "Look, I'm sorry to put this on you. But I feel it's yours and Elena's decision to make. And whatever you guys decide to do, I'll respect it. I want, to be honest with her. But until then, Jenna and I are done."

* * *

"Chinese food or Pizza?" Caroline asks the Bonnie and Elena.  
Elena chuckles "Like you have to ask."  
Caroline smiles before grabbing the iPad off Bonnie.

At that moment Buffy tries to sneak in through the back door only to be face to face with a cross armed Elena "You were supposed to be here an hour ago."  
Buffy sighs "I was patrolling I-"  
"Buffy, you promised."  
Buffy raises her hand in defence "Look I'm done. Buffy is now free for the night. And is starving."

Caroline smiles "Good then get your butt in here we're ordering Pizza."  
Buffy grins "Don't mind if I do." She says before flopping on top of the counter, however when she flinches the three girls notice "Buffy? You okay?" Bonnie asks.  
Buffy nods "Yeah, demon dislocated my arm again, it's still a little sore."  
Bonnie nods and Elena who is prepared, tosses an ice pack over to Bonnie who moves to hold it against Buffy's shoulder.  
Buffy looks over at Buffy "Thanks."  
Elena shrugs "You learn that ice packs are essential when living with a vampire slayer."

Bonnie and Caroline chuckle, however, Caroline's laughter falls as she spots the screensaver of her and Matt on her tablet.

"So do you think Jonas is being sincere?" Elena asks Bonnie.  
Bonnie shrugs "I don't know what to believe." She says as she takes the tablet off Caroline after noticing her expression "I think he's at a loss. He's not sure who to trust."  
Buffy nods "None of us do."

After a brief moment of silence, Caroline speaks up "Well, what are we going to do about this movie situation? What about The Notebook?"  
Elena smiles "Caroline, how many times have you seen that movie?"  
"That is so not the point."  
Buffy shakes her head "We are not watching The Notebook, again, I mean-Hey." Buffy says as she sees Jenna come into the room.

Jenna looks over at Buffy and sees the ice pack on her shoulder "Buffy, what happened?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Nothing. I'm just clumsy tripped and banged my shoulder. No biggy."  
Jenna nods and looks at her slightly worried before turning to the girls "What's going on?"  
"Girls' night." Elena tells Jenna.  
Jenna nods "Oh."  
Buffy and Elena look at each over before looking back at the heartbroken aunt "How are you doing?" Elena asks.  
"You guys heard about my fight with Ric."  
Buffy nods "He let it slip. He's all miserable and with the terrible guilty feelings."  
Jenna raises an eyebrow "Is this some kind of disguised attempt to cheer me up?"  
Elena shakes her head "No. No, this is about us girls hanging out. And, you know, we'll be here if you happen to want to talk, or..."  
"Because I am a winner..." Caroline says as she interjects "...When it comes to successful relationships."

Buffy raises her hand "Me too. You know with the crazy ex who went nuts before dying."  
Jenna chuckles "Okay, then. It's this whole Isobel thing. He's hiding something from me." She sighs.  
Caroline cuts in "To play devil's advocate, maybe there is a great reason why he's not telling you. Maybe he is just trying to protect you."  
"Well, that's not his call to make. I mean, I deserve the truth. Everybody does."  
Caroline at this point comes up with an idea "You know what we need?"

Buffy looks up "Please don't say the Notebook again."  
Caroline shakes her head "Nope. Dancing. There is a bang at the grill."

* * *

The five of them make their way into the Grill and smile "This is so much like the bronze right now." Buffy says as she looks around.  
Suddenly Jenna heads towards the bar "I need a drink."

The next moment Matt brushes Caroline off and the four friends stand there awkwardly "Things just got real awkward." Bonnie says.  
The three friends turn to Caroline "He said the ball was in your court." Bonnie argues.  
Caroline shakes her head "Yeah, but I can't do anything bout it."  
Buffy smiles "Why not? Look Care, all you ever do is mope and be sad because you're not with him."  
"Yeah, but I am still keeping so many secrets." She argues.

Buffy sighs sadly "We all do. Do you honestly think Stefan knows every last detail about my relationship with Angel? Look sometimes keeping secrets is necessary but...you are doing it to protect him because you care about him."  
"Alaric's in the same boat with Jenna." Elena tells Caroline "And maybe that's our mistake. Keeping secrets may be necessary but it may end up hurting them anyway."

As the band finishes Caroline takes off her jacket and heads towards the stage.  
"What the hell are you doing?" Buffy asks but Caroline just climbs onto the stage.

* * *

A little while later Buffy is at the bar when her phone starts ringing, she looks down and smiles "Hey, Stefan. Don't worry I'm not killing anything, except the burger I plan on getting."

Buffy tries to listen but can't hear due to the noise in the bar "Hold on—I can't hear you."  
Buffy quickly heads out the room and towards the back of the restaurant as she tries to listen to him "What happened?"  
 _"Jonas is coming after you and Elena. Now!"_ Stefan says panicked.  
Buffy's eyes widen "Wait, what?"  
 _"Luca is dead. He's going to get Elijah and take you both with him."  
_

Buffy turns around and spots Jonas moving through the bar "Stefan, he's here."  
"Buffy, don't do anything."

Suddenly someone grasps Buffy's wrists, Buffy prepares to fight only to sigh in relief as she spots her boyfriend she quickly hugs him before allowing him to lead her down the hall. "This way." Stefan says as he pulls her into the bathroom.

"Hey!" Caroline says as Buffy and Stefan enter the bathroom.  
"We have a little itty bitty problem." Buffy tells her.  
Caroline raises an eyebrow "What's going on?"  
"Jonas is here and he's after Elena and Buffy." Stefan informs the blonde vampire.  
Caroline's eyes widen "Oh, my God!"  
"We have a plan." Buffy tells her, she pauses "Well part of a plan. But we need to grab Elena."

"I need to get the two of them out of here." Stefan tells Caroline.  
Caroline nods "Well, what can I do?" She asks almost instantaneously.

* * *

As Stefan and Buffy head back into the now fire filled room, "Shit." Buffy mutters before spotting Elena. Buffy quickly heads over and grabs Elena "Come on we got to go."  
Elena shakes her head "What?"  
"Explain later. Move now." Buffy says before dragging Elena through the room.  
"Dr. Matin!" Buffy calls as she spots him.

Elena turns to her cousin "What are you doing?!"  
"Trust me." Buffy whispers before turning back to the warlock "Dr. Matin, look I'm so sorry about Luka."  
Elena at this point gets over her shock and catches on "We never wanted that to happen..." She tells him "...but...at least let us help you get your daughter back."

"Only Elijah can do that." He deadpans.  
"You don't need Elijah." Elena argues.

Suddenly the fire grows and people around the gasp in fear, Stefan grasps Buffy who keeps a hold of Elena. The next second Caroline appears and jumps at Jonas, tackling him to the ground. Stefan quickly grabs both girls and runs.

* * *

The moment they enter the house Elena and Buffy head for the stairs "What's going on?" Jeremy asks confused, as he and Bonnie walk over.  
"He'll explain." Elena says simply before heading up the stairs, Buffy in tow.

The two make their way through the hall and head into their separate bathrooms. Buffy runs her hands under the water and when she looks up she see Jonas in the mirror, Buffy turns to him, and as he goes to grab her; Buffy punches him, sending him through the door and into the hall, suddenly Elena appears next to him. He looks at her confused before she smiles, and bites into his neck.  
Buffy glares at Katherine as the doppelgänger drops the body to the ground. Katherine just moves her hair out of hair face

"You're welcome."  
Bonnie stares stunned at the body as she and Stefan appear. The witch quickly makes her way over and crouches down by Jonas' body "You didn't have to kill him!" She says as she glares up at Katherine.  
Katherine merely rolls her eyes "Yes, we did."

Bonnie looks down sadly, she moves to close the man's eyes but suddenly he shoots up and grasps her face in his hand "Bonnie!" Buffy yells before quickly running over and kicking Jonas in the face.

* * *

"Everything's taken care of." Stefan says as him, Buffy and Katherine come down the stairs.  
Katherine tears the necklace from her neck and turns to Elena "I'm guessing you're going to want this back. But your pretty little outfit is going to need a good dry clean."  
Buffy glares at Katherine before grabbing the necklace and tossing it to Elena. Buffy then turns to Katherine "You can go now."  
Elena nods in agreement "She needs to get out of here before Jenna gets home."  
Katherine frowns at the two cousins "Is that all the two of you have to say to me?"

Buffy shrugs "Well the other thing I have to say to you, doesn't have much to do with words. More, my fist connecting with your face. Especially if you continue to irritate me."  
Katherine glares at Buffy, but Buffy could see the hint of fear in her eyes "Your violent tendencies are making me like you less and less."

Buffy shrugs "And yet, I can't find it in myself to care. Oh, well. What a shame."  
"This doesn't change the way I feel about you." Elena tells Katherine when the vampire glances at her.

Katherine merely shrugs "I don't much like you, either, if we're going to be open. And frankly, I'd be happy to see you dead, and your little cousin either dead or as Klaus' bitch. But if we're going to try to take on Klaus, we kinda need you to be alive and we kinda need the super freak. So I'm not a threat to either of you."

At that moment Buffy reveals a small wooden knife and plunges it into Katherine's side. Katherine screams in pain "What the hell?!"  
Buffy shrugs "Don't talk to me or my cousin like that again, or else it won't be your stomach I put this in next."  
Buffy pushes her to the ground as Elena chuckles slightly, hiding it behind a cough. Buffy looks over at Stefan and Damon "Get her out of here. Before you have to take her out in a body bag."

* * *

"Are John and Jeremy asleep?" Jenna asks Buffy and Elena as they walk into the kitchen.  
"I think so." Elena says.  
Buffy shrugs "I doubt it. I think John stays awake to try and give us all nightmares."  
Jenna chuckles "True. So true." Jenna pauses "If I got to bed right now, there's a chance I'll wake up hangover-free."

At that moment the doorbell goes off "Who's that?" Jenna asks confused.

Elena shrugs and both of her and Buffy grabbed the cartoon of ice cream Jenna left.

However a moment later Buffy freezes "Something's not right." She says, Elena gives her an odd look but quickly follows the blonde as she heads into the hall.

Both girls freeze "I'm...Elena's mother." Isobel says as she stands on the porch with the shocked Jenna.  
Elena and Buffy both glare at the woman before hissing "Isobel."


	53. Many Betrayals and Surprises

The two girls stare at Isobel in complete shock, this couldn't be happening.  
"Hello, Elena, Buffy. It's nice to see you both again." Isobel says sweetly, playing up the innocent role as much as she could.

Buffy glares at her really wanting to beat her to a pulp, however, she pauses as Jenna turns to face them both, the look on her face just showed the utter heartbreak she was going through right now "Again?" She asks, her voice breaking.

"So you're the woman who's dating my husband." Isobel says as she turns to Jenna "I need to speak to Elena. May I come in?"  
Elena and Buffy shake their heads "Not a chance in hell." Buffy hisses while Elena turns to Jenna panicked "No-n-no. Don't—don't invite her in."  
"I need to talk to you, Elena." Isobel insists.

"No." Elena yells before slamming the door in her face.  
The two turn to Jenna, who currently had tears rolling down her cheeks "You both knew she was alive? Rick? John? Did they know?"

"Jenna we can explain." Buffy tries but Jenna just runs for the stairs "Jenna, please." Elena cries as both cousins chance after her "No, wait. Jenna, please, wait."

Jenna slams her bedroom door shut and both girls try and convince her to open it "Jenna, please, we need to explain what's going on." Buffy tries but when she hears Jenna collapse against the door in tears she pulls Elena back "We need to leave her be."

* * *

The next morning Buffy heads out of the house early before anyone else woke up; she heads towards the graveyard.

She slowly walks along the path until she stops by her mother's grave. Taking a deep breath she glances at the name on the grave before placing her hand on the top of the grave "Hey mom." She says as she crouches down next to the grave.  
"I know it's been awhile. To say things have been complicated...is an understatement."

Buffy sighs and leans her head against the grave "I meet someone new, another vampire. I'm starting to sense a pattern here, but I love him. I think you would have to. He's not gonna lose his soul if we..." Buffy freezes mid-sentence, that was probably not the best thing to bring up right now during this mother/daughter moment "...ah never mind, anyway turns out I'm like destined to be some psycho's queen. Funny right?"

Buffy closes her eyes "Jenna found out about Isobel, and I don't think she's ever gonna forgive me or Elena...I just wish you were here, mom, you always knew exactly what to say to fix things. I'm not like that, I don't know if I can do this." She pauses for a moment, this was killing her inside "I found the person responsible for making you sick, or at least speeding along the process. I promise I'll make her pay mom."

Buffy takes a deep breath and places a bouquet of flowers on the grave "I love you, mom." She says before standing and walking away.

* * *

Buffy climbs in through her window out of habit, and as she lands on the floor of her room she hears yelling downstairs. She frowns in confusion and quickly walks towards the stairs and heads down just as Jenna storms out and slams the door behind her. Buffy turns to Elena and Alaric "So wanna explain to me why Jenna just stormed out of here? Where the hell is she going?"

Elena sighs "She doesn't want to talk to us, she's going to campus."  
"It's better that she's not here, what with everything that's going on." John says as he enters the room.  
Buffy groans "You're still here. I was hoping you took off or died in your sleep."

John glances at her "Sorry to disappoint." He says before turning to Alaric "You know maybe if you had been a little more honest with her from the beginning, this wo—"  
John is cut off by Alaric punching him in the face, Buffy chuckles while Elena gasps in shock.

"Sorry, girls." Alaric says before leaving the house.  
Buffy turns back to John and punches him in the face "This is so your fault, I say you deserve that."

John who had fallen to the ground groans in pain and looks up at both girls "You know this is your fault, right?" Elena asks.  
"Right." He says before both girls head away and up the stairs.

* * *

"This is bad, like bad bad, like the end of the world bad." Buffy says as she takes a seat next to Stefan "Well, almost end of the world bad. But still, all this, between Isobel, dumbass John and Jenna, it's getting very close to that bad."

"Yeah." Stefan breaths.  
"What are we going to do?" Elena asks as she sits on Buffy's bed.  
Buffy looks over at the brunette "I—" Buffy freezes when she spots John.

"Elena, Buffy could you both please come downstairs, I need to speak to you."  
Buffy scoffs and turns to Elena "Elena, can you hear something, sounds like a weird buzzing, maybe it's a bug."  
"Please." John asks "It's important. You, too, Stefan."

The four of them climb downstairs, however, the moment Buffy spots Isobel she jumps over the railing and grabs Isobel. She shoves the vampire against the wall and wraps a hand around her neck.

Isobel coughs "I asked John for a do-over." She tells Buffy, the blonde simply rolls her eyes while Elena turns to John astonished, "You invited her in?"  
"She had information about Klaus." He tells them "She'll tell us, once Buffy releases her"  
Buffy chuckles "Yeah, not a chance."

John turns to the younger girl "Please, just listen to her, ok?"  
Buffy glances over at Elena who nods "Fine." Buffy sighs before shoving Isobel away from her.  
"What do you know?" Stefan asks as he comes to stand by Buffy's side.

"Since I was last here, I've been doing everything possible to find Klaus. We knew our best chance was to find him before he could find you...and Buffy." Isobel tells them as she sits on one of the chairs in the kitchen.  
"Best chance at what?" Stefan asks.  
"Keeping Elena alive, and making sure Buffy doesn't—" John starts to answer but Buffy finishes "Go all Darth Vader, we've already established that."  
Elena steps over to John "You don't get to talk, ok, not after everything you've done."  
"Were you able to find Klaus?" Stefan asks Isobel.

"No." She says as she shakes her head "Nobody knows where he is, not even Mary and that girl never takes her eyes off him for long."  
Buffy's eyes widen in rage "Mary? Do you know where she is?" She hisses.  
Isobel shakes her head again "No. The girl appears and disappears in a heartbeat, it's natural to her."

Stefan places a hand on Buffy's shoulder trying to calm her but then turns back to Isobel as she goes on "That's not what is important here. There are these rumours that are flying around that the doppelgänger exists and is being protected by the fallen slayer."

John interjects "Which means any vampire that wants to get in favour with Klaus will be lining up to capture you."  
Elena shakes her head "I'm not buying any of this."  
"Ditto." Buffy agrees.

Elena turns to Isobel and glares at her birth mother "The last time that you were here, you made it clear that you didn't give a damn about me. Now all of a sudden I'm supposed to believe that you wanna help me and my cousin."  
"Isobel's been helping all along." John informs the group "Klaus has been obsessed with finding Katherine and Mary for centuries almost as much as he had been for you." He says as he glances over at Buffy.

Buffy shrugs "We get it he's big with the creepy, got anything new to share?"  
"Look all it would take was anyone of those 1864 tomb vampires to spread the word around that Katherine and Mary were still alive, and it would bring him straight here to Mystic Falls, where the both of you were bound to be discovered, so we killed them."

Buffy glares at him "And almost killed Stefan and Damon in the process. Oh, and may I remind you that device almost killed me as well. Is almost getting me killed a hobby of yours?"  
"I didn't know it would affect you."  
Elena scoffs "Yeah right, you hate everything supernatural."

At that moment Isobel stands up and turns to Elena "I have a safe house that I can take you both too. The deed is in your name. No vampires can get in without your permission. Not even me. Let me help you. The both of you."  
Elena continues to glare at her and steps closer "You wanna help? Then get the hell out of my house."

* * *

"Merci, Mon Cherie." Isobel says to the young man as she enters the house. Suddenly she feels someone behind her she runs and grabs the person by the throat. Katherine merely wipes her hand away and slams Isobel against the wall "Nice house." She hisses.  
"Nicest foreclosure in town." Isobel tells her before smiling "Come here." She says before pulling her into a hug.

As Katherine pulls away Isobel smiles at her "It's nice to see you, Katherine."  
"I must say the same." Mary says as she comes down the stairs "How have you been little sister?"  
Katherine glares at her "Stuck in a tomb and starving, how do you think?"

Mary waves her off and continues makes her way down the stairs "But it worked didn't it? I told you it would. If those boys and John thought you were desperate enough you would get an in."  
Katherine smiles "True."  
Mary chuckles "Plus I did owe you back for abandoning me in Prague in 1752, I almost got killed...again."

Katherine laughs before pulling her friend into a hug, after a moment she pulls away "So I've heard you've two have been busy."  
"Yes, we have." Isobel says with a smirk "We have been making a deal with Klaus to save both of yours lives and get Mary looking pretty again."  
"Here." Mary says as she hands Katherine a wine bottle "Sweet little vintner in Italy made a small donation.

Katherine smirks and takes a taste "Hmm, he's tasty."  
As the three women sit down Katherine turns to Isobel "So what was with the surprise visit to the Gilbert house?"  
"John told me Rick was dating auntie vanilla." Isobel says, her voice full of disdain "I got jealous."  
Katherine smirks "You have obviously got John wrapped around your finger if he invited you in the house."  
"When has she not had him like that." Mary says "Boy's like a sad little puppy."

Isobel smiles "He thinks I'm helping him protect Elena and Buffy, so he's been very useful in keeping me informed on everything that's been going on."  
"So tell me what you know." Katherine asks.  
"She couldn't get near Klaus." Mary tells her "But luckily one of his witches is a sucker for a pretty girl. I bribed, Isobel made the deal."

Isobel takes over "He said that Klaus is willing to grant you and Mary your freedom, as well as a way to give Mary her face back if we deliver the Moonstone as well as the doppelgänger and the Slayer to him."  
Katherine nods "I can get the moonstone."

* * *

"Do you really think that Isobel's telling the truth that word's gotten out about the doppelgänger and the fallen slayer?" Elena asks Buffy, Stefan and Damon.  
"Look..." Stefan says as he turns to her "...I don't trust a word that she says, but I think we'd be stupid to ignore the warning."  
Buffy nods "True, but if she is lying, I am so going to enjoy kicking her ass."  
Damon chuckles at the blonde "Please let me watch."

"Hundred bucks and we'll talk." Buffy tells him.

Damon thinks for a moment "Deal." He then looks between the cousins "Maybe it's best you both just stay here, it's better for us to keep an eye on you."  
Buffy scoffs "Yeah, no."  
Stefan turns to Damon "What, in the house that any vampire can enter? No. It's safer living in a house with a vampire slayer."

"Well, then we'll stay there."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Again I say... no. I'd rather not have you hogging my bathroom."  
"You could always just join me." Damon suggests, waggling his eyebrows at her.

Both Buffy and Stefan glare at him, but then Buffy tosses a book at his head.  
"Ow!" He moans as he rubs his now sore head. Elena laughs as does Buffy.

After Elena stops laughing she looks between both brothers "So is that the plan? Neither of you will let me or Buffy out of your sight again?"  
Damon shrugs "Let me know when you come up with a better one."  
Buffy raises her hand "I have one...I snap your neck and me and Elena go hang in our house where no vampire can enter. I'm stronger than both of you combined, I'm sure we'll be fine. Plus that house has tonnes of well-hidden weapons."

"Buffy..." Stefan sighs.  
She rolls her eyes and huffs "Fine...but then one of you is gonna have to come with me to the Lockwood Luncheon. I'm not suffering alone because Elena's making me come."  
Stefan smiles "That'd be me."  
"Not me." Damon says "I have witch stuff to attend to with Bonnie."  
Elena turns to Damon "Does that mean you're taking her to the—"  
"Shh."

"Don't get quiet on my account." Katherine says as she enters the room "If you have a plan to combat the impending vampire doom, please do tell."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Can I cut off her tongue."  
Damon sighs "It will just grow back."  
Buffy scrunches up her face in disgust "Gross."

At that moment Katherine rolls her eyes "Seriously, what is the plan to get us out of this mess, hmm?"  
Buffy turns to Katherine "You want the plan? Okay. We kill you and send your head to Klaus as a gift."

Katherine glares at the blonde "I delivered you a moonstone, a werewolf, and the dagger to lure and kill Klaus, and right now all you have is a moonstone or so you tell me."  
"No, we have it." Damon assures her.  
"Where is it?"  
Damon smiles "It's in a very safe place he says vaguely."  
"I've been honest with you. Time to return the favour."

Buffy looks over at Damon "Do you think if we put a tonne of vervain in the wound, it will take a lot longer to heal. Means we will finally get some peace of quiet."  
Damon thinks for a moment "Might work." He then turns back to Katherine "Let me be honest with you. Don't mistake the fact that we haven't set you on fire in your sleep or just let Buffy tear you to pieces as trust."  
Katherine sighs "Fine. Be that way." She says unhappily before walking off.

* * *

"Hey." Stefan says as Caroline approaches, him, Buffy and Elena at the Luncheon "Any luck finding Matt?" He asks.

Caroline shakes her head, panicked "None. What if he tells somebody? What if he tells everybody."  
"No, we just gotta find him and make sure that doesn't happen." Stefan turns to Elena and Buffy "Either of you know where he might be?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Sorry." She says to Caroline.  
Elena also shakes her head "I wish I did, but he wasn't really one to run."

Caroline shakes her head tears threatening to escape her "You know, this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. You know, I was supposed to tell him at the right moment in the right way and he was supposed to be okay with because he loves me."

Buffy nods "Care, we'll find him. Don't go all wiggy, we will start as soon as they stupid thing is over."  
Caroline sighs "All right. Well call me when you're done, and I'll be out looking for him." She tells him before walking off.

Buffy watches for a moment as Elena heads over to accept the award, suddenly Buffy hears a familiar voice upstairs, her eyes widen. She starts to head for the stairs when Stefan grabs her hand "Buffy?" He whispers confused.

Buffy places a finger to her lips "Shh." She tells him before pointing at the stairs "Stay with Elena." She whispers before silently making her way up the stairs, Stefan watches worried.

"John!" Buffy yells as she sees Isobel take a bite out of him, Buffy runs towards Isobel but suddenly she falls to the ground and clutches her head as an agonising pain hits her.

"Long time no see." A woman says as she walks towards Buffy, the blonde looks up "Mary." She hisses before moaning in pain again.

Mary smirks "Did you miss me?" She asks before injecting Buffy with a needle. Mary turns to Isobel and smiles "The Watcher's Council really should be more careful where they store something that makes their prized position nothing more than a little girl."

Isobel smiles before tossing John down the stairs, as she does Mary crouches down in front of Buffy "I like your dress." She says gesturing to the grey dress Buffy was currently wearing "Hope you don't mind sharing." She says before kicking Buffy in the face sending her into unconsciousness.

Mary closes her eyes for a second and slowly her hair turns from its natural raven into a honey blonde, she quickly looks in the mirror before turning to Isobel "Get her and Elena in the car." She tells her as she glances down at the blonde slayer. Once she's sure she looks the part, Mary quickly heads down the backstairs "What the hell happened?" She asks as she approaches Stefan and Katherine who was now dressed as Elena.

Stefan turns to her "John's dead. Did you find anything?"  
Mary shakes her head "Didn't exactly have time to look, with the whole death and crowd thing."  
Stefan nods "Let's get out of here. Come on." He says to both women before leading them out.

* * *

"It's Isobel, Damon. It's gotta be." Katherine says on the phone as her, Mary and Stefan head towards the car.  
Stefan turns to her "Tell him he needs to get over here and deal with John's body."  
Mary takes the phone off Katherine "Dumbass get your ass down here, the council is wigging out, you're on council duty, fix the John being not so dead problem."

Mary hangs up the phone but suddenly Stefan pushes her into the car and grabs her "Where the hell is she? Huh?"  
Mary smiles "Sorry, that's a secret." She says before raising her hand and pressing it to Stefan's temple, he groans in pain but then freezes as Katherine comes up behind him and injects him with a vile of vervain.

Katherine turns to Stefan "I'm sorry, Stef, but I can't have you following us." She then tosses him into the bush and turns to Mary "Shall we."Mary smiles and opens the car door "We shall." She says before putting the car in drive.

* * *

 _"Are we good to go?"_ Mary hears Isobel ask Katherine on the other side of the line.

Katherine closes the front door before answering "We're at your house, but we have to hurry. Damon knows your lodging tricks it will take him all of 20 minutes to find out where you're staying."  
 _"We'll be long gone before that."_ Isobel assures her.

"Good. How far are you?"  
 _"I'm sorry, Katherine. I had to do what I was told. He wanted the moonstone and he wanted you."  
_ Mary steps over to Katherine "And that's exactly what we're gonna give him."

Katherine drops the phone and turns to Mary "May? He-he who?"  
Mary looks at her sadly "I'm sorry Katerina. He made me an offer I can't refuse."  
Katherine glares at her, she runs towards the witch but Mary merely raises her hand, Katherine screams in pain before collapsing onto the ground.

"I see you haven't lost your touch." One of Klaus' witches says as he walks over to Mary.  
Mary smiles "Lucky thing about being immortal, you have a lot of time to practice." Mary pauses and looks back down at Katherine sadly, she sighs "It's time. Let's go."

* * *

"What the hell did you do to me?" Buffy asks Isobel as her and Elena step out of the car.

"Mary injected you with a small dose of the serum that diminishes a slayer's power. It was only a small amount so you'll have your strength back in the next few hours." Isobel tells her.  
When both girls refuse to follow her Isobel sighs "Just because I can't compel either of you, doesn't mean I can't force you to come with me."

Both girls roll their eyes before slowly following her.  
"So is that what happened?" Elena asks her birth mother "You were compelled to betray Katherine."  
Buffy shrugs "My guess Mary did it out of her own free will."

Isobel nods "Klaus offered Mary something, she turned on Katherine just like Katherine has done to her many times before. Those two constantly betray each other to make their own lives better. For me, If I was, I couldn't tell you." She says to Elena.

"So you lied." Elena observes "You did find Klaus, didn't you? He knows where me and Buffy are now. Are you taking us to him?"  
When she still doesn't answer Buffy rolls her eyes "Yo, vampy lady, you lose your hearing or are you just going insane?"  
Suddenly Isobel comes to a stop, she bends down in front of a grave "What is this?" Elena asks confused.

Isobel moves some leafs out of the way, revealing her own name; she stands "My parents..." She glances over at Elena "...your grandparents, they put it here when it became clear that the police weren't gonna find my body. They visit every week, and they bring flowers, even though there's no one buried here. The Isobel they knew is dead. So maybe there's a part of me that's buried here, the—the human part, the part that I abandoned when I—when I choose to become a vampire, the part that used to dream about the day that she'd know her daughter."

Elena turns to her confused "What?"  
"And instead you got to meet the other part...the part that would betray her own flesh and blood."  
At that moment Isobel's phone rings, Buffy listens carefully and is shocked when she hears that Klaus is letting them go.

As Isobel hangs up she looks over at Elena "I'm so sorry, Elena...that I was such a disappointment to you." Suddenly Isobel rips the necklace from her neck and burst into flames.

* * *

As Buffy and Elena sit in the living room at the Salvatore's, Buffy turns to Stefan "I don't get it. All that effort and what he just lets us go? Maybe he's off his meds."

Stefan shakes his head unsure "Well anything John told Isobel we have to assume that Klaus knows, right? So he knows that Elena is not gonna turn herself into a vampire and he knows that you aren't one to turn away from a fight when that something threatens people you love. He knows that you have all of us keeping the both of you safe."

Elena's eyes widen as she comes to a realisation "He knows we're not gonna run."  
"Which is why we need to take some precautions." Damon says as he enters the room.  
Buffy turns to Damon "Hey, Damon, do you remember exactly where I told you 'not' to hide the moonstone, hmm?"

Damon rolls his eyes "I get it, you were right, you can gloat later. But we got played all of us." He says before dumping a load of paperwork in Buffy's lap.  
Buffy looks down at her lap confused "What are you suing me or something?"

Stefan shakes his head "No, that is the deed to our house. It's in Zack's name as soon as you sigh it, it'll be in your name."  
Buffy just stares at the brothers stunned "You're giving me a house, dude so not a good idea, I kill my goldfish I can't own a house."

"Look, Isobel had the right idea with the safe house. You'll both just stay here till it's all over."

Damon cuts in "That way you little miss vampire slayer can decide you gets invited and who loses a head. Although I'll be super pissed if you put me on the head list."

Buffy glares at him but he simply smiles at her, at that moment a loud gasping noise comes from behind them, the four turn to see the dead John now alive. Damon quickly runs over and lifts John off the ground "I swear I had no idea what she was gonna do." John tells Damon "I'm sorry." He looks over at the cousins "I'm so, so sorry."  
Buffy sighs "Let the man go, Damon."

Damon turns to her astonished but she simply shakes her head and looks over at Elena who nods "He and I need to talk."

* * *

"Hey, Bonnie said the spell worked." Damon tells Buffy and Stefan.  
Stefan sighs "At least something went right today."  
Buffy nods in agreement "You can say that again, Little old me is sick of being drugged by crazy people."

Stefan smiles before realising something "Hmm. Katherine has no idea that Bonnie got her powers back."  
"Mn'hmn." Damon mumbled.  
"And Isobel had no idea what you and Jeremy took Bonnie to do today."  
Buffy smiles "Nope."  
Stefan smiles "We're the only ones who know."

"That literally makes Bonnie our secret weapon." Damon says.

* * *

"Wake up." Mary hisses to Katherine.  
Katherine mumbles before slowly opening her eyes, she looks over at Mary "What—"  
Mary places a finger over her lips and points in the corner. Katherine looks over and sees Klaus' witch standing in front of a man, chanting.

Mary quickly stands and drags Katherine to stand with her, as she does the man stands, he turns to them "Alaric?" Katherine asks confused.  
Alaric slowly steps towards them and when Katherine tries run she is stopped by a barrier. Alaric continues to walk towards them "Zdravei, Katerina, Marianna. Mmm. I have missed you."

Katherine's eyes widen "Klaus."

* * *

 **Los Angeles, California**

"Come on we should be celebrating. I got my GED." Cordelia says.  
Angel sighs "Cordelia."  
She huffs "Fine." The two of them go back to watching Doyle, who is pacing in the other room "So, he spoke to her."  
"Yeah."

Cordelia turns to face Angel "Didn't go too well, huh?"  
"I think she just needs some time."  
Cordelia goes back to watching Doyle "He's still really hung up on her, isn't he?"  
Angle nods "Hmm. More than he knew probably, yeah."

"Well, someone has to go out there and cheer him up."

Angel starts to stand but Cordelia stops him "Oh, please. Someone with a heartbeat." Cordelia leaves the room and heads over to Doyle "Hi, Doyle. Are you gonna become the loser-pining guy, like, full-time now? 'Cause, you know, we already have one of those around the office."

"Hey." Angel yells annoyed, as does Doyle.

Cordelia rolls her eyes "He can get away with it. He's tall and...and look at the way clothes hang on him. But you..."

Angel interjects "Ok. I think you've cheered us up enough."

Cordelia turns back to Doyle "You can't live in the past. You've gotta move on. Let it go. Forget it. Tomorrow's another day. Did I mention letting it go?"

Doyle nods "Twice."  
Cordelia sighs and goes to sit next to him "You'll get through this, Doyle. Nice guys don't always finish last."  
"You think I'm a nice guy?"  
Cordelia smiles "I think it, I say it. It's my way."  
"Thanks."  
"Feeling better?"  
Doyle nods "Yeah." Suddenly Doyle gasps in pain and he grabs his head.

Cordelia jumps away "Not my fault."  
"He's having a vision." Angel tells her.  
Doyle continues to see flashes of Buffy fighting. When the vision finally stops he looks up at Angel.  
"What? What'd you see?" Angel asks.


	54. The Dance From Hell

Buffy slowly follows the vampire into the woods as he pretends to be human, once he has his back to her Buffy comes up right behind him.  
The vampire turns and gasps "Oh!"  
Buffy smiles "Looking for me?"

The vampire stutters as he speaks "Holy—what do you want?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes and swings out her first, punching him in the face.  
"Hey!" He exclaims, however as he turns back to her his true form shows, "Look whose home?" Buffy says.

"Slayer." He hisses.

Buffy sends her fist towards his stomach but he blocks it with both hands, leaving himself unprotected, Buffy takes the opportunity to send a sucker punch to his face.

As his face swings to the side, he growls before he throws his fist out at her "Why don't you just go back where you came from?" He asks as she ducks the hit "Things were great before you came."

Buffy glares at him before swinging her leg around knocking him to the ground, he gets back up quickly and throws at fist at her, but she catches it and twists it, causing him to flip in the air and land painfully on his back. As he tries to get back up Buffy grabs him from behind "And they say one person can't make a difference." She says before bringing the stake through his back. As he turns to dust, Buffy freezes as she feels something watching her, she looks around but can't shake the feeling. After seeing no one around she sighs and slowly makes her way back towards the Mystic Falls town line, as she does she doesn't notice the figure hidden behind the bushes watching her as she moved away.

* * *

The next morning Buffy sits with the lawyer as he instructs her on where to sign "Sign here and here."  
Buffy nods "Ok." She says as she takes the pen before staring at the paperwork in front of her, this was nuts, they were actually signing over their house to her.  
"So this place is all yours?" Bonnie asks as she and Elena sit on the couch "They just gave it to you?"

Buffy shrugs "For now. But lucky as the sole owner I get to decide who comes and who rots on the driveway."  
"Your own personal safe house."  
Buffy shakes her head "More like an Elena safe, but apparently giving the deed to me was the better option."

Bonnie looks around and frowns at the state of the house, she wouldn't particularly want to be the owner of this dusty old giant mess "Wouldn't want to clean it."  
Elena chuckles as does Buffy.

* * *

"Thanks, Mr Henry." Buffy says as the lawyer exits the house.  
Once he was gone and out of sight Buffy turns to both brothers and smirks, this was going to be fun "You guys cool with sleeping in the garage right?"

When neither of them answers Buffy smiles "I'll take that as a yes, bye now." She says before giving them a little wave and moving to close the door.  
"Buffy." Stefan says as he smiles at his girlfriend, it was nice to see this playful side of her after all the horribleness of the past couple months.

Buffy chuckles "I was only kidding. Now, Stefan would you like to come into my house?" She asks emphasising the word 'my' causing him to laugh slightly.  
"I would love to." He tells her before stepping inside.

Buffy then turns to Damon and sighs before tapping her chin as she contemplates what to do "Now should I invite you in or do as you suggested and remove your head. Decisions, decisions." She says pretending to contemplate.  
Damon raises an eyebrow "What are we 12?"

Buffy shakes her head "Nope. I'm pretty sure you are more like 7, I've met 8-year-olds more mature than you." Buffy sighs when she spots his unamused look "Look if I let you in are you gonna play by my rules?"  
Damon scoffs "No."

Buffy rolls her eyes "Damon, come on. It's either my way or the headless way. What do you say?"  
Damon hesitates "Fine." He groans out before clenching his jaw.  
Buffy smiles "Then come on in."  
Damon head in and glares at Stefan who smirks "Shut up."

At that moment Elena and Bonnie walk over and hand Buffy her jacket "Thanks." She says causing both men to turn to the girl "Wait, where are you going?" Stefan asks confused.  
"To school." Elena says simply.  
"Huh?" Stefan asks completely confused, they couldn't actually be serious.  
Damon interjects "No, no, no. We didn't create a safe house just for you and the Buff to leave it."  
"Yeah..." Stefan says in agreement with his brother "...guys, Klaus is out there. We know that."  
Elena nods "Right. But where? No one knows."

Buffy sighs, as sweet as it was for them to want to protect them, they couldn't spend the rest of their lives locked up "Look, we appreciate it guys but we ain't no prisoners."  
Elena nods "Buffy's, right. Plus she's stronger than both of you, plus Bonnie has the power of 100 dead witches, us being together is much safer than here."  
Bonnie turns to the boys "If he comes, I can take him."  
"I can too." Buffy assures them.

Elena smiles "See the safest place for both me and Buffy is with Bonnie, then we have witch strength and Slayer strength. Come on."

The three of them then slowly head out just as Stefan groans, glancing at his annoyed brother he grabs his bag and moves to follow the girls, if they refused to stay put then he would just have to keep an eye on them "Wait, I'm coming."

* * *

On the way to class, Buffy freezes in the hallway when she gets that odd feeling again. It was something she hadn't felt in so long, but she couldn't place the feeling.  
"Buffy? You coming?" Elena asks looking at her cousin confused.  
Buffy shakes her head "Yeah. I'll be right there. Just left something in my locker. Go I'll catch up."

Elena nods before heading off, once she is out of sight Buffy heads down the hallway and out the back door, for some reason her eyes land on the sewer grate right by the back entrance.  
She couldn't tear her eyes from it and as though something was calling to her Buffy slowly makes her way towards it, however just as she was about to reach it the bell goes off.

"Dammit!" Buffy exclaims before quickly running off but not without sparing one more glance at the grate.

* * *

Buffy runs into class just as Alaric turns away from the board. As he turns towards her Buffy offers him an apologetic smile as she tucks the hair behind her ear "Sorry Mr Saltzman." She says before quickly making her way to her seat.

"It's fine, Buffy." Klaus says as he watches her intently, he couldn't believe it, all these years of wondering and searching and here she was before her, she was more beautiful than he could have imagined. He couldn't stop himself from soaking up every last detail of her, the moment she is seated he sees her look over at the Salvatore boy.

He eternally frowns, that was another detail about her life that would have to be dealt with. He clears his throat quickly as his attention is brought back to the class "The sixties. Well, they pretty much sucked. Except for The Beatles." He tells the class "They made it bearable. Uh, what else was there?" He says trying to scramble through the centuries worth of memories "The Cuban missile thing, the—we walked on the moon. There was Watergate."

Elena at this point interjects "Watergate was the seventies, Ric."  
The class turns to her confused as to why she was addressing the teacher by his first name, she quickly tries to cover it "I—I mean Mr Saltzman."  
Klaus smiles "Right. It all kind of mushes together up here, the sixties, seventies. Thank you, Elena."

Klaus turns his attention back to Buffy and hides his smirk as he spots the silver dagger hiding in her boot, a warrior she was indeed.

* * *

"Hey, Jer." Elena says as she and Buffy approach Jeremy and Bonnie "How are you doing? Are you ok at the house alone with John?"  
Buffy turns to him "If you want I could knock him unconscious if he irritates you."  
Jeremy nods "It's not ideal, I may have to take you up on that offer if it gets worse Buff." He says before standing.

"Hey, have you heard from Jenna?" Elena asks before Jeremy could head off.  
Jeremy shakes his head "It looks like she's staying on campus. Look. I'm, uh—I'm late for class." Jeremy quickly heads off, causing Buffy and Elena to frown.

"What's going on?" Elena asks Bonnie as they take a seat at the table.  
Bonnie smiles "I told him he had to dress up tonight and he got all uptight."

"Hey, Buffy, there you are." Another student Abby says as she runs over "This is going to sound freaky but this totally hot guy just asked me to ask you if you're going to the dance tonight."

Bonnie raises an eyebrow as does Elena "Tell him she has a boyfriend."  
Abby sighs trying to convince the blonde "You could at least meet him. He seems to think the two of you are meant to be. He'll be at the dance tonight. Look for him. His name is Klaus."

Buffy's eyes widen in horror, Elena turns to the girl "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"  
The girl frowns "His name's Klaus. I know the name's stupid but I swear he's hot."  
Bonnie starts looking around, he was here, taunting them "Where is he? Is he here?"  
Abby stays silent for a moment "I don't know."

Buffy scoffs, she was getting really sick of this stalking level creepiness "Psycho thinks he's a romantic, compelling people ain't so much of a turn on."  
Abby turns back to Buffy "But he wants to know if you'll save him the last dance. How cute is that?"  
Buffy scoffs "Adorably creepy."

* * *

As Elena, Buffy and Bonnie and Stefan are heading back to the Salvatore house, Stefan grabs Buffy's hand and pulls her to the side, as the two talk Bonnie heads inside while Elena follows her only to have someone grab her and yank her to the side out the building out of sight.

"Hey!" Elena exclaims but quickly a hand covers her mouth and the hand around her waist pushes her against the wall till she was pinned there.

"Shh. I'm not going to hurt you." The man says, Elena looks up and shoves against the chest only to freeze as she spots the familiar face "You—you're Angel." She mumbles under his hand.  
Angel raises an eyebrow "How'd you know that? He asks as he removes his hand.  
"I'm Buffy's cousin, she tells me things."  
Angel's eyes widen "Oh, that makes sense."

Elena rolls her eyes "You think. Wait, what are you doing here? Does Buffy know you're here."  
Angel shakes his head "No. Look I'm here to help her. A friend of mine had a vision that Buffy's in danger."  
Elena sighs "You're not wrong about that."  
Angel frowns "What do you mean?"  
"It's better if Buffy explains."

Angel shakes his head, as much as he loved her and wanted to speak to her he couldn't it just hurt too much being around her "I can't. She can't know I'm here. Seeing her it's already difficult enough. Look I just need you to tell me one thing..." Angel looks over her shoulder and spots Buffy with Stefan, they were holding hands and Stefan was tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Angel's blood boils, and slowly his jealousy takes over as he turns to Elena unable to stop himself from asking "...who's that guy?"

"I think the question is, who are you?" A voice asks from behind them, Angel turns around only to be face to face with Damon who quickly snaps his neck.  
"Damon!" Elena exclaims.  
"Shh." Damon tells her before throwing Angel over his shoulder.

* * *

"Looks like we have a party crasher." Damon says to Stefan and Buffy as he dumps Angel's body on the ground.  
"Who the hell is that?" Stefan says.  
Damon shrugs "Found him talking to Elena."

Buffy looks down at the body as she turns to look at the man's face her eyes widen and she quickly bends down next to him moving the hair out of his face to make sure he was okay "Oh, my God." She breaths.

"Buffy?" Stefan asks worriedly.

At that moment Angel gasps, he, however, freezes as he spots Buffy "Buffy?"  
Buffy sat there for a moment unable to believe it "Angel."

Both Damon and Stefan stare at Angel in shock however it's Buffy that speaks "What are you doing here?" She asks as she slowly stands and backs away from him and stands by her now slightly jealous boyfriend.

Angel stands and sighs, he had been hoping things wouldn't go this way "A friend of mine had a vision he...he told me you were in danger. But then neck breaker here went all commando and—"  
"Oh!" Damon exclaims "You're on my property pal."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Technically it's my property."  
Damon turns to her "Not the point."

Angel looks over at Buffy "Please tell me he's not the one your dating." Angel freezes for a second, that smell, it was pure danger and death, he was one of them "Wait. You're one of them." He says turning to Damon.  
"Angel. I can explain." Buffy tells him but Angel just turns to Stefan "You're one too aren't you. Buffy, please don't tell me your dating a vampire."

Buffy sighs "Wouldn't be the first time." She mutters "And look now is really not the time and honestly...my life is none of your business."  
Angel sighs sadly knowing he lost any right to have input into her life after he left Sunnydale.

Stefan turns to Angel trying to hide the jealousy that was building inside him, but yet he still subconsciously moved closer to Buffy, keeping her as far away from Angel as he could "So, you're Angel?"  
The two stare at each other awkwardly "Yep."

Buffy, sensing the tension in the room turns to Angel "You said I was in danger? What did your friend see?"  
"Just you fighting but he heard someone in the background. He said his name was Klaus."  
Stefan's eyes widen and he turns to Buffy who has an equal look of worry on her face, she sighs and looks over at Angel "We need all the help we can get."

* * *

After explaining everything to Angel, the group were now discussing what they were going to do next.  
"So we go to the dance, we find him." Damon suggests.

"Really?" Stefan asks "How are we gonna do that? We don't even know what he looks like."  
"Something tells me he's not going to be 16 and pimply."

"He could be anywhere at any time. He compelled somebody at school. I guess it's not as safe as you guys thought, huh?" He asks as he turns to his girlfriend, trying to ignore the presence of her ex in the room.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "In my defence, we didn't say the school was safe, just me and Bon together."

While Angel chuckles earning himself a glare from Stefan, there is a knock at the door and then Alaric walks inside.  
"There you are." Damon says.  
Alaric walks towards them "Sorry I'm late -" He freezes however when he spots Angel.

Buffy notices him freeze, this was really not the time for all the introductions "Ric meet Angel, Angel meet Ric."

Damon cuts in "Angel, as in ex-vampire boyfriend, who lost his soul went evil and who Buff killed. Also, Angel, that Stefan is trying desperately not to dismember—"  
"Shut up, Damon." Both Stefan and Buffy said.

Damon rolls his eyes and turns back to Alaric, who is watching Angel intently "I need you to put me down as a chaperone tonight. Klaus made his first move."  
Elena nods "Ok, so we find him and then what, hmm? What's our plan of attack?"

"Me." Bonnie says as she steps forward "I'm the plan. He has no idea how much power I can channel. If Buffy finds him, she can easily distract him and I can kill him."  
"NO." Both Angel and Stefan say before glaring at each other.  
Angel turns to Buffy "This thing is obsessed with you, Buffy. Why on earth would you go near it?"

Buffy rolls her eyes, she had thought about this, she knew what she was up against here "Angel, you don't know what you're talking about."

Stefan steps towards her, begging her to listen to him, he didn't know what he would do if something happened to her "Buffy, both you and Elena should not be near Klaus."  
Buffy shakes her head "Look, I'm not some damsel in distress okay. I can take care of myself, plus we know Klaus won't hurt me. I distract him, Bonnie kills him."

Suddenly Alaric chuckles "That's not going to be that easy. I mean, he is the biggest, worst vampire around."  
Both Buffy and Angel scoff "Met worse." Buffy tells him.

"We know that Blondie," Damon says "But that's of the mutt breeds, no offence pal." He says as he taps Angel's chest "But Alaric had a point. I mean, what if he—" Suddenly Damon runs at Bonnie but finds himself flying into the opposite end of the room.

Buffy raises her hand "I'm convinced."  
Stefan smiles "Well, I was impressed."

The group then turns to Bonnie as she speaks "It doesn't matter if he's an original. I can take down anyone who comes at me." Bonnie turns to Elena "I can kill him, Elena. I know I can."

* * *

Angel walks into the living room later and finds Stefan flipping through a large book "Why are you here?" Stefan asks as he turns to Angel.  
Angel sighs "I explained, I'm here to help Buffy."  
"Is that all?" Stefan asks unconvinced.

Angel chuckles "Look who's jealous. I'm guessing this is normal for you though, considering the way your brother looks at her." Stefan glares at him but Angel goes on "You know you are no good for her. Neither was I."

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asks confused and annoyed, this man knew nothing about their life together and he had no right to interfere.  
"We're vampires. You may be able to walk in the sun but...you're not a part of her world. It took me a long time and a trip to hell to figure that out. She deserves a normal life."  
Stefan turns to him angrily "My relationship with Buffy is non of your business."  
"It is if it's putting her in danger. Klaus would never have found out about her if it wasn't for you."

Stefan at this point punches Angel in the face, he was so sick of people commenting on something that wasn't their business.  
Angel goes flying backwards but then runs at Stefan and hits him back, the two struggle until Buffy runs into the room.

"Stop it!" She yells as she shoves the two apart sending them into opposite corners of the room "That is enough. I see one more display of testosterone poisoning, and I will personally put you both in the hospital." Stefan and Angel look up and glare at each other "Anybody think I'm exaggerating?"  
Angel sighs "He started—"  
Buffy raises a hand cutting him off "Tell me that you did not come here, to pound on my boyfriend."  
"No."  
Buffy sighs and points at the hallway "You out there." She then looks over at Stefan "You stay."

* * *

Buffy follows Angel into the hall and glares at him "You tell me you came here to help and then you pound on my boyfriend. I would really like to know—what the hell are you trying to do?"  
Angel sighs "Buffy, I didn't exactly plan on that. I guess—I guess I'm not exactly thrilled to find out your dating a vampire."

Buffy stares at him in disbelief for a second before she exhales a small laugh "Yeah, well not like I can date human's right."  
Angel chuckles "You'd probably break him."  
Buffy laughs "Yep."

After a moment Angel sighs "Buffy, I did come here to help."  
She nods "I know, and I'm grateful for it, but as you can see we have a supercharged witch and I have lots of help. Maybe it's just best if—"

Angel nods in understanding "Yeah. Look I had no right, we don't live in each other's worlds anymore. I guess the whole vampire thing, I don't have the right to make judgement, I don't what's happened here for the past two years so...I'll go."  
Buffy nods "It means a lot that you came."  
Angel starts to head for the door but stops and turns back to her "Oh, and...Stefan?"  
"Yeah?" Buffy asks.

"I don't like him."  
Buffy smiles "Thank you." She says before watching her first love walk out of the house.

* * *

Buffy walks back into the living room and heads over to Stefan "I'm sorry." He tells her "I over reacted. I just...I got jealous"  
Buffy nods "I can see that.  
"The guy bugs me." Stefan says causing Buffy to smile "He's gone." She tells him after a long moment.

Stefan turns to her with a raised eyebrow, so much for the helping hand "What about wanting help?"  
"I assured him that I had all the help I need." She says as she wraps her arms around his waist "Look, you don't have to worry, I'm not gonna run off to L.A."

Stefan smiles "I love you." He says before kissing her softly.  
"Ditto." She says as leans back for a moment looking at him sweetly before leaning forward again and kissing him.

* * *

"God, your relatives were hoarders." Buffy says as she goes through the boxes in Stefan's room. "So what do you think?" Buffy asks as she pulls out a red dress with a puffed skirt and white lining on it "Hairspray enough?" Buffy pauses "Or was that the 50's?"  
"It's 60's." He assures her "You know we don't have to go through with this right?"

Buffy shakes her head "Yes...we do. I guess I'm just—I don't want to be the monster this prophecy says I'm gonna be."  
Stefan looks at her sadly and places a hand on her cheek "No prophecy can change you, no matter what Klaus thinks. You are your own person and you are the kindest selfless woman I have ever met. And tonight we will put an end to him."

Buffy smiles softly before placing her hand on the back of his head and pulling him in for a kiss.

"Any time tonight." Damon says as he stands in the doorway hoping for the couple to break it up with the PDA "Where's the mutt?" Damon asks curiously.

Buffy rolls her eyes and reluctantly pulls away from her boyfriend "Angel's gone. Now let's go get Klaus."

* * *

"Where's Liam?" Buffy asks Elena as she and Stefan walk over, Elena shakes her head "With everything going on, I'd rather keep him out of it. Plus he has finals next week."  
Buffy nods "Sorry."  
"No problem."

The three walk over to Bonnie and Jeremy "Hey, guys." Elena says as they approach.  
"You look great." Elena says before giving Bonnie a hug, Buffy does the same "You both look great too." Bonnie tells them.  
Stefan looks between the group "You guys ready to do this?"

"Let's get the lunatic." Buffy says before all of them head inside.

As they enter the dance Abby is on the stage and draws the groups attention "We have a special shoutout. This is for Buffy. From Klaus." Suddenly the song 'Dedicated to the one I love' starts playing causing Buffy to roll her eyes "Oh this guy is making me wanna use Angelus' chainsaw torture method."

Once the song is finished Damon speaks "That was a lame cheap shot. He's just trying to bait us."  
Elena continues to look around the room "I know everyone here."  
"Maybe he's not here." Stefan suggests "Just wants us to believe that he is."  
"Oh, he's here." Buffy says sure of herself, "And when I find him, I'm gonna beat him till he bleeds."

"As much as we would all like to see that..." Damon says "...it's a party, people. Blend. Let him come to us."  
Bonnie nods "Good idea." She says as she grabs Jeremy's hand and drags him onto the dance floor against his will.

Elena turns to one of the football players and quickly glances back at Buffy "Bonnie's right. Blend." She says before grabbing the cute guy and heading to the dance floor.

"There's Ric." Damon says as he spots the school teacher "I'll be back."  
As he walks off Stefan holds out his hand for Buffy "Well?"

Buffy sighs before taking his hand and letting him lead her onto the dance floor.

* * *

As they dance Buffy spots Caroline enter the party with Matt "Care's here. She's not in the loop. Might be a good idea to pull her in."  
Stefan nods "I'm on it." He says before spinning her but instead of pulling her back he hands her off to Damon who pulls her close "How you doing?" He asks.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Just fine, Joey." She pauses for a moment "You?"  
"Cool as a cucumber. Come on, remember the last decade dance? The vampires were all, ahh! And you were all ka-pow!" He says making little punches with his fist.

Buffy nods "Yep. We came, we saw, we kicked vampire ass. Or more I did. You just kinda stood there."  
Damon grabs her hands and pulls her close again "We won." He then twirls her out and then pulls her back.  
Buffy smiles "I hate to admit it, but you're good at this."  
"I've got moves you've never seen." He says before spinning her again, causing her to giggle.

* * *

"What are they up to?" Elena asks Jeremy as she and Buffy stand with him, something was seriously up, Bonnie and Damon had been whispering to each other half the night, something was very wrong here.  
Jeremy shrugs "Who knows?"  
Buffy looks at him closely and notices the worried glimmer in his eyes "Jer, what is it?"  
Jeremy shakes his head "Nothing. I'm fine. I'm fine." He assures them before walking off.

"Hey, everything all right?" Stefan asks as comes to stand by Buffy's side.  
"I'm starting to think the answer to that is always no." Buffy says before sighing.

* * *

After finally getting the truth out of Stefan who had managed to get Jeremy to squeal about Bonnie and Damon's secret, Buffy and Elena grab Bonnie and yank her towards the exit.  
"We need to talk. Now!" Buffy says she pulls Bonnie out of the room.

"How could you not tell us?" Elena asks as they walk outside.  
"Cause I knew how'd you both react."  
Buffy shakes her head, she refused to let her best friend die for her "No. It's not an option."  
"It's our only option." Bonnie argues "Buffy, you've been in this position before you know that it's the only way. You died to save the world-"  
"No!" Buffy exclaims.

Elena nods in agreement "You are not dying to save my life."  
"Or to save me from being Mrs Klaus." Buffy finishes.

"I have the power to save you! Both of you!" Bonnie says "If I don't use it and something happens to either of you, it would kill me more."  
Buffy shakes her head as tears threaten to fall "You can't-I can't let you."

Bonnie looks between her two best friends "Just answer one question—if the situation was reversed, would you guys do it for me?"

When both girls don't speak Bonnie nods "So you know why I have to."  
"No. No." Both cousins say.

"Elena! Buffy!" Alaric yells as he runs over to the three girls.  
"What is it?" Elena asks.  
"He has Jeremy."  
All three girl stared wide-eyed "What?!  
Alaric nods in a panic "Yeah, Klaus has Jeremy. Come on." He says before leading them to the side entrance.

* * *

As he leads them through the hall, Buffy pulls out a large dagger from her boot  
"If he hurts Jeremy I swear, I'm gonna ring him by his scrawny little neck." Buffy pauses "Or thick neck"  
"So where are you taking us?" Elena asks.  
"Just a little further." Klaus says as he leads them around the corner.

Buffy looks around and starts to sense something off "This isn't good." She mumbles, she could feel it, something was really wrong.  
"Where's Jeremy?" Bonnie demands.

Suddenly Klaus bursts out in laughter, it had taken them long enough "I just had to get away from that dance. The sixties, uch. Not my decade. I much prefer the twenties." He says as he turns to the girls "The style, the parties, the jazz."

Buffy watches him intently and clutches the dagger in her hand tighter.  
"Alaric." Elena says "Are you on vervain?"  
Klaus freezes as he walks towards them "Now why would you ask me that question, Elena?"  
Both Bonnie and Buffy move in front of Elena "He's being compelled." The doppelgänger realises.

Buffy shakes her head as she watches him carefully, seeing how he walks and listening to the way he talks, this wasn't Alaric, this was someone completely different, someone darker "No. He's not."  
Klaus smiles "I knew you would be a smart one, luv."  
"What's going on?" Bonnie asks confused.  
Klaus smiles "Ok, I'll give you a hint. I'm not Alaric."  
Elena's eyes widen "Klaus."  
"Surprise!"  
"No, it's not possible."

"It's possession." Buffy tells her "I've seen it."  
Klaus smiles at Buffy before looking over at Elena "Just relax, Elena. I'm not here to hurt you. You're not on my hit list tonight. But you are." He says turning his attention to Bonnie, as he jumps at her Buffy grabs a hold of the back of his neck and throws him against the lockers.

Klaus laughs as he tries to stand but Bonnie knocks him down sending him flying into the other corner of the room, Klaus chuckles again "Now, did I mention that I know a witch? You're gonna have to hit me a lot harder than that."

Klaus runs at them again and Bonnie send him flying backwards again causing him to crash into the glass cabinet on the wall.  
Klaus again chuckles as he tries to stand "By all means...fire away! If you kill this body, I'll just get another. Maybe Jeremy."

"Run!" Bonnie yells, Buffy turns to Elena and grabs her arm pulling her towards the door "Come on!"

As they run through the door Bonnie uses her power to slam the doors behind them shut, suddenly Damon appears "What happened?" He asks seeing their terrified expressions.  
Buffy turns to him "3 words, Klaus-Possessed-Alaric."  
Damon's eyes widened "What?"  
"He's possessing him somehow."

"Hello, Hello!" Klaus says as he enters the hall before Bonnie can do anything Buffy turns to her and Damon "I'll distract."  
"Buffy!" Bonnie and Elena yell but she just runs off and tackles Klaus sending them both crashing through a set of doors and into another room.

"Dammit!" Damon exclaims, he turns to Elena "Go find Stefan. Now." Elena nods and runs off.  
Once she's gone Damon turns to Bonnie "Can you kill him?"  
Bonnie shakes her head "He's got some kind of protection spell on him."  
"You have the power of a hundred witches break it."

"I'm trying. Buffy can only stall him for so long and if I kill Alaric, he'll just possess someone else. He knows I have my power, Damon. He's trying to kill me."

"No. Klaus does not get to win tonight." Damon says refusing to accept the idea "You still willing to do whatever it takes to kill him?"  
Bonnie nods.

* * *

"You like to be on top huh?" Klaus asks as him and Buffy finally stop rolling across the floor and she ends up on top, Buffy punches him in the face, then rolls off him. As she stands she kicks him in the centre of the chest, sending him flying across the room.  
"You're not gonna kill me." He says as he stands slowly.

Buffy shakes her head "True. But I'm sure Ric won't mind a couple broken bones and bruises if it means I kicked your ass."  
Klaus smiles at her "You know this was not how I envisioned our meeting."

Buffy comes towards him and throws a punch, he deflects it and grabs her holding her against him, Buffy headbutts him then kicks him in the face before doing a layout away from him.  
"You're spry." He says as he observes her.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "You're disgusting."

Suddenly Klaus sighs "Sorry Love. On a bit of a schedule." He says before kicking her in the chest sending her crashing through a glass door.

Buffy lands in the hallway just as Stefan and Elena come running through "Buffy!" Stefan says as he runs over to her "What happened?  
Buffy groans as she stands "Bastard has a witch who increased his strength, he knew I wouldn't use my full strength on Alaric. Dammit!"

At that moment Damon steps into the hallway "Where's Bonnie?" Elena asks him.  
"She's doing what she has to do." He tells her.  
Buffy's eyes widen "Where is she?" She hisses.  
"Buffy—"  
"Where is she, Damon?" Stefan asks cutting Damon off.  
"Stefan, let her do this." Damon says as he turns to his brother.  
"Damn it, Damon, where is she?!" Stefan yells getting into his face.

* * *

Stefan, Elena and Buffy run through the hall when they spot Bonnie, "Bonnie, no!" Both Buffy and Elena scream as Bonnie uses her powers to lock the doors blocking them out.  
Buffy and Elena pound on the door watching terrified as Bonnie fights Klaus.

As explosions go off around them suddenly Bonnie looks back at her best friends a hopeless look on her face.  
Buffy takes a shaky breath as tears roll down her face, this couldn't be happening. Suddenly Bonnie collapses causing Buffy to scream "No!"

Suddenly the room goes dark and Klaus disappears, Buffy kicks down the doors sending them flying across the room then runs over to Bonnie and crouches down next to her "Bonnie?"

Elena runs over and starts to search for a pulse, she looks up at Stefan in a panic "Stefan! Stefan! I can't find her pulse!"  
Buffy's mouth falls open and her lip begins to tremble "No." She cries "No. No." She begs as tears begin to fall.

"It's too late." Stefan tells them "I'm sorry."  
Buffy shakes her head "No!No! Bonnie!"

Both girls cry as they clutch their friend.

"Stefan get them out of here." Damon says as he enters the room "I'll deal with the body."  
Buffy glares at him "Deal with it? This is Bonnie, Damon!"

"The sheriff, can't know about this." Damon says as he walks over and lifts Bonnie up.  
Stefan pulls both girls up as they continue to cry he drags them reluctantly out of the room.

* * *

Buffy and Elena sit on the couch frozen, "Hey." Stefan says as he walks over, he hands them both drinks and tells them to drink but both girls shake their head.  
Buffy starts to feel tears build again "This is our fault." Buffy says.

Stefan walks over to his girlfriend and places a hand on her cheek "No, no, no. This was Klaus. Listen to me. Klaus did this."

Suddenly Damon enters the room and Buffy stands "Where is she?! She demands as she moves towards him, while Stefan tries to hold her back.  
"Will you please calm her down?" Damon asks his brother.

Elena stands "Answer her question, Damon, what did you do with her?"  
"Please calm down." Damon asks.

Buffy shakes her head "You knew! You knew it would kill her if she used that much power didn't you?"  
"Yes." Damon says without a moment's hesitation "Yes, I knew."

Buffy glares at him then sends a full strength punch at his face sending him flying across the room.

Buffy tries to move forward but Stefan holds her back, after a moment Damon finally stands and slowly walks over to Buffy "You need to listen to me and prepare for what I'm about to say. Bonnie had to die. Klaus using Alaric's body was a total surprise. She wasn't prepared for that. And he wasn't going to stop, and we weren't going to be able to stop him until he knew she was dead. He had to believe it."

Both girls stare shocked for a second as they slowly start to realise what had happened "She cast a spell. Bonnie's ok." Damon tells them before walking off.

* * *

After talking with Bonnie, Elena heads to bed while Buffy heads upstairs, she stands outside of Damon's room "Ugh. Look." He says as he spots her "Klaus had to think she was dead. Your reaction had to be real."  
Buffy nods "I know. Your plan it was smart, most probably would have been one we tried in Sunnydale if it came to it." Damon frowns, surprised by her response "Klaus was fooled, and Bonnie's alive." Buffy says as she goes on.

Damon smiles and raises his glass "Here's to duplicity." He says before taking a drink.

Buffy takes a step further into the room and walks over to him "Let me make one thing clear, Damon. Bonnie will not die for me, I won't let that happen. I would rather be Klaus' prisoner for the rest of my life. And Elena won't let her either."

"We need to kill Klaus, Buffy." Damon reminds her "Real Klaus. Who will probably be coming to pay you and Elena a visit soon now that he knows that Bonnie is dead. She's the only one who can do it."  
Buffy shakes her head "We'll find another way. Or I'm gonna find mine. And it will be one that neither you or Stefan like."  
"I hope so."

Buffy sighs "Look, I shouldn't have punched and sent you sprawling along the floor."

"Apology accepted." Damon says with a smile before looking at her seriously "Let me be clear about something. If it comes down to you and the witch again, I will gladly let Bonnie die, I will let Elena die if it comes to that. I will always choose you."  
Buffy watches him for a few moments before sighing "Goodnight, Damon."

"Goodnight." He says before watching her leave the room.

* * *

Buffy walks into the hall where Elena appears "Are you sure about this?" Elena whispers.  
Buffy sighs "We don't have any other options before I would have said no chance in hell, but circumstances have changed."

Elena nods and the two of them make their way down the cellar, Buffy unlocks the door and the two of them head inside.  
Elena looks over at Buffy, before nodding. Buffy nods back, before crouching down in front of Elijah and pulling out the dagger.


	55. Klaus

Buffy and Elena sit against the wall as they wait for Elijah to rise, Buffy sighs in annoyance she really wasn't the most patient person in the world "Jeez, is he gonna sleep the decade away?"  
Elena laughs softly, however, both girls gasp as Elijah suddenly moves, the two watch as his body moves into awkward positions, he was contorting in on himself violently.

Buffy quickly walks over and holds him down, she couldn't risk him making too much noise and stirring the brothers, plus she didn't want to risk Elena getting hurt, once hit from Elijah could kill her.

She forces Elijah to the ground before tossing Elena the dagger as she comes to crouch on the opposite side.  
As Elijah eyes widen, Elena tries to calm him "Elijah." She whispers "Elijah?"  
Elijah stares at her then looks over at Buffy "Katerina! Marianna!"

* * *

England, 1492

"This party is dull, even for my taste." Marianna says as she and Elijah watch the festivities.  
"Don't fret Mari. Once Niklaus has decided that his ego had been filled for the night, we will all be free of this torture."

Marianna smiles before looping her arm through his, allowing him to lead her through the ballroom.

As they walk around Marianna notices someone approaching them "Trevor." She says with a smile before stepping away from Elijah and kissing Trevor on the cheek "How is Rose-Marie?"  
Trevor smiles at her "She is well, although she hopes to see you again soon."  
"Tell her I'll try to make an appearance before we leave England."

Trevor smiles at her before turning to Elijah "Good, afternoon Trevor." Elijah says politely "I am pleased you could join us."  
"I could not miss the birthday celebration."  
"No, considering the gift you claim to bear."

Marianna turns to Trevor "Is it true, did you really find her?"  
Trevor smiles "Indeed."  
Elijah nods "Well, then where is this mystery girl of which you speak?"

Trevor turns "Right this way." He says before leading them towards a brunette woman.  
"My dear." Trevor says as he approaches, the woman turns to face Elijah and smiles "Hello."

* * *

Present Day, Mystic Falls

"Elijah!" Elena tries again "It's us, Buffy and Elena." Elijah gasps again and continues to see Katerina and Marianna.  
"Shh." Elena tries.

* * *

England, 1492

"Elijah! You're staring, it's impolite." Marianna hisses as she nudges Elijah's side.  
Elijah shakes himself and turns back to the woman "Forgive me. You remind me of someone."  
"Katerina." Trevor says "May I introduce the Lord Elijah and the Lady Marianna."

Katerina's eyes widen and she quickly bows "Pleasure my Lord, my Lady."  
Elijah simply takes her hand and kisses it "The pleasure's mine, Katerina."

* * *

Present Day, Mystic Falls

As the two girls stand over him Elijah's body suddenly curls over causing both girls to back away and stare as Elijah painfully pulls himself up "I can't—can't breathe." He pants before collapsing on the ground again crying out in agony as he does "What's happening to me?" He stammers.

Suddenly he runs for the door and smashes into the wall "I can't...I can't be in this house." He tells Buffy as she helps him, her eyes widen, this wasn't a vampire owned home anymore, she owned the house, he had never been invited inside "You haven't been in."

"You need to get me out of here." He tells her.  
Buffy nods and pushes him out of the door giving him the chance to run.

Both girls run upstairs and head to the front door, where Elijah was currently crouched on the ground just outside the barrier, as they come towards them he looks up for a moment before trying to run at them however the barrier prevents him from entering the house.

As Elena gasps, Buffy moves in front of her and stands in front of the heavy breathing Elijah "What happened?" He asks her.  
"Shh!" She hisses before pointing at the ceiling, Stefan and Damon were too close, they couldn't do this right now "We'll tell you. Not here."  
Elena looks over Buffy's shoulder "Can we trust you?" She whispers.  
"Can I trust you?" He asks back.

Buffy and Elena nod and Buffy against her better judgement clenches her jaw before showing him a sign of good faith, they need his help and he wouldn't give it if he didn't trust them. So carefully she steps outside of the barrier and holds out the dagger towards Elijah.

* * *

After sneaking out of the house to make sure Damon and Stefan wouldn't stop them, Elena, Buffy and Elijah just drove for at least over an hour till they were far enough away that the brothers wouldn't find them.

As Elijah drains the last of the blood bag Elena pulls over the car and turns to Elijah "You look better."  
Elijah turns to Buffy who was currently sitting in the back seat "Where did you get the dagger?"

Buffy shakes her head "Look it's pretty clear that I'm not your biggest fan, but Elena's right that we need you. So we gotta work together, if you want to know everything then I'm gonna need your word."  
"The ability to make demands is long past."  
Elena cuts in "No demands. I'm—we're offering you our help. And in return, we want yours."  
"Why should I even consider this?"

Buffy interjects "One simple reason, you need our help to kill Klaus. And we need you, 'cause honestly, I don't want my cousin dead and I don't want to end up as Frankenstein's bride."  
Elijah watches the blonde for a second, almost examining her for signs of a lie but as her phone begins to ring she sighs quickly before answering.

 _"Where are you?"_ Stefan asks without hesitation _"Are you okay?"  
_ "Yep. Fine as a new pair of shoes."  
 _"Where's Elijah?"  
_ Buffy glances at Elijah "In my seat. You know I really don't think just because I'm the shortest that I should get stuck in the back seat."  
 _"Buffy..."_ Stefan sighs _"Where are you? I'm on my way."  
_ "Nope." She tells him "Sorry no can do. Me and Lena need to have a little chat with the man in questions, which AKA translates to alone."  
 _"Listen to me."_ Stefan begs her, she could hear his worry for her in his voice _"He can't be trusted. He'll use you and Elena to get to Klaus."  
_ Buffy pauses and looks over at Elijah "Elijah lives by some old fashioned code thing. If Elena trusts him then so do I."

Elena takes the phone off Buffy "He knows we would be incredibly stupid to betray him again. By removing the dagger, we've proven ourselves."  
Elena then hands Buffy back the phone "Stefan, she's right." Buffy tells him, but Stefan continues to argue _"You can't do this alone."_ He tells her.

Buffy sighs "I know what I'm doing, so trust me. And make sure Damon doesn't do anything stupid. Or more stupid than normal. I'll talk to you soon."  
Before he can reply Buffy hangs up the phone, as she does Elijah hold out his hand towards her, Buffy hesitates for a moment before placing her phone in his hand.

* * *

"He's here." Elena tells Elijah.  
The Original's eyes widen, he had not expected Klaus to make his first appearance so soon "Klaus is here?"  
Buffy nods "Yep and all big with the possession-y of Alaric's body."  
Elijah shakes his head "Of course he has. One of his favourite tricks."

Buffy groans, this guy was seriously getting more creepy by the day "That's some creepy trick. So any other tricks we should worry about? He can't like make dismembered body parts move right?"  
Elijah chuckles slightly at the idea "No, he can't do that."  
"What is he going to do next?" Elena asks him "You're the only one that knows him."  
"Yes, I do."

The three of them approach the Mayor's house and ring the bell.  
"Elijah!" Carol says stunned, as she opens the door before her eyes fall on the Summers girls, she quickly frowns in confusion "Elena, Buffy what are you doing here? What happened?"  
Elijah smiles at her "I've had a bit of an incident, Carol." He tells her calmly before gesturing to his ripped and burnt clothing "I'm hoping you could help."  
"Well, I'm on my way to a meeting, so I—"

As she speaks Elijah steps forward and looks in her eyes "I won't take but a minute of your time." He tells her compelling her.  
Suddenly she smiles "Of course. Anything you need."  
"Thank you." Elijah tells her before stepping inside "Well, first things first. I'm going to need a change of clothing."  
"Well, we can try one of my husband's suits." Carol suggests "I haven't boxed them up yet."  
"Wonderful." He says, she offers him a small smile before heading upstairs.

Once she is out of sight Elena and Buffy turn to Elijah "I'm guessing you have something to do with the fact that she can be compelled." Buffy says.  
Elijah nods "I got her off vervain right before you two and your friends killed me." He pauses "Twice... If you'll excuse me, I'll be down in a moment."

* * *

"So I assume that the Martin witches are no longer with us." Elijah asks as the three of them sit in the living room.  
Elena nods sadly "No. I'm sorry."

"And Katerina?" He asks "She would have been released from my compulsion when I died."

Buffy nods, she really wasn't too pleased by the fact that Katherine was still breathing but hopefully Klaus was torturing her, that would make her like him a hell of a lot more "Klaus took her, with a little help from Mary."  
"Marianna?" Elijah asks stunned, a wave of emotions quickly crosses over his expression but just as quickly as it had appeared his disappeared.  
"Apparently he has something she wants."  
"We think Katherine may be dead." Elena tells him.

Elijah smiles "I doubt that. Not Klaus' style. Death would be too easy for her after what she did. And when it comes to Marianna, he most probably has her exactly where he wants her."  
"Here's what I'm not getting..." Buffy says drawing his attention to herself "You say that you want Klaus 6 feet under, but you still locked Katherine up for betraying him and you hate Mary's guts for what she did."

"I have my own reasons for wanting Katerina to pay, as well as Marianna. There was a time where both myself and Marianna would have done anything for Klaus, her time of wanting to help Klaus just ended long before mine."

* * *

"Klaus is my brother." Elijah tells them.  
"Mary said something, made you all sound like family." Buffy says as she observes Elijah. "Guess I'm stuck in the 'wow' stage."

Elijah nods "Yes, I'm a little behind on the times, but I believe the term you're searching for is O.M.G."  
"There is a whole family of Originals?" Elena asks Elijah stunned.

Elijah nods before standing and walking over to the mirror "My father was a wealthy landowner in a village in Eastern Europe. Our mother bore seven children. Marianna was, you could say adopted by our father years later."  
"So you had human parents?" Buffy asks stunned.

Elijah turns to her "Our whole family was, our origin as vampires is a very long story, Buffy. Just know...we're the oldest vampires in the world, well other than a few half-breeds. We are the original family, from us all those of our kind were born."

Elena interjects "Right, but Klaus is your brother. And you want him dead?"  
Elijah doesn't answer the question "I need some air. I'm still feeling a tad...dead." He says before heading towards the door "Come."

* * *

"So as you have seen, nothing can kill an Original."  
Buffy rolls her eyes at Elijah's comment but continues to listen as they walk through the gardens "Not sun, not fire, not even a werewolf bite. Only the wood from one tree, a tree my family made sure burned."

"Ahh." Buffy says as she gets the point "That's the ashy stuff, right?"  
"Yes." Elijah confirms "The witches won't allow anything truly immortal to walk the earth. Every creature needs to have a weakness in order to maintain balance. Marianna although unable to age is not truly immortal, that necklace of hers although helps her create the illusion of immortality if it were destroyed she would not be able to return to the land of the living."

Buffy thinks for a moment "Destroy the necklace and the wicked witch of the west dies. Thanks for the tip."  
Elena turns to Elijah "So the sun can't kill an Original. Why is Klaus so obsessed with breaking the Sun and the Moon Curse?"

"Right." Elijah says as a smiles forms on his face "The Curse of the Sun and the Moon. It's all so...biblical-sounding, don't you think?"  
Buffy frowns at the expression on the vampire's face "What's with the funny face?"

* * *

England, 1492

Elijah walks over to Klaus and hands him to scroll "Look, the Roman Parchment."  
"I remember etching this scroll." Klaus tells him "Well, I was quite blistered from drink." He says before laughing loudly, what people would believe was quite remarkable.  
"Your finest work remains your Aztec drawings." Elijah tells him.

"I agree." Marianna says as she turns to the two brothers "So much better than those African carvings, not your finest work. But then who can resist a shaman."  
"We all know you've never been able to." Klaus comments.

Marianna glares at him before tossing an apple at his head "You're a bloody arse." Marianna stands and stares at the drawing of the Fallen Slayer "Your drawings were much better." She tells him before hitting him in the back of the head with her hand.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present Day

"I don't understand." Elena says "So Klaus drew the Aztec sketched about the curse?"  
Elijah nods "Roman scrolls, African tribal etchings, and any other culture or continent we felt like planting in it."  
Buffy frowns, this wasn't making sense to her yet, there had to be more to this tale "Why do I feel like there's more to this story."

Elijah smiles, the blonde was very smart no matter how much she may deny it "Because there is. With Marianna unable to use a spell to find the doppelgänger, the easiest way to discover the existence of a doppelgänger and the Fallen Slayer or to get your hands on some long, lost moonstone is to have every single member of two warring species on the lookout for it."

Buffy's eyes widen, it was smart that much she couldn't argue with "You tricked them. It's not Aztec at all."  
Elijah nods "The Curse of the Sun and the Moon...is fake. It's not real." He says before crossing the small bridge.  
Both cousins stare after him for a moment "Huh?" Buffy says before both girls follow him.

* * *

"Klaus, Marianna and I faked the Sun and Moon Curse dating back over a thousand years. However, neither I nor Klaus knew that after what happened to Marianna she was merely waiting for the perfect opportunity to take everything away from him."  
Elena frowns him confusion "But if there's no curse..."  
"There's a curse." Elijah assures them both "Just not that one. The real one's much worse. It's a curse placed on Klaus."  
"Again I say huh?" Buffy tells him, still completely confused.

"Klaus has been trying to break it for the last thousand years. You and Elena were his only hope." He tells the Slayer as he turns to face both women.  
"Wanna explain bout this curse thing then?" Buffy asks him.

At that moment Elijah sighs "Your phone will not stop its incessant buzzing." He tells Buffy "Answer it, please." He asks of her before handing her phone over.  
Buffy sighs and answers "Stefan, nows—"  
Buffy freezes as she listens to Stefan "No. No, no, no. I'll be there in a sec."  
She quickly hangs up the phone and turns to Elijah "Klaus decided to have a crack at Jenna."

"What?!" Elena exclaims worried.  
"She okay." Buffy assures her before turning to Elijah "We have to go to her."  
"I'm afraid that wasn't part of today's arrangement."  
"She's our family, Elijah. We have to." Buffy argues.

Elena at this point speaks up, as much as she wanted to go one of them needed to stay and Buffy had the best chance at taking on Klaus if he showed up again "Only one of us has to. Buffy can go. I'll stay, that way you know she'll come back either way."  
Buffy turns to her cousin stunned, she wouldn't leave her here alone "Elena."  
"Buffy." Elena says giving her a pointed look,

Buffy sighs and turns to Elijah "I'll be back. You may not believe that but know that I'll come back because of my cousin."  
Elijah watches her intently for a moment before nodding "Thank you." Buffy tells him, she looks over at Elena once more who merely nods, Buffy sighs before taking off running.

* * *

"Jenna, thank God." Buffy breaths as she enters the living room at the boarding house, she tries to step towards her but Jenna backs away "No."  
Buffy looks down at her sadly, she couldn't believe this was happening again, someone else she cared about had found out about the Supernatural after being threatened "I'm so sorry. I didn't want this to happen."

"When I was little my sister, used to tell me and your mom bedtime stories. Stories about vampires. I never thought what she said could be true."  
"It's true." Buffy tells her before taking a seat "I wanted to tell you I did, but after the way my mom reacted when she found out, I didn't want to take that risk."  
"She knew?" Jenna asks stunned.

Buffy nods "She saw me kill a vampire, it's how she found out about me, although she accused me of being insane at first."  
Jenna frowns "What do you mean found out about you?"  
Buffy takes a deep breath "I'm a Vampire Slayer. Look, I know this is a lot to take but I—"  
"You else knows?" Jenna asks "Elena? Jeremy?" Buffy nods "John?"

Buffy nods sadly, holding back tears "We wanted to protect you."  
"Protect me? No, Buffy...I am the one who's supposed to be protecting you and Elena and Jeremy."  
Buffy shakes her head "There was nothing—I have been around this type of thing since I was 15 years old, it doesn't go away –"

"No, this is—" Jenna starts as she covers her face with her palms for a moment, before looking back up at Buffy "This is so—I don't know how—why didn't you tell me?"  
Buffy looks down sadly "I was scared you would react the same way she did."  
Jenna looks at her sadly "I'm scared."

Buffy sighs "I know." She tells her before sitting next to her and holding her tightly "Jenna, I'm so sorry."

* * *

"Is she gonna be ok?" Stefan asks Buffy as she carefully closes the door to the room where Jenna was currently sitting.  
Buffy sighs, she hated this, hated that this kept happening to people she cared about "Kinda like me when I first found out. So shock is a big factor here. Let's just say we've barely made it past the icing in this complicated explain-y cake."  
Stefan sighs sadly and takes her hand running his thumb over her wrist trying to sooth her "I'm so sorry, Buffy. I hate this."

Buffy nods "It's not your fault, the fault is all mine and Elena's."  
Buffy takes a deep breath before slowly stepping away from "Look, I gotta get back. To Elijah, Elena still with him so..."  
"You told me she was safe."  
"She is." Buffy says simply "I gotta go." She starts to walk past him but he grabs a hold of her "Wait, what? No, no!" He shakes his head, he had just got her back, he couldn't lose her again.

Buffy turns to him "Stefan, Elena is still with him. And I made a deal. I can't break the deal."  
Stefan looks at her worried before slowly nodding, as he does Buffy backs away "I'll be ok." She assures him before heading for the door.

As she heads for the door Damon appears "Where do you think you're going?"  
"Where do you think?" She asks sarcastically "Back to the suit wearing original."

"No." Damon tells her as he suddenly appears right in front of her, "You can't stop me." She says "So get out of my way, Da—"  
She tries to move past him but he grabs her arms "If you so much as try and take a step out of this house..."

"Damon, easy." Andie says as she tries to calm him.  
"Stay out of this, Andie." He orders her.

"Let her go." Stefan says as he steps towards his brother  
Damon stares at his brother in astonishment "Are you kidding me? We just got her back."  
"Let me go before I get testy." Buffy warns him.

When Damon still doesn't budge Stefan grabs his brothers arm "You heard me and her. I said let her go."  
Damon glares at his brother "That's twice today you've stood in my way. I wouldn't try a third."

* * *

Buffy enters the Mayor's house where Elena and Elijah were currently sitting in the living room.  
"Welcome back." Elijah says as she approaches the two.  
Buffy nods and sits next to her cousin "I want the truth. All of it. So spill. What is the curse?"

Elijah nods "My family was quite close, but Klaus and my father did not get on too well, that's part of the reason he was never fond of Marianna, our father adored her more than his own children. When Marianna helped us become vampires, we discovered the truth. Klaus was not my father's son. My mother had been unfaithful many years before. This was her darkest secret. Klaus is from a different bloodline, of course when my father discovered this he hunted down and killed my mother's lover and his entire family. Not realising of course that he was inciting a war that rages until this day."

"A war between the species?" Elena asks.  
"The vampires...and the werewolves."  
Buffy stares at Elijah "So Klaus's pops was all wolfie? So what is he?"  
"He's both a vampire and a werewolf."

"A hybrid would be deadlier than any werewolf or vampire. Nature would not stand for such an imbalance of power." Elijah tells him as he paces the room "Therefore the witches, the servants of nature, saw to it that my brother's werewolf side would become dormant."  
Buffy's eyes widen "He wants to be whole again and all that jazz, that's the curse."

Elijah nods "He wants to trigger that part of him that's a werewolf. If allowed, Klaus would sire his own bloodline. He'd build his own race. Endangering not just vampires, but everyone."  
"But you helped him." Elena says confused.  
"I helped him because I loved him. That's changed now, he must die."  
"We have the dagger now we can stop him." Elena tells him.

Buffy thinks for a moment "The dagger won't work will it?" She asks Elijah "Because of his werewolf side."  
Elijah nods in agreement "Quite right, when a werewolf is wounded by silver, it heals. An original can't be killed by anything but white oak ask on a silver dagger. So you see the conundrum. The dagger won't work."  
"So Klaus is unkillable then?" Buffy asks.

"There's one way to kill any supernatural; species—at the hands of the servants of nature themselves."  
"A witch. If they can channel that much power." Elena says in realisation, she sighs "But it would kill them."  
"The curse most be broken during the full moon when Klaus is in transition. That's when he'll be at his most vulnerable. A witch with enough power...can kill Klaus."  
Buffy looks up at Elijah "What if I said we had a witch that just may be able to do it."  
"Then I would tell you there's one more thing that you should know."

* * *

England, 1492

"The full moon is tomorrow, Brother." Klaus says as Elijah enters the room "After all these centuries it is finally time."  
"What about the Slayer? We haven't procured her yet?" Elijah asks confused.  
Klaus turns to his brother "Marianna took the moonstone, assured me that she could do a spell to see the Slayer, we will have her soon."

Elijah nods and places a small box on the table "I have been to see the witches. They believe they may have found a way to spare the doppelgänger."  
"What does it matter if she lives or not? She is a means to an end nothing else."  
"What, she should die for your gain?"

* * *

Klaus chuckles "She is human. Her life means nothing."

"I beg you to consider this." Elijah asks of his brother as he steps towards hi.  
Klaus raises an eyebrow "Are you so foolish as to care for her?"  
"Of course not."  
Klaus places a hand on his brother's shoulder "Love is a vampire's greatest weakness and we are not weak, Elijah. We do not feel and we do not care."  
"We did once."  
"Too many lifetimes ago to matter. Tell the witches not to bother. The sacrifice will happen as planned. And find Marianna, tell her to hurry along."

* * *

Mystic Falls, Present Day

Elena stares stunned "You found a way to save the life of the doppelgänger?"  
"Yes, Elena. I did." Elijah tells her "But unfortunately Marianna had set her plan in motion, she gave Katerina the moonstone and told her to run. I believe you already know how that played out."  
"You cared about her, didn't you?"  
"It's a common mistake I'm told. It's one I won't make again."

Elijah steps towards the door but Buffy grabs his hand "What will he do to me? We know that he'll sacrifice Elena and he'll drink my blood but why?"  
Elijah sighs "After he sacrifices the doppelgänger, he will drink from you and he will make you drink from him. It's for the two of you to become bound, it said in the prophecy that once it was time the bond will not only make you both stronger but it will also draw you to each other."

* * *

"Tired of your little play thing already?" Stefan asks Damon as he sees the upset Andie quickly exit Damon's room.  
Damon doesn't look at him as he answers "Don't start with me, Stefan. She's just my distraction."

Stefan scoffs "She's a person. You're victimising her." Stefan says before heading for the door, however, what Damon says next makes him freeze "You should be thankful she's here. She keeps me from going for what I really want."

Stefan turns back to face Damon and glares at him "You're right. Thank you. For being in love with my girlfriend."  
Damon stands from his seat and turns to his brother, they had never actually stated it out loud, but there it was "And there it is."  
Stefan smirks slightly "There it is. You know, you can be in love with Buffy all you want...if it means you'll help her protect herself and her family. But I have the one thing you never will?"

Damon raises an eyebrow "Oh, yeah?" He smirks "What's that?"  
"Her respect."

As soon as the words leave his mouth Damon sucker punches Stefan in the face, sending him flying across the room and crashing into the bookshelf.  
Stefan stands and both brother glare at each other as they face off, after a moment Stefan runs at Damon and the two try to take the other down.

"Stop!" Buffy yells as she, Elijah and Elena enter the room, suddenly both brother separate, Buffy just stares at the two of them is disbelief and rolls her eyes "First Angel, now this." She shakes her head before turning to Elena "Jenna's down the hall."

Elena nods and quickly heads down the hall, once she is out of sight Buffy turns back to the brothers "Seriously?" She asks as she places her hands on her hips.  
Neither men answer as their eyes are glued to Elijah "Now you've invited him in?" Damon asks in disbelief.  
Buffy sighs "Me, Elijah and Lena had a little chat, we've come to an agreement."  
"Really?" Damon scoffs.

"The two of you will come to no harm at my hands." Elijah tells them, he steps around Buffy to face the brothers "I only ask for one thing in return."  
"What?"  
"An apology?"  
Damon stares at him in complete confusion "A what?"

Stefan is the first of the brothers to move towards the original "I'm sorry the part that I played in your death. I was protecting Buffy and Elena. I will always protect Buffy and  
her family."  
Elijah nods in acceptance "I understand."

The three turn to Damon who is still standing in the same spot refusing to move, Buffy speaks up "The sacrifice is gonna happen, Damon. Bonnie can do her part without dying and Elijah can save Elena's life and I can deal with getting bitten by a vamp, wouldn't be the first time. Look, said I would find another way, didn't I."  
Damon turns to Elijah "Is that true?"  
"It is." Elijah confirms.  
"And you're trusting him?" Damon asks the blonde.  
Buffy exhales "Yes."  
"You can all go to hell." Damon tells them before leaving the room.  
"He's angry with me right now." Stefan tells Elijah as they watch Damon leave the room "But he'll come around."  
"Perhaps."

* * *

Katherine and Mary watch from the corner of the room as Greta and Klaus' other witch kneel in a circle of candles while Klaus who is still in Alaric's body stands next to the large box.  
As the two witches chant, Katherine turns to Mary "What are they doing?"

Mary is about to answer but she is stopped when she hears Klaus gasp after a second Alaric looks at the two of them "Buffy? Elena?" He asks confused before collapsing to the ground.  
The male witch stands and walks over to the box pulling it open, as he does out steps Klaus in his own body, he smiles "Now that's more like it."


	56. A Day of Goodbyes

"Marianna, my dear." Klaus says as he approaches Mary, the witch stands and glares at the Original, she couldn't stop the searing hatred she had for him from crossing her features "What?" She hisses.  
"Now, pet, I wouldn't be so hostile towards me if I were you."

Mary simply rolls her eyes at the vampire, Klaus glares at her angrily and pushes her against the wall pinning her by wrapping a hand around her throat "Do not disrespect me. I could have ripped out your heart the moment I found you in St Louis."  
"You could have tried." She growls back before raising her hand sending him skidding backwards "We both know that you don't have the power to kill me."  
Klaus grins "Yet. But I do have this." He says raising a small pendant.

Mary's eyes widen "How did you—"  
"You really should be careful where you store the only thing that can resurrect you."  
Mary glares at him "Fick dich" She hisses in German.

Klaus merely smiles "Now Marianna, enough. We both know that you can't get what you want let alone your little necklace without me, so I suggest you behave, luv."  
Klaus slowly circles her playing with her hair as he does "Now, I have a job for you."  
"I've already done—"  
"You are not done until I say so." He hisses into her hair as he steps into her personal space before circling around again to face her "Now I need you to do something for me."

Mary glares at him, her eyes full of rage and pure hatred, however, she swallows her pride and looks him in the eye "What do you want?"  
Klaus smiles "That's better. Now I need you to make a little trip, you are going to help me set things right."  
Mary looks up at him confused "Where am I going?"

"Sunnydale."

* * *

"We should assume that Klaus is prepared to break the curse." Elijah tells Buffy, Elena and Stefan as they all speak in the Salvatore living room.  
Stefan turns to Elijah "Buffy, said that the Sun and the Moon curse is fake? That it's actually just a curse placed on Klaus."  
"Bingo." Buffy says confirming what Stefan had said.  
Elijah nods "Klaus is a vampire born of werewolf bloodline. The curse has kept his werewolf aspect from manifesting but if he breaks it...he'll be a true hybrid."

Buffy sighs "AKA, that much harder to kill."  
"Then why are we letting him break the curse?" Damon asks as he enters the room, still unhappy with the predicament "We can kill him today. With Bonnie."  
"Damon..." Stefan tries but Buffy interjects, "A world of no. That's not happening."

Elena nods in agreement with her younger cousin, there was no way either of them was willing to let Bonnie die for them "Bonnie can't use that much power without dying."  
Damon shrugs "I'll write her a great Eulogy."  
Buffy glares at him "It's not an option, so stop joking about it or I'm gonna hit you in your pretty face, Damon."  
Damon mocks embarrassment "You think I'm pretty?"

When Buffy growls slightly and moves to stand Stefan stops her placing a calming hand on her shoulder.  
He sighs slightly before making sure he was in between Buffy and Damon, trying to make sure no one comes to blows, and gets them all back to the point "All right, how do we break this curse?" Stefan asks Elijah.

"Well, the ritual itself is relatively straightforward." Elijah informs him, "The ingredients, so to speak, you already know." Elijah stands and walks around the room as he continues to elaborate "The Moonstone. A Witch will channel the power of the full moon to realise the spell that's bound within the stone."  
"Mary?" Buffy asks.  
Elijah turns to her before shaking his head "Doubtful, Klaus does not trust Marianna, he will make sure she is far away during the spell."  
Buffy nods "What else?"  
"After that, Klaus, being both werewolf and vampire, will sacrifice one of each."

"Where do we fit into it?" Elena asks.

Elijah stops and leans against one of the chairs as he speaks "The final part of the ritual. Klaus must drink the blood of the doppelgänger...to the point of your death." He tells Elena who gulps slightly, she wouldn't admit it, but she was terrified of dying "He will then go to the Slayer..." He continues as he turns to Buffy "...he will drink from you, not enough to kill you, but enough to make you weak, he will then feed you his own blood..."

"That gross." Buffy says as she moans in disgust.  
"It will bind you both and it will also double his strength temporarily after the transformation is complete."  
"What do you mean bind?" Damon asks, clearly unhappy.

Elijah sighs "The prophecy cannot be completed until things have been set right, but after Klaus has done that it means that once the time comes both of them will have their power doubled, but they will also be bound, drawn to each other so to speak."  
Buffy groans "Don't remind me, it's bad enough that another vamp is going to be chowing down on me, can we get back to Elena please."

Elijah nods and opens a small box "This is an elixir that I acquired some 500 years ago for Katerina." He tells them as he pulls out a small vase "It possesses mystical properties of resuscitation."  
"So I'll be dead?" Elena asks, confused and worried.  
"And then you won't."

"That's your plan, let Buffy become bound to some freak and hope some magical witch potion with no expiration date will help Elena?" He turns to Buffy "What about John's ring?"  
"Those rings only work on humans. The doppelgänger's a supernatural occurrence. Odds are, the ring won't work." Elijah informs them.  
Damon sighs and looks over at Buffy who is staring intently at the elixir, he could see the underlying worry in her eyes that it may not work.

"I'll take those odds over your elixir." Damon argues "What if it doesn't work, Elena?"  
Elena looks up at Damon "Then I guess I'll just be dead."  
"Elena..." Buffy sighs, before turning to Elijah "Tell me I'm not going to lose another member of my family."  
Elijah turns to the blood "I believe it will work."

Damon stares at them all in disbelief before storming out of the room  
As Damon leaves Elena turns to Elijah "Do we know if Klaus has everything he needs to do this? Does he have a werewolf?"

Elijah turns to the brunette "Klaus has been waiting to break this curse for over a thousand years. If he doesn't already have a werewolf, my guess is by tonight, he will."

* * *

Buffy is upstairs hitting the punching bag in the guest room violently as she vents out her anger, at that moment she hears someone scream her name "Buffy!"  
Buffy immediately speeds out of the room and jumps down from the upper-level landing on the ground level where Jenna currently had a crossbow aimed at Alaric.

Buffy tilts her head "Go, Aunt Jenna." She mutters before walking over, "What's going on?"  
Alaric turns to her, just as everyone else begins to appear "It's me, Buffy, I swear, ok? He let me go. Klaus let me go."  
"Prove it." Damon tells him.

Alaric thinks for a moment before turning back to Jenna "Ok, uh, first night you and I spent together, Jeremy walked in right when I was about to—"  
"It's him." Jenna says quickly cutting him off before he could finish, she rolls her eyes before lowering the crossbow.  
"Why did he let you go?" Stefan asks.

"He wanted me to deliver a message." He says before glancing nervously over at Buffy and Elena "The sacrifice happens tonight."

* * *

"So you don't remember anything that happened?" Stefan asks Alaric once they are all in the living room.  
"No." Alaric tells him "It's like I blacked out and woke up 3 days later. Katherine and Mary were there."

"Katherine's under compulsion." Stefan tells him "Damon snuck her some vervain, but she can't leave until Klaus tells her she can. And Mary has some deal with Klaus, we just don't know what."  
"Where is Damon?" Buffy asks as she notices the absence of the elder vampire.  
Jenna turns to her "I saw him go upstairs."  
Buffy nods before standing and heading upstairs.

* * *

"You vanished, like Casper." Buffy says as she enters Damon's room.  
Damon, who was facing the wall doesn't turn as he speaks "I don't want to hear any more."

Buffy sighs and steps forwards, she didn't know what she was supposed to say right now, she barely knew what she was thinking at the moment "Look I have my reason's for doing this"  
Damon turns to her and walks over to her "What's it matter, doesn't matter what I think anyway."

Buffy sighs "Look I need to have hope right now. I need to believe that this elixir is going to bring Elena back and that Bonnie will kill Klaus... or I'm gonna break." She says her voice wavering as she does.

Damon looks at her sadly "What if Bonnie can't kill him? Klaus will kill Elena and he will take you away forever." He says. The heartbroken expression on his face at even the thought of that happening was so clear.  
Buffy looks up at him sadly "It will work."  
"You want to believe that, why am I the only one who is convinced that it won't. There has to be another way."  
"You think I don't want that. I don't care about what happens to me, and trust me I would do anything to make sure Elena doesn't die, but there is no other way."

Damon steps closer to her "Elena is going to die and even if we kill Klaus you won't be the same, it will destroy you losing someone else. And if we don't kill him, he will take you away, forever."  
"That's not going to happen." Buffy tells him as he continues to step closer.  
"That is not a risk I'm willing to take." He says as he steps even closer to her

Buffy takes a deep breath and looks up at him and takes his hand bringing it close to her chest as she clutches it, hoping that he would just listen to her "I am. It's the only option I have, to make sure I don't lose anyone else. This is my choice, I don't care what happens to me, as long as Elena lives, this is the only hope I have."  
Damon tilts his head "I can't lose you."

Buffy sighs "You won't. Elena will live and Klaus won't take me, both ways that could make that happen are not going to happen."

"Buffy. Could you come downstairs?" Elena asks as she comes to stand by the door, Buffy glances at Elena and nods, she then turns back to Damon and gives him a small smile before turning her back and walking over to her cousin.

Damon watches her for a moment when an idea pops into his head, he quickly speeds over and stops in front of Buffy "There is another way, to make sure that you won't have to lose anyone else."  
Buffy stares at him confused "What are you..." Buffy freezes when she notices the blood rushing to Damon's eyes, he then quickly speeds over to the door and grabs Elena and bites into his wrist "Damon, No!" Buffy screams as does Elena, but before Buffy can do anything Damon forces his wrist to Elena's mouth.

Elena groans as she tries to escape, Buffy runs over and grabs Damon ripping him off Elena and tosses him into the corner of them room, Buffy quickly runs to Elena who had fallen to the ground  
"What did you do?!" Stefan yells at his brother as he enters the room "huh? What did you do?!"

"I saved her life." Damon tells him simply before looking down at Elena "You're so bent on dying at least this way Buffy will know you'll come back."  
Buffy looks up and glares at him "You son of a bitch, I'll kill you."  
"It's the best option, Buffy!" Damon exclaims "She'll come back."  
"As a vampire!" Stefan yells "She'll come back a vampire."  
"It's better than nothing else." Damon says as he turns to his brother "Or would you rather have a girlfriend with no family."

Buffy continues to glare at him as Stefan goes on "How could you, of all people, take that choice away from her?"

Elena gasps loudly in pain and Buffy clutches her tightly "Shh." She says trying to sooth her cousin, both girls look up and glare at him "Go ahead." He tells them "Wish me an eternity of misery. Believe me, you'll get over it."

Suddenly Stefan growls and runs at his brother and pushes him causing him to fall over the wooden chest "Stefan!" Buffy yells, but the two brothers are too focused on each other, Damon appears again holding a large wooden bed leg "Admit it." He says as he holds Stefan up against the wall "You just wished you had the balls to do it yourself, but you know Buffy would hate you."

Stefan growls and punches his brother repeatedly, sending him to the ground but before Stefan can do anything else Damon runs him through the stomach with the large piece of wood.  
"Stefan!" Buffy yells, she quickly leaves Elena and runs over to Damon and kicks him in the face sending him flying across the room, "Get out of here before I kill you myself!" Buffy hisses at Damon before crouching by Stefan.

"What the hell's going on?" Alaric asks as he and Jenna enter the room.  
"Just get him out of here?" Elena tells them.

Damon shoves Ric off as he approaches and storms out of the room, Alaric turns to Jenna "Ok, Jenna, downstairs in the basement are some blood bags. Go get them now. Go!"  
Buffy pulls the wood from Stefan's stomach and he collapses, she quickly places his head on her lap "Hey, it's going to be okay."  
Stefan looks over at Elena "I'm so sorry." He says before looking up at Buffy "I'm sorry."

* * *

Stefan tosses the blood bag onto the floor then turns to look at Alaric and Jenna "Thank you. Both of you."  
Alaric nods "Yeah, well, we'll be downstairs and we'll keep an eye on Elena." The two then walk out the room leaving Buffy and Stefan alone.

Stefan turns to Buffy whose eyes were filled with water "She never wanted this."  
Stefan takes her cheek in his palm "I know, I'm so sorry." He pauses "I want you to go somewhere with me."

Buffy shakes her head "I can't." She couldn't leave Elena right now, this was her fault, she just couldn't leave her.  
"No, no, it's not far, ok? It's just for the day. I promise."

* * *

"Gentlemen?" Klaus says as he approaches Damon and Alaric at the bar "Why so glum?"  
Damon turns to him and groans "Ugh. Klaus, I presume."  
The vampire hybrid smiles "In the flesh. Thanks for the loaner, mate." He says as he glances at Alaric.  
Damon stands and steps closer to Klaus "Any reason you stopped by to say hi?"

"I'm told you and your brother fancy my Slayer. Think it's best you get over that, she won't be here long."  
"You're not taking her anywhere." Damon warns but Klaus glares at him.

"I suggest you say your goodbyes to her, and to the doppelgänger. Oh and just thought I should remind you-do not do anything that you'll regret."  
Damon smiles "Ha. Thanks for the advice. I don't suppose I could talk you into a postponement, by any chance, huh?"  
Klaus chuckles "You are kidding. He is kidding, right?" He asks as glances over at Alaric, who merely shakes his head "No, not really."

"I mean, come on, what's one month in the whole grand schemes of things?"

Klaus turns to face Damon fully, the smile on his face completely gone "Let me be clear—I have my vampire. I have my werewolf. I have everything I need. The ritual will happen tonight. So if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't screw it up."  
Klaus gives him one more pointed look before exiting the bar, as he leaves Damon sighs and moves to sit back in his seat "That was fun."

Alaric raises an eyebrow "You're gonna screw it up, aren't you?"  
"You think if I took his werewolf out of the equation, she might...get over the fact that I tried to turn her cousin into a vampire?"  
"I think it won't matter because you'll be dead. Either by Klaus or by Buffy, honestly, I don't know how long Slayers can keep a grudge."

"But without the werewolf, he can't perform the ritual tonight, which means I've brought her one month before the next full moon, and one month for her to get over her all, kill Damon frenzy."  
"But you'll still be dead."  
"You gonna help me or what?"  
Alaric tilts his head "What do you want me to do?"

* * *

"Where are we going?" Buffy asks as she and Stefan make their way through the woods, "It's a surprise." He tells her "Just a little bit longer."  
"I may be a Slayer but my legs get tired you know."  
Stefan chuckles and grabs her hand pulling her with him "We both know that you have spent a lot longer out in the woods, you just don't want to walk."  
Buffy shrugs "True."

"So you ready to talk about how you feel about this, I get what happened brought up subjects we haven't discussed."  
Buffy pauses and glances at him, she knew what he wanted her to admit but she couldn't, at least not yet, admitting it to herself would cripple her.

"Look, this morning I was really focused on the whole- worry if my cousin was going to live or die thing, and now she's going to be a vampire. I just don't want to think about it."

As Stefan comes to a stop, Buffy's eyes widen as she stares at the beautiful waterfall "Wow. That's amazing."  
Stefan watches her for a moment before speaking up "I think you have thought about it and you know exactly how you would feel if the situation was reversed. I just want you to know that its ok to tell me."

Buffy shakes her head, she knew exactly what she felt and knew it would hurt him "I don't wanna talk about it."  
"Well, if you don't want to, that's your choice. But...it's a long way to the top. So you never know what may come up."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "You're kidding right, yeah, no, these shoes don't climb. Here's an idea do your jumpy thing, it's actually kinda sexy."

Stefan shakes his head "Nope, come on your human why cheat?" He holds out his hand towards her so Buffy smiles before taking his hand.

* * *

"So I guess Elena will almost be as strong as me huh?" Buffy says as she and Stefan continue to walk side by side up the mountain "She gonna need help with that. And Bonnie's gonna have to make her a daylight ring."  
"Yeah, piece of cake." Stefan tells her.

As they walk Buffy continues to think and her eyes widen "I'm guessing Bambi is out of the picture?"  
"I definitely wouldn't recommend watching that with her, won't go well."

Buffy chuckles but suddenly she couldn't help but find herself curious about what Elena's new life would be like "So what's the best part of being one of your kind, cause I was one of the other kind for a day and it sucked?"  
"Wait, what?" Stefan asks confused.  
Buffy shakes her head "Guess I never told you that story, well long story short all our nightmares came alive and I was turned all bumpy. Not a pleasant day for me. So what's the best part?"

Stefan thinks for a moment as they continue to walk "Ahh, you feel like you could do anything. Be anyone. Beautiful things are more beautiful. Everything's heightened, you know, just a little more intensely, you love more powerfully."  
Buffy nods "And the worst?"  
"Ah, you know the worst."  
"Aside from that part, it's icky. I wanna know what she's going to be dealing with for rest of her life."

Stefan stops walking and turns to her "Anger becomes rage. When you're sad, you're in despair. Grief. Loss. It can cripple you. That's why so many of us turn our emotions off, it becomes...too overwhelming. You know, for a while, for me, that good just wasn't worth the bad."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "How long before you learned to handle both?"  
"Well, I'm still trying every day. What else?"

Buffy shakes her head and walks past him, this was too much, she needed some time to think "Come on, we gotta keep going or we will never get to the top."

* * *

"Ha, I beat you." Buffy says as she runs to the top "10 points for the Slayer." She cheers.  
Stefan chuckles "That's nothing. I've climbed MT. Everest."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I get it, you're a show-off, whatever."

The two turn and Buffy smiles softly as she stares at the sunset.  
"Hey, you can say it?" Stefan tells her, he knew that she had been avoiding it, it's why he had brought her here, somewhere where no one else would hear her admit it.

"Say what?" Buffy asks cluelessly.  
"I know that what happened to Elena has made you think about us, so say the thing that you've been wanting to say, but that you've been afraid of how it'll make me feel."

Buffy sighs, she couldn't do this "It doesn't matter what I'm thinking, it's not happening to me, it's happening to Elena. It's not like I can change any of this anyway."  
"I know that, but might make you feel better. Look I know this isn't the first time you've thought about it, drinking vampire blood to survive, and especially with all the danger you are constantly put in. I mean, I know I've thought about it a hundred times, more when you're on a patrol."

Buffy raises an eyebrow, she hadn't realised that he had thought about it as well "You thought about this before Klaus? Before Damon fed Elena his blood?"  
"Of course I did. Look...if it were my choice I'd want to be with you forever." He tells her as he takes her hand.  
Buffy looks up at him "What didn't you ever tell me?"  
"Cause I knew if it was an option you would have. I know who you are, Buffy. And asking you that, putting you in that position it would be selfish of me."  
Buffy nods "Yeah, seems you have more common sense than Damon."

"He shouldn't have done what he did to Elena." Stefan takes a deep breath, him and Buffy had never spoken about the fact that Damon loved her, never properly and even the idea of it made her nervous "He did it because he loves you, because he didn't want you to lose anyone else."

Buffy simply shakes her head "But he knows who am I, what am I and did this to someone I consider a sister, without giving her the choice, which means he doesn't really know what love is. Hell, I don't even know what it is half the time. Look, I love you, Stefan I'm sure of that. But I know now that if Damon's capable of that, he may force me into the same position, he knows that I'm gonna die, not now but one day soon, because it's what happens to people like me. I don't get to have a lifetime of those choices but she did..." Buffy's voice begins to shake "...she was supposed to be the one that got to grow and have kids, starts a family. Grow old. I don't have any of that I just...I wanted Elena to have that, to have why I don't, I wanted her to have her own life. And now..."

"It's okay." Stefan tells her "You can say it."  
"I don't want her to be a vampire. And I don't want to be one, I never wanted this for anyone in my family and now—"

Stefan grabs her and pulls against him tightly and runs his fingers through his hair as his comforts her while she cries.

* * *

Buffy climbs out of the car and turns to Stefan "Thanks for today." She tells him.  
"Buffy." Elena says as she comes out the house, Elena runs over to her and hugs her tightly, Buffy looks up at her cousin sadly "I'm so sorry Elena. This is all my fault."  
Elena shakes her head "No, it's not."

At that moment Stefan moves both women and stands in front of them, both girls turn to see Klaus "You got me all nervous. I thought maybe you'd done something stupid." Klaus turns to Elena and Buffy "You ready, my dears?"  
"Let's just get this over with." Buffy mutters before taking a step forwards, but Stefan blocks her way "No."  
"I wouldn't" Klaus warns "No reason for you to die, too. Losing your luv will be bad enough as it is."

Buffy and Stefan both glare at him, but she tries to keep her boyfriend from doing something that will get him killed, she quickly walks in front of him and takes his face in her hands "Stefan, listen to me, it's ok. We'll go. No one needs to die. Please, I don't want you getting hurt." She then leans up and kisses him softly "I love you."

He looks down at her sadly tears in his eyes "I love you." He says back before kissing her one last time.  
Buffy takes a deep breath "Close your eyes." She tells him, Stefan hesitates but slowly does; she steps away from him reluctantly and removing her hand from his takes Elena's hand before moving towards Klaus.

* * *

"Where the hell are we going? I'm a bit sick of the woods if you ask me." Buffy comments to the witch Greta, as she leads both her and Elena through the woods.  
"This way." She tells them as she continues to walk.  
"You're Luka's sister aren't you?" Elena asks "I heard about you. He and your father were looking for you."  
"Well, they were wasting their time. I wasn't lost."

As they walk Elena topples, Buffy helps her before she turns to the witch "You know only one of us here has heightened sense, a bit of light would be helpful."  
Greta waves her hand, as she does several fires build around them causing Elena to gasp, Buffy looks around the large clearing but her eyes stop on something in the middle "Jenna?"

"Oh, my God." Elena breaths as she spots her, the two girls run over and crouch at their aunt's side, "Jenna!" Buffy says urgently as she shakes her, she then checks for a pulse, her eyes widen "Elena there's no pulse."  
Elena stares in disbelief before turning to Greta "He killed her? Why? We did everything that he asked."  
Suddenly Jenna gasps and sits up, "She's not dead. She's in transition." Greta tells them.


	57. A Day of Death

Jenna moans before looking at her nieces "What's wrong with me?"  
Elena turns to her, this couldn't be happening, why would Klaus use her as the vampire when he had Katherine "Do you remember what happened?"  
"You called me. You were so scared. Oh, ah, I should have realised that it wasn't you."

"Katherine." Buffy hisses, she was so gonna kill that bitch "She threw you at Klaus, to save her own ass, oh I'm gonna kill that bitch." Buffy takes a deep breath trying to control her anger before speaking "What happened next?"  
"The second I walked out of the house, someone grabbed me. A vampire."  
"It was Klaus." Elena tells her.

Jenna nods "He made me drink his blood. And I don't...I don't remember anything after that. Where are we? What happened?" Jenna asks, becoming very panicked.  
"We're at the quarry." Elena tells her "He brought us here."  
"Why don't I remember anything?" Jenna asks really confused.

Buffy takes a deep breath, "Jenna do you remember when we were going through all that long boring stuff bout vampires?... do you remember how someone can become a vampire?"  
Jenna nods "Yeah, if you die with vampire blood in your system, it's...oh, god. He killed me."  
"Listen to me," Buffy tells her "I'm gonna find a way to get you out of this."  
Jenna is still in complete shock "I'm a vampire?"

"And I bet you're hungry." Greta says as she approaches, Buffy stands and runs at Greta but the witch waves her hand sending Buffy flying across the field, before landing painfully on the floor, Greta then waves her hand doing the same to Elena. Slowly rings of fire both begin to form around each girl.

Buffy runs at the fire only to have Greta chuckle "Don't bother trying to break through, I spelled the circle. You're trapped. No matter what you do."  
Buffy glares "You let her go or I swear—"  
"Klaus chose her." Greta says cutting Buffy off, Buffy shakes her head "No."

Greta ignores her and slices open her wrist with a rock before holding it out for Jenna "Drink it." Greta orders her.  
"Jenna, don't!" Elena yells.  
Jenna continues to stare at the blood hypnotised "I can't."

"No!" Buffy and Elena scream as Jenna leans forwards and drinks the blood. Once Greta pulls away she waves her hand causing a third circle to form, this time around Jenna.

* * *

"Jenna, It's going to be okay." Elena tells her, even though she herself was unsure.  
Buffy continues to run at the fire wall, Greta rolls her eyes "You're irritating me. This should keep you occupied."  
Greta whispers a small chant and suddenly a figure starts rising from the ground beneath Buffy, the blonde's eyes widen "Oh, not good."

"Buffy!" Elena yells, Buffy glances at her momentarily "Help Jenna, explain what is happening to her."

Suddenly the figure jumps at Buffy, the Slayer manages the flip herself in the air over the figure just as Greta pushes a screaming woman to the ground, which Buffy assumes is the werewolf. Buffy kicks the figure in the back and quickly snaps it's neck before turning to Greta "You know, I thought witches were supposed to be big with the helping of nature and all that crap. Isn't it this whole duty thing to keep this curse locked up?"

"My duty is to Klaus!" She exclaims however before Buffy can hear the rest the figure stands back up and spins his head around, popping his neck back into place, "Oh, dammit." Buffy breaths before ducking the punch thrown at her, as the creature goes to hit her again she grabs it's arm then lifts the creature upwards before bringing him down on her knees, breaking his spine.

"Impressive, luv." Klaus says to Buffy as he watches her cripple the monster, Buffy spins around to face him and rolls her eyes "Oh, great the ass hat is here."  
Klaus chuckles before turning to all the women "Are we ready?"  
Klaus notices the figure stand behind Buffy again and turns to Greta, "No need for him, pet."

Greta nods and waves her hand causing the figure to turn back into nothing more than dust and rocks.

* * *

As the spell begins and Klaus approaches them, Jules continues to scream in pain before looking over at Buffy and Elena "Everything I did...I was just trying to help Tyler."  
Buffy's eyes widen "You're Jules."  
"I didn't want him to be alone!" She says before screaming again.

As she screams Klaus approaches "Shall we." Slowly the fire ring around Jules disappears, the werewolf tries to run but Klaus grabs her and forces her to the ground, once he does he pushes his hand into her chest and tears out her heart.

Buffy watches horrified, before watching as Klaus moves back to the stone where Greta is standing, he squeezes the heart and watches as the blood drips into the stone. A fire builds on the stone "Does that mean it's working?"  
Greta smiles "It's working."

Buffy turns away from the witch and hybrid as she hears Jenna speak "The day that the lawyers called to tell me that I was going to become your guardian, you know what my first thought was? It's the same one I had when Joyce's lawyer called, isn't there someone else who could do this?"

Elena shakes her head "Jenna there was no one else who could have gotten all of us through that."  
Jenna shakes her head as her voice wavers "It's just the thought that I almost passed up taking care of you. Both of you."

Buffy crouches down and turns to Jenna, so she can face her on her level "But you didn't. You're the strongest one out of all of us, and that's including literal freaky strength me. You put everything on hold, to take care of three teenagers."

Jenna turns to the blonde and looks at her sadly "Look around, Buffy. I failed you."  
Elena interjects "No, you didn't. I failed you."  
Buffy nods in agreement "Ditto."

The Slayer quickly glances over at Klaus and Greta before turning back to Jenna and lowering the volume of her voice "Look being a vampire makes all those guilty feelings ten times worse, but it also multiplies your strength and your speed. You can fight him. I'll take care of Elena, I promise but I need you to run like hell."  
Jenna nods "Ok." She whispers back.

A moment later Klaus approaches Jenna "Hello, Jenna."  
Buffy quickly stands and turns to Klaus "Let her go."  
"Please." Elena begs "I understand that I have to die, but she doesn't!" Elena steps forward but as she does the flames rise.

"Elena!" Buffy yells, she tries to move forward but suddenly she finds herself chained to the ground, she turns to glare at Klaus "Seriously?"  
Klaus just smiles "Don't want you risking that pretty face, luv. Been waiting a long time to see it."

Elena moves again and the flames go up again "Elena, don't." Jenna tells her, looking extremely worried.  
"No, Jenna! We can't leave Jeremy without a family."

Buffy turns to Klaus "Let her go, we didn't run we did everything you asked for. Please."

"Well, well." Klaus suddenly says, rather surprised "I don't recall you being on the guest list." Buffy turns to see Stefan and her eyes widen. Before she can do anything Klaus speeds over to him.  
While Buffy listens in on the conversation, Elena helps Jenna do the same.

Buffy's eyes widen at the same time that Jenna says "Oh, my God."  
Elena turns to them both confused "What is it?"  
"He wants to take my place." Jenna tells her.

* * *

"Buffy..." Jenna tries but the blonde shakes her head and continues to pull at the chains "I need to do something, I can't-I can't." Buffy closes her eyes as tears fill her eyes, however as Klaus approaches she opens them "Quite the predicament." Klaus says as him and Stefan come closer "You know, it's funny, al this talk about preserving family, and here's Stefan, granting your wish."

"Stefan..." Buffy sighs.  
Stefan looks at her sadly "It's ok."  
"Well, who's it going to be, Elena?" Klaus asks her, causing Elena to frown in confusion "What?"

Klaus elaborates "Well considering Buffy here has already been responsible for one lover dying, I believe that it would be a kindness to spare her that heartache again. So I'll leave it up to you. One of your closest friends or your aunt?"  
Elena glares at him "No!" She hisses at him.

Klaus merely smiles "Oh, don't worry. There's actually no choice." Suddenly Klaus runs behind Stefan and stabs him in the back with a stake, "No!" Buffy screams "Stefan!" She screams again as she pulls at the chains.

Stefan groans in pain before falling to the ground, as he does Klaus turns to Buffy "I have other plans for your boyfriend. I want him alive. But for now..."  
Buffy screams again as she watches Klaus break Stefan's spine.

"Whenever, you're ready, Greta." Klaus calls, as he does the fire around Jenna diminishes "No!" Buffy and Elena breathe.  
"Your turn." Klaus tells Jenna.

Buffy shakes her head and pulls harder at the chains causing them to make her wrists and hands bleed but she ignores the pain and continues to pull, "No, Jenna." Both cousins cry.  
Their aunt turns to look at them both "It's all right, Elena, Buffy. I know what I have to do."

Suddenly Jenna runs towards Greta and bites down into her throat, however almost a heartbeat later Klaus appears behind her and stabs her in the back, he then drops her to the ground.

Both cousins fall to the ground and cry as they watch. Buffy glances over at Elena and nods "Jenna, turn it off." Elena tells her.  
"Then you won't be scared." Buffy finishes.

Both cousins, then watch as Klaus drives a stake through Jenna's heart "No! Jenna!" both girls scream, Buffy pulls at the chains, again and again, trying to get to her but collapses and lets the tears overcome her.

Buffy hears Stefan groan in pain, he turns to see Jenna "No." He breaths before turning back to Buffy "I'm so sorry."  
Buffy places a finger to her lips "If they don't kill him, I will."

Buffy turns her attention back to Klaus as he watches as he approaches Elena, "It's time. Two down, two to go." He says as the fire ring disappears.

Elena stands and walks past Klaus, she then moves to stand at the stone alter, as Klaus approaches Elena, Buffy stands "Elena!" Buffy calls but all she hears is Klaus "Thank you, Elena." He says.  
Elena just glares at him hatefully "Got to hell."

Buffy screams as Klaus grabs onto Elena and bites her "No! No!" Buffy screams as Klaus drains Elena's blood, once he is done Buffy watches in horror as Elena's body falls, Buffy simple stares and falls to her knees as tears roll down her cheeks.

After a few moments, Klaus approaches her "Hello, luv." He says as the fire ring around her disappears, Klaus watches her for a moment "A Slayer chained to the earth. Quite poetic is you ask me."

Buffy stands "I didn't ask you." Klaus simply smiles at her, but as he approaches her she kicks him in the stomach, "Know one thing Klaus, I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying to kill you."

Klaus simple shrugs off her kick and moves a strand of hair behind her ear "Everyone needs a hobby, and trust me once it is time, you will have eternity, I'm sure you'll come to like me after a few hundred years."  
"I doubt that."

Klaus smiles at her once more before moving around her, he moves the hair off her neck before lowering his teeth into her flesh, Buffy's eyes widen as the pain hits her, it wasn't like when The Master bit her, or when Angel did, this pain...it was overwhelming.  
Slowly her vision begins to fade and she finds herself unable to move.

Slowly Klaus removes himself from her releasing her, she starts to fall but he catches her. Before she could do anything he bends down to his knees and leans Buffy against his chest, slowly he places his now bloody wrist to her mouth and forced the blood down her throat.

After a few moments, he releases her and Buffy falls to the ground; she watches as Klaus makes his way into the middle of the quarry "I can feel it. It's happening."

Buffy watches as his bones start to break as he starts the transition, however suddenly; he is thrown across the field by Bonnie.

Damon appears by Buffy and rips the chains from her wrists before lifting her into his arms, he quickly walks her over to Stefan and places her on the ground next to him.  
Stefan stares at Buffy, who was looking very pale. "Buffy?" He breathes.

Buffy coughs and watches as Damon yanks the wood from Stefan's back, Stefan turns to his brother "I need you to get her out of here!"  
"No." Buffy breathes. "Elena. Get her. I'm not leaving till that son of a bitch is dead."  
Damon hesitates but Buffy pushes him slightly "Go. Please." She begs.

Damon nods and quickly heads for Elena. As he does Stefan helps Buffy stand and they walk over to Bonnie, who is now watching as Elijah pushes his hand into Klaus's chest "In the name of our family, Niklaus..." Elijah says but Klaus interjects by revealing something so shocking to his brother "I didn't bury them at sea!" Klaus says desperately "Their bodies are safe. If you kill me, you'll never find them."

"Elijah!" Buffy yells, "Don't you listen to him or I swear—"  
"Elijah." Klaus breaths "I can take you to them. I give you my word...brother."  
"Do it and I'll take you both out." Bonnie warns.  
"You'll die."  
"I don't care." Bonnie hisses at him, in a threatening tone.

Elijah looks back at his brother once more before turning back to the three "I'm sorry."  
"No!" all three of them scream before watching as Elijah and Klaus disappear.

* * *

Buffy sits in front of the mirror in Elena's room, while Elena does her hair for the funeral. The two are in complete silence until a knock on the door causes them to turn to the door, where Jeremy was currently standing.  
"We're almost ready." Elena tells him as he walks into the room.

"Take your time." He tells them, he stays silent for a moment before turning to Elena "John wanted me to give you this." He tells her before handing her a small piece of paper "And this." He says as he holds up the ring for her, as much as they all disliked the man he had given up his life to make sure Elena wouldn't be a vampire, he had given them a gift.

Jeremy turns to leave the room "Jeremy..." Buffy says stopping him in his tracks, Jeremy turns to the blonde "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry you've lost so many people."  
Jeremy gives them both a small smile "I still have you two."  
Both girls smile softly before hugging him, Buffy turns to Elena once they pull away "We'll give you a minute."

"Thank you." Elena says quietly, Buffy gives her a supportive smile before walking with Jeremy out of the room.

* * *

Buffy and Elena approach the graves and place roses on the fresh ones.  
As Elena places the flowers on her own parents grave, Buffy wraps an arm around her and Elena leans her head against the blonde's shoulder.

As Buffy clutches her cousin she sees Damon watching her, but she turns back to her cousin as they both cry.


	58. Two Choices

Buffy kicks down the door at the demon bar, immediately demons runs at her, she drops to her knees and slides along the floor as she swings two large swords, cutting off the legs of two demons as she slides.

Once she stops sliding she stands back up and pushes herself into a double tuck over a table, as she comes to a land she swings her legs out knocking another demon down, she then takes the sword and drives it into his back pinning him to the ground. Buffy leaves the sword and runs at the next demon, she drops to the ground and slides between his legs before coming back up in a crouch behind him, she spots one of the other demons running towards them so she pushes herself upwards, using the first demon's back to propel her forwards, she then and wraps her legs around the other demon's neck, she twists her body and tightens her grasp around his neck, causing his neck to snap as she twists.

Once she lands back on her feet she turns back to the first demon and stands over him, she punches him repeatedly working out her anger and grief before finally she snaps his neck.

Buffy runs down to the further end of the bar where there are two more demons, this time green with red horns, running towards her. Buffy crouches to her knees and swings her leg out knocking one of the demons down, she then quickly stands back up and pushes herself off the other's knee, kicking him the face as she pushes herself into a backflip. Buffy quickly kicks the chair next to her and breaks off the large leg, as one of the demons come at her she drives to wooden spike into his eye before ripping it out and stabbing the other one in the stomach.

As Buffy finishes with the last demon she slowly heads for the door, however, another demon jumps out at her, but the blonde merely grabs the pool cue to her left and shoves it into his chest. Buffy watches at the body falls before heading for the door, just as she opens the door she turns to the terrified human bartender and tosses him a couple hundred dollars "That should cover their drinks. Sorry bout the damages, having some anger issues at the moment."

* * *

Buffy walks in through the front door and heads up the stairs, she is about to go to her own room but freezes when she sees Jenna's bedroom door slightly ajar. Buffy hesitates but slowly she walks closer, she pushes the door open more and stares into Jenna's empty room sadly. Buffy looks at every aspect of the room intently before she takes a deep breath and closes the door, as she turns to head back to her room a voice stops her "That'll get easier." Buffy turns to see Damon "But you knew that." He tells her.

Buffy sighs "What do you want now, Damon? I'm really not in the mood."  
"I want to apologise." He tells her sincerely.  
Buffy scoffs "Damon."  
"Please." He begs "Buffy, feeding Elena my blood, I was wrong."  
"Ge, you think?" Buffy asks sarcastically.

Damon looks at her intently, his eyes full of guilt "And I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but...I need it."  
Buffy exhales slowly "You can't just show up here and ask for forgiveness. It doesn't work that way. These things that time, maybe a whole lotta time."  
Damon looks down at the ground as he nods "True. Of course. You take all the time you need." Damon says as he gives her a small sad smile.

* * *

"You brought me to see a girl movie." Jeremy says annoyed as him, Elena and Buffy head into the town centre where Gone with the Wind will be playing soon.  
Buffy groans "Can't I just go find another demon bar to put out of business."

"No." Elena tells them both "Look we had to get out of the house, Jer. This is our 3-hour distraction from reality. And Buff, running off to a demon bar to kill things does not count."  
Buffy moans "It does so. Plus it means I get to hit stuff, that way I don't start breaking things in the house."

As Elena places the blanket down on the grass Jeremy turns to her "Is that what we're doing? Pretending like our lives aren't screwed?"  
"Which they totally are." Buffy says.  
Jeremy nods "Buffy is right, Klaus may think you're dead but he is still going to come for Buffy, we should be—"

"We need to do this, ok?" Elena says cutting them both off, when she notices them both hesitate she gives them a pointed look "Breathe, eat, sleep, wake up and do it all over again until one day, it's just not as hard anymore."

"Hey!" Caroline says cheerfully as they head over "There you guys are. Who's hungry?" She asks as she holds up two large picnic baskets.  
"Are we actually doing this?" Buffy asks "I mean, we still have to worry about—"  
"No." Elena says "No, today we are going to be normal, we will deal with everything else tomorrow."

Caroline nods in agreement "We are going to take a page from Scarlett. We made it through the war, I know you guys went through hell, and Buffy still has to worry about hybrid man, and my mom knows I'm a vampire, so basically it's like Atlanta has burned. And yet, in spite of everything, we persevere."

Caroline smiles at them causing both Jeremy and Buffy to glance at each other before sighing "Fine." They both say as they take a seat.  
"So what are we eating?" Jeremy asks.  
"Please tell me that translates to everything." Buffy asks "Slaying makes you hungry."

* * *

"Hey." Stefan says as he walks over to the group, Buffy looks up and smiles "Hey. Elena made you come too huh? Or can you just not resist a clique epic romance."  
Stefan crouches down in front of Buffy "Will you come take a walk with me?"  
Buffy looks at him suspiciously before nodding.

* * *

"Elena's gonna kill you, you know that right." Buffy informs Stefan as they walk "I promised her that tonight we could distract ourselves before we have to deal with Klaus coming to collect me. Like some stupid carnival prize."

Stefan nods "I know. I wish this could wait, but it can't. Listen, um, the other night when Damon was helping Tyler something happened." Buffy raises an eyebrow as she continues to listen "Tyler was starting to transform, and Damon was bitten."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Huh?"  
"Tyler bit him, Buffy."  
"Again, I say huh?" She pauses for a second "He's gonna die isn't he?"

Stefan nods sadly "Yeah."  
Buffy thinks for a moment "Oh, my god, I am so mentally challenged. He came to the house this morning, tried with the whole apology thing and I practically threw him out of the door."

"He told me not to tell you, but I figured if you wanted to talk to him, I—I wouldn't wait."  
Buffy looks at him sadly "Stefan..."  
"It's not over, there might be a cure, but I have to find Klaus to get it."  
Buffy shakes her head "No, he'll kill you... Let me go, he won't kill me."

"No he won't, but he will take you away and you'll never see Elena or Jeremy again. Look he had the chance to kill me, but he didn't. Plus this may distract Klaus long enough for Bonnie to find a way to cloak you from him." Stefan pauses momentarily before continuing "Whatever Damon's done, whatever has led him here, I'm the one that made him become a vampire in the first place, so if there's a chance for a cure, I owe it to him to find it."

Buffy steps forwards and wraps her arms around him "I don't like this."  
"Go talk to him." Stefan tells her "Just tell him that there's still hope."

* * *

 _Damon walks through the house and freezes outside the library as he spots Mary currently reading 'La Cite antique (The Ancient City)._  
 _He watches her for a few moments before she startles him by speaking "You know Mr Salvatore, spying is a rather horrid habit."_  
 _Damon slowly enters the room "My apologies, Miss Mary."_  
 _Mary smiles at him and places the book down. "It's not a problem. Actually, I'm glad that you are here?"_  
 _Damon frowns in confusion "You are?"_

 _Mary smiles "Yes. Unfortunately, I'm a bit clueless on the way in which your father has organised the books. So I have been in this room for two days like a blind a child. I was wondering if you would help"_  
 _Damon chuckles "Of course. What volume are you looking for?"_

 _"Woodenboek der Nederlandsche Taal." She tells him "Unfortunately some of the papers I received from my father's clients, are in Dutch, and it is one of the few languages I struggle with, your father assured me this book would help me pick it up quickly."_

 _Damon smiles and quickly walks towards one of the shelves, he pulls a small brown book off the shelf and turns to her "Most women have no interest in business or in learning."_  
 _"I'm not like most women."_  
 _Damon smiles nervously "You're an extraordinary woman."_  
 _Mary smiles and moves to take the book from his hand, as she does their fingers touch, she looks up at him "Forgive me for asking, but curiosity is one of my weaknesses, so I've been told. But...will you miss me while off defending the south?"_

 _"I shall."_  
 _Mary smiles "I do hope that you return soon, I've never been a fan of being alone."_  
 _"I'm sure Stefan would keep you company." Damon says, the underlining jealousy obvious in his tone of voice._

 _"Damon." A voice says from behind them, Damon turns and stares shocked as he sees Buffy "Buffy?"_  
 _"Don't you see it?" Buffy asks him "She was playing games like she aways has. One utter of the word no and you could have left. You had a choice."_  
 _Mary places a hand on Damon's chin and turns him to face her "So you promise me, you'll return."_  
 _"I promise."_

Damon wakes up and turns only to see the cellar door, he groans in pain and pulls at his sleeve to reveal the much worse bite mark.

* * *

Buffy climbs out of her car and moves towards the boarding house, as she does she freezes as she hears noises behind her, she turns only to have Liz appear and cover her mouth "Don't make a sound."

* * *

"Damn cops, had to be human." Buffy mutters as she paces the sheriff's office; at that moment Liz walks into the room "Where's Damon?" Buffy asks "What did you do?"  
Liz glares at her "What do you even care? You know what they are, what they do."

Buffy scoffs "No offence, but I've been dealing with vampires a long time, I know more about them then you do. I get you hate them—"  
"They're murderers."  
Buffy nods "A lot of the time that's true. I've seen it, I dealt with my fair share of vamps."  
"And how is that?" Liz asks.

"That's my business."

Suddenly one of the deputies knocks on the door "Damon Salvatore was just spotted outside entering The Grill"  
Liz moves to pass Buffy, "I can help you." Buffy tells her, "I can handle him; you can't."  
Liz ignores her and turns to the other cop "Keep her here." She orders him, he nods and then the two leave the room, locking Buffy inside.

Buffy smirks "Idiots." She then walks over to the window she opens up the blinds takes a couple of steps back before running full force at the window and diving through it.

* * *

Buffy runs through the town looking for Damon, as she comes to a stop, she hears Damon panting behind her "Buffy."  
The blonde turns to him "Damon."  
She quickly walks over to him and throws his shoulder over her arm "We gotta go now. Or we are seriously screwed come on."  
"Where are we going?"

 _"Everywhere!" Mary yells as she and Damon run through the woods.  
_ _"Wait for me." Damon asks her "I want to come with you." Damon topples as he runs after the raven-haired beauty._

As Damon topples Buffy quickly helps "Hey, come on."

 _Damon quickly stands and pushes Mary up against the nearest tree, Mary giggles._

"Damon, we need to get you out of here." Buffy tells him "Or you're gonna end up as vampire steak." Suddenly Damon runs at her and pins her to the metal lamp post.

 _"And here I was always told American's were rather slow. But my father could be a judgmental arse." Mary says as she looks at Damon.  
_ _"Why must you always run from me?"  
_ _Mary smiles "It's fun. Why would anyone want to stay in one place too long, running is freedom."  
_ _"Then let me run with you, forever. There has to be a way."  
_ _Mary takes a deep breath "There is-blood, but not mine, Katherine's. If you truly want to be by my side for the rest of time, you will need her to get her to give you her blood. But this is up to you."  
_ _"I choose you, Mary." Damon says._

Buffy shakes him "Dude, first off- I'm in no damn way, Mary the witch bitch. Look you're hallucinating, I'm Buffy. Buf-fy."  
Damon looks up at her, still completely in another reality "Promise me you will not tell my brother."

 _Mary nods "I give you my word. This is between us, and us alone."  
_ _Damon moves in to kiss her._

Buffy notices Damon going for her neck and hold him back "Damon, no. Snap out of it!"  
"I have to." He breathes "We need the blood, That's the only way." He moves closer to her neck but Buffy pushes him back and punches him in the face, he drops to his knees and looks up at her "Buffy."

Buffy chuckles "Can't believe that actually worked. Knocking some sense into you. Never thought literally knocking you in the head would actually do that."  
Buffy looks around quickly "Damon." She says as she leans down to his level, Buffy sighs and lifts him up "Come on."

* * *

"Buffy." Damon moans as Buffy positions his head properly on the pillow.  
Buffy looks down at him "Present. I'm still here don't worry, not skipping out like I do with school."  
Damon groans in pain "Buffy, get out of here. I could hurt you."

Buffy smiles "Funny. We both know you can't. So you're stuck with me...till the end."  
"Get out of here." He says again before groaning in pain and coughing violently.

Buffy quickly climbs onto to bed and leans her chin on the top of his head, trying to comfort him "Hey, come on. It's gonna be okay."  
"It's not okay." Damon mutters, "It's not okay. All those years, I blamed Stefan. No one forced me to love her. It was my own choice. I made the wrong choice." Damon continues to pant as he looks up at Buffy "Tell Stefan I'm sorry. Ok?"

Buffy hesitates and looks down at him sadly before nodding "Ok."

* * *

Stefan hisses as he drains the blood bag, he then groans before looking up at Klaus, the hybrid smiles "Very co-operative. It's almost as if you're enjoying it."  
Klaus walks over to him and tosses him another blood bag, but Stefan shoves it away "No more. Not until you give me the cure."  
"Not until we make a deal. You see there is one thing I want much more than you... Buffy."

"No!" Stefan growls.

Klaus chuckles "There is no changing that. She is coming with me when I leave. The question is...will you join us? And will you save your brother's life."

Stefan glares at him for several moments before he grabs the blood bag, causing Klaus to smile "That's the spirit." He says before standing and walking over to Katherine "Sweetheart." He pulls her close and whispers so that Stefan won't hear. "Tell the Slayer I have an offer for her."

As he pulls away he hands her the vial of blood "Take this over to Damon and come right back."  
"You want me to leave?" Katherine asks.  
"Yes. And if I were you—" Suddenly Katherine is already gone "—I'd hurry."

Stefan stares panicked "She'll never take it to him."

* * *

"This is even more pitiful than I thought." Damon says as he lies in Buffy's arms.

Buffy takes a deep breath, she never would have thought that she would feel this way when they had first met, she was scared, she didn't want him to die, she needed to hold onto the last piece of hope she had "You know there is still a small chance."  
Damon takes a weak breath "I've made a lot of choices that have gotten me here. I deserve this. I deserve to die."

Buffy shakes her head "No." She says as moves to lie down next to him "Trust me. I have seen plenty of monsters that deserve to die, you—you're not one."  
"I am and I do, Buffy. It's ok. 'Cause if I'd have chosen differently, I wouldn't have met you. I'm so sorry. Done so many things to hurt you."

Buffy takes a shaky breath "It's ok. I've had worse, you've actually been pleasant sometimes... I forgive you."

Damon's breathing begins to get weaker so finally, decides to reveal the truth to her, the truth he had been hiding for so long "I know you love Stefan. And it will always be Stefan. But I love you. You should know that."  
Buffy sniffles slightly and lets the tears fall "I do."  
"You should have met me in 1864." Damon tells her "You would have liked me."

Buffy looks up at him "The way you are now, your jackass self, is exactly how I like you." Buffy hesitates but slowly leans in and places a small kiss to his lips.  
"Thank you." He whispers as she pulls away.  
"No biggy." Buffy tells him.

"Well, it's me you should be thanking." Katherine says startling Buffy, Buffy immediately jumps up from the bed and slams Katherine up against the wall, Katherine glares at her "Let me go, super blonde. I brought the cure."  
Buffy looks at the bottle in her hand before releasing her, she watches as Katherine feed Damon the cure.

Once she turns back to Buffy she sighs, "One more thing, Klaus says he wants to offer you a deal. I suggest you go quickly before he gets Stefan to hand himself over completely. If you still care that is."

Katherine starts to head for the door but she pauses and turns back to Buffy "Oh. It's ok to love them both. I did." She says before tossing Buffy the cure and disappearing.

Buffy glances back at Damon, "Buffy, don't you dare." He begs as he sees the look in her eyes knowing immediately what she was going to do.  
Buffy tosses him the bottle "I'm sorry." She says before running out of the room.

* * *

Buffy kicks down the door at Alaric place and when she spots Klaus she runs at him and tackles him to the ground, the two  
struggle for a few moment before Klaus manages to get the upper hand, he pins Buffy's hands behind her back and forces her against the wall "Now, pet, that's no way to behave."

Buffy growls at him and shoves him off, she turns around and spots Stefan on the floor covered in blood "Buffy, you shouldn't be here." He breaths.  
"Shh, now mate." Klaus tells him before turning back to Buffy, "I assume Katerina told you I had an offer to make you."  
Buffy glares at him "What do you want?"

"Well, as much fun as it would be to travel around binge drinking with your boyfriend, I figured I could use this opportunity as a way to set things right."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Everyone says that what the hell is it supposed to mean?"

Klaus strokes her hair, causing her to internally groan "What it means pet, is that you were not meant to be here, so in order to get our paths back straight, I need to do a few things."

At that moment Mary teleports into the room, Klaus grins "Ahh, perfect timing. Marianna, did you get what I requested?"  
Mary glares at Klaus "Yes. If I give you this—"  
"Then I'll have my witch cast the spell to give you your precious face back, okay?"  
"Fine." Mary hisses before stepping towards him and handing him several vials.

Klaus smirks before turning to Buffy and holding up the vials "These here, are memories of the past 2 years, since the moment you moved to Mystic Falls. I believe this one is your friend Willow's." He tells her as he waves one of the vials in front of her.

Buffy's eyes widen as he continues "You see, Marianna was able to remove every memory your little friends in Sunnydale have of you ever moving here. She then created false memories, of you there with them the whole time"  
Buffy frowns in confusion "Why would you—"

"Because, you were not meant to come here yet, that was supposed to be later, the prophecy cannot be fulfilled until we get back on track."  
Buffy continues to looks at him angrily and slightly confused "What is this deal?"

Klaus points at Stefan "Well... I'll let your little boyfriend go, although it's likely his brother will be dealing with the bloodlust, which seems to have been re-awakened. I will leave both of them to their dull little lives, I just need you to do one thing."

Buffy looks over at Stefan who shakes his head, he tries to get to her but Mary raises her hand pinning him to the wall, she then waves her hand causing him to pass out.

Klaus smiles "I need you Miss Summers, to take this." He says as he hands her a vial, which was purple unlike the other ones, which were blood red. "This will take away your memories of the past two years. One of my witches will alter your memories so that it will have been as though you have been in Sunnydale for the past two years."

Buffy's eyes widen at the deal "So I won't remember, anything?"  
Klaus nods "Downside yes, you will not remember the friends you have made here or your little boyfriend. That will all be gone. But I give you my word that I will leave them be."

"How can I trust you?" Buffy hisses "I don't exactly see Elijah around here jumping for joy cause he's been reunited with his family."  
"Yes well, it's either this or your boyfriend over there... well I make him worse than Angelus."

Buffy glares at him before looking back at Stefan, she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes "You have a deal."  
Klaus grins "Perfect, now before we do this, I just have one last bit of business to attend to."

Klaus claps his hands and suddenly someone who Buffy assumes is one of Klaus's other witches appears in the middle of the room, Klaus gestures towards Mary "Do it."  
The witch nods and moves in front of Mary, she slowly places her hands on either side of Mary's temple and takes a deep breath "Revertere quod perierat. Revertere in missing piece, et ostende faciem tuam veram."

Buffy watches as Mary's face shifts and moves until the features similar to her own disappear replaced by others. After few moments Mary touches her face and gasps, she quickly runs over to the mirror and smiles "Oh, my God." She breaths in joy, she turns to Klaus "Thank you."

Klaus smiles at her before nodding at the other witch, suddenly Mary finds herself unable to teleport from the room, Klaus turns to Buffy "To seal our deal, I want you to kill the person who messed with fate, the person responsible for killing your mother,"  
Buffy stares at him "You want me to kill her?"  
"Not exactly, just place her back inside her little necklace. I may need her in the future. But the only way for that to happen is if you kill her."  
Mary glares at Klaus "You bastard."

Before Mary can say anything Buffy punches her in the face sending her flying across the room, and before Mary can stand Buffy appears and grabs her by the neck "I told you I would kill you for what you did for my mother."  
Mary smirks "You don't have the gu—"  
Mary is cut off as Buffy drives the dagger she had hidden in her jacket, into Mary's stomach.

Mary falls to the ground and groans in pain before she looks over at Buffy "Once the bound is true you will become darker, this is just the start."

Buffy refuses to watch as Mary bleeds to death and quickly walks over to Stefan, she strokes his head "I love you." She whispers "Goodbye." She says, her lips shaking as she places a small kiss to his lips.  
Slowly the heartbroken Buffy heads back to Klaus "You ready, love?"

Buffy doesn't answer; she merely grabs the vial off him and downs it, before collapsing as darkness consumes her.


	59. Lost

**_Previously on Buffy's New Home:_**

 _Buffy continues to look at him angrily and slightly confused "What is this deal?"  
Klaus points at Stefan "Well I'll let your little boyfriend go, although it's likely his brother will be dealing with the bloodlust which seems to have been re-awakened. I will leave both of them to their dull little lives, I just need you to do one thing."  
Buffy looks over at Stefan who shakes his head, he tries to get to her but Mary raises her hand pinning him to the wall, she waves her hand causing him to pass out.  
Klaus smiles "I need you Miss Summers, to take this." He says as he hands her the vile, which is purple unlike the other ones, which had turned blood red. "This will take away your memories of the past two years. One of my witches will alter your memories, so that it will have been as though you have been in Sunnydale for the past two years."  
Buffy's eyes widen at the deal "So I won't remember, anything?"  
Klaus nods "Downside yes you will not remember the friends you have made here or your little boyfriend. That will all be gone. But I give you my word that I will leave them be."  
"How can I trust you?" Buffy hisses "I don't exactly see Elijah around here jumping for joy cause he's been reunited with him family."  
"Yes well, it's either this or your boyfriend over there, well I make him worse than Angelus."  
Buffy glares at him before looking back at Stefan, she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes "You have a deal."_

* * *

 _Mary falls to the ground and groans in pain before she looks over at Buffy "Once the bound is true you will become darker, this is just the start."  
Buffy refuses to watch as Mary bleeds to death and quickly walks over to Stefan, she strokes his head "I love you." She whispers "Goodbye."  
Slowly Buffy heads back to Klaus "You ready, love?"  
Buffy doesn't answer; she merely grabs the vile off him and downs it, before collapses darkness consumes her._

* * *

Damon kicks down the door at Alaric's apartment and freezes as he spots him brother in a pool of blood "Stefan!" He yells as he quickly runs over to his younger brother.  
"Stefan?" Damon says again as he tries to shake his brother awake, after a few moments his brother stirs and mumbles "Buffy."  
Damon's eyes widen "Where is she?"  
Stefan tries to recall what had happened but everything was blank, "Klaus took her."

* * *

 **2 and a Half Months Later**

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Elena wakes up and looks over at her clock sadly, she just lies there for several minutes before dragging herself out of the bed.  
Once she is dressed she wakes Jeremy "What the hell?" He moans as she pulls the curtains open "You're late for work." She tells him "Matt just called."  
Jeremy quickly sits up and sighs as he sees the time "Maybe he'll fire me." He says too cheerfully.  
Elena smiles at him, however the smile doesn't reach her eyes "Aim high." She tells him, she is about to head for the door when Jeremy's voice makes her pause "Has Bonnie found anything yet?"  
Elena shakes her head, as a sad expression crosses her face "No. She tried every spell she knows, she can't find Buffy."  
At that moment Elena's phone starts ringing, she looks down at the caller I.D and spots Caroline's name "Maybe good old detective work is working better than magic."

Elena answers her phone as she starts to walks down the stairs " _My mom found something."_ Caroline says immediately.  
Elena eyes' widen as hope starts to build up in her chest "What is it?"  
 _"A blonde girl was seen fighting off several large men extremely easily and even tossed one across a bar, in Tennessee."_  
"And you're sure it was Buffy?" Elena asks as she enters the kitchen, where Alaric was currently trying to use the coffee maker.  
Alaric looks up just as Caroline answers _"No. Just that she was stronger and faster than a normal human, but that doesn't mean that it's Buffy."_  
Elena sighs "Doesn't mean it's not. I'll call her." She tells the blonde as she switches the coffee machine on for Rick "Tell her thank you for her help."  
"All right." Caroline says "Well, I've got to go. I'll see you in a bit."

"New's on Buffy?" Alaric asks as he moves into the living room.  
Elena nods and pours herself some coffee "Maybe. A girl, blonde, strong and fast was seen fighting off a bunch of guys in Tennessee."  
"You sure it's her?" He asks hopefully.  
"I hope." Elena says "Better than imagining her locked up in some cage with Klaus watching her 24/7."

Alaric nods and notices her head for the door "How's Stefan?" He asks.  
Elena hesitates "Damon says it's going to be a while. After he remembered that Buffy was gone and that Klaus had taken her, he lost it. Damon's only just managed to find him and says it's...going to be a while before he is able to be in control again."

* * *

Elena walks into the Salvatore boarding house and spots Damon walking around in a towel "Don't you ever wear clothes?"  
Damon turns to her "No. This is my house, I can walk around naked if I want. By the way you should learn to knock I might be indecent."  
Elena rolls her eyes and pulls out the paper from her pocket "Sheriff Forbes gave us another location to check. Memphis."

Damon's eyes widen momentarily and he walks over, taking the paper off her "Another dead end you mean."  
"You don't know that." She argues.  
Damon sighs "You right Elena, this could be the one." He says sarcastically "Not like the other million leads that Klaus has left for us. After almost two months, this could be the clue that tells us Buffy's not been locked up and forced into some supernatural marriage with a nut bag."  
Elena sighs "Fine. I'll go by myself."  
"And let Klaus know that you're tracking you, Buffy made sure that he would still believe you were dead, I'm not gonna be the one that pisses her off by letting him find out the truth."  
"It's a new lead, Damon. We haven't had one in a while. Klaus is the only one that knows where she is."  
Damon nods "Ok. I'll check it out. If I find anything, I'll call you."

Damon starts to walk off but Elena's next question makes him pause "Are you going to tell Stefan?"  
Damon hesitates "He is still detoxing from human blood. Needs to focus on that. It's better I don't go down there and give him false hope that he's girl might be coming back."

* * *

Damon walks into his room and opens his wardrobe door where hundreds of other leads where currently hanging on the door "He moved on to Tennessee."

"Huh." Andie says as she approaches him "That Florida victim you had me look into had family in Tennessee. Do you think Buffy's still with Klaus?"  
Damon shakes his head "No. He knows we're looking for her, he'll be keeping her somewhere, my guess he knows he won't win her affection if he keeps killing people around her."  
Andie raises an eyebrow "Then why continue to follow him?"  
Damon sighs sadly "Because he's the only one who knows where she is. He's got someone going around beating up big guys to try and make us think that she's with him, but it's a distraction. He's trying to keep us busy. I just want to know why, what is he doing with her?" He asks himself more than her.

"I can see if I can get you an address." She offers.  
Damon smiles and kisses her softly "Get me that address." He tells her as she heads out the room.

* * *

Tennessee

Klaus pulls the amulet out of his pocket and holds it out in his palm, he bites into his other wrist slowly and then holds it over the amulet.  
 _"Resurget ex favilla, liberare animum et iterum sumendi eam formam. Ruina carne."_  
Klaus whispers as the blood drips on the amulet. A few moments later a black mist rises from the amulet, almost like a small tornado, the mist spins in the air before forming shape opposite Klaus, slowly the mist stops spinning and disappears, leaving only Mary standing where it once was.

The raven-haired beauty glares at him "What now? Gonna have me dress up as the Slayer again so that you can throw the Salvatore's off track?" She hisses angrily.  
Klaus rolls his eyes "Don't be so dramatic, Marianna and honestly you looked better before I reversed the spell that gave you Buffy's face."  
Mary rolls her eyes "What do you want?" She forces herself to say, she was still furious that Klaus had managed to find a witch powerful enough to completely bind her to the amulet, making Klaus now able to control her.

Klaus simply shrugs and moves to sit on the couch "Need to check up on my girl. So..."

Mary sighs and with a roll of her eyes she waves her hand _"Revelabit."_ She says. As she does a small ball of light appears in the air, it spins quickly before slowing as an image of Buffy appears in the middle.

* * *

Sunnydale, California

"Anything?" Buffy asks with a sigh as she looks around the graveyard.

"Ah!" Willow exclaims, in succession "Introduction to the modern novel. A survey study of 20th century novelists."  
Buffy turns to her best friend, who was currently sat on a blanket in front of the soon to be vampire, Willow looks up at the Slayer "Open to freshman. You might like that."  
Buffy looks down at her skeptically "Introduction to the modern novel? I'm guessing I'd probably have to read the modern novel."  
Willow nods "Maybe more than one."

Buffy moves to sit by the witch "I like books...I just don't want to take on too much. Do they have an introduction to the modern blurb?"  
Willow glances down at the college guide "Oh! Short story."  
"Well, that's good."  
"Oh, no. It conflicts with psych."  
Buffy shrugs, this whole college thing still wasn't clicking for her "Maybe I shouldn't take psych."  
Willow shakes her head "You gotta." She tells the blonde "I—it's fun, a-and you can use it as your science requirement. Anyway, professor Walsh is supposed to be great. She's like world-renowned."  
"How do you get to be renowned?" Buffy asks "I mean, like, do you have to be nowned first?"  
Willow smiles "Yes, first there's the painful nowning process."

Buffy sighs and flops back leaning against the grave "I'm sorry guess I'm just feeling a bit off today."  
"What do you mean?"  
"I don't know, I mean...you know when I got the call about my aunt in Mystic Falls I just...I keep feeling like I'm forgetting something, all the time."

Willow looks at her friend sympathetically, hating that her best friend had lost so many people in such a short time "Well, maybe it's because you're not close with your mom's family. I mean both your aunts passed right, is there any more family on her side?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah, um...I have two cousins. Elena and Jeremy, we're not close, hell haven't really spoken to either of them in years."  
Willow thinks for a moment "Why don't you contact them?"

Buffy shakes her head, something inside of her was convinced that contacting these people would only end badly "I don't think that's a good idea. I mean they're practically strangers plus, I don't wanna drag them into this world. Anyway I heard that they're doing good, Elena's starting at Whitmore College and Jeremy is in his senior year of high school. They don't need me around to ruin their lives with the supernatural."

Buffy gives her friend a small smile "So Miss I've had my major since play group, what should I do about this course stuff."  
Willow chuckles "That's an exaggeration. I just, you know, think it's good to be prepared. Don't want to be caught unaware."

Buffy tries to defend herself, not noticing the vampire rising from his grave behind them, "I've been busy. It's been a very slay-heavy summer. It's like all the vamps thought I was on vacation or something and decided to come and out and play more. Just haven't had a whole lot of time to think about life at UC Sunnydale."  
"College is exciting though, isn it."  
Buffy nods "Yeah. It's just gonna be an adjustment."  
Willow nods sarcastically "Yeah, it's, like, 5 miles away. Heh. Uncharted territory."

Buffy sighs "I know, it's just I've been living alone since my mom died and after I emancipated myself from my dad it's gonna be weird actually living with someone again. Plus Giles said I have to be secret-identity gal again."  
Willow nods "That makes sense."  
"At least living by myself I didn't have to worry bout that. But it's gonna be tough with a roommate. I'm psyched about college. Definitely." As she speaks the vampire, who was now free from his grave sneaks up behind her however he freezes as he spots the bag of weapons "I just need to figure out how it's gonna work with my extracurricular activities. I just can't let it take the edge off my slaying. I gotta stay sharp."  
As the vampire runs off Buffy turns around and glances at the grave "Is this guy ever gonna wake up?" She huffs.

* * *

Tennessee

Klaus grins as the image slowly fades "Good, everything is finally back on track."  
Mary sighs "Seems like." She say, the misery and annoyance evident in her voice "Looks like you'll get every thing you've ever wanted."  
Klaus chuckles "Appears so." He slowly stands "Now that everything is dealt with with the Slayer, I can focus back onto the issue of today. My hybrids. Where is the werewolf?"  
Mary takes a deep breath and closes her eyes "A bar. The one you passed on your way into town. He's name is Ray Sutton."  
Klaus nods "Good. Thank you...Marianna." He says politely before quickly speeding over and snapping her neck. As she falls to the ground the amulet releases the black mist again, it covers Mary's body and a few moment later the mist disappears back into the amulet and Mary's body is gone.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Damon heads down into the cellar and freezes momentarily as he hears the yelling "Damon! Don't do this! I swear to god! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

"Melodramatic much?" Damon says as he enters the cellar where Stefan was currently chained to a chair, Stefan looks up, his face sweaty and angry "I'm fine. This is unnecessary."  
Damon rolls his eyes "You've just spent to past two months reliving your glory ripper days after Klaus pumped you full of human blood. You're the one that told me to do this."  
Stefan rolls his eyes and looks down refusing to speak anymore.

Damon sighs "You don't wanna talk okay then. I just thought you would want to know that I may have a lead on Buffy. But it's not like you care."  
Stefan momentarily looks up at the mention of Buffy's name, but he looks back down straight away.

* * *

Tennessee

Damon pulls the car to a stop outside the bar and him and Ric climb out.  
Alaric comes to stand by Damon just as he ignores another call from Elena "Elena?" He asks.

Damon shrugs and places his phone back into his pocket, "I don't know why you just don't come clean and tell her where we are." Ric says as the two slowly walk towards the bar.  
"Cause Andie said this was a half-lead and I don't wanna get her hopes up."  
Alaric raises an eyebrow "Her hopes? Or yours?" Damon glares at him, Ric sighs "They're all half leads and I'm your accomplice. What do you want me to say to her? I'm practically living there."  
"Still sleeping on the couch?"  
"You know, I keep waiting for them to kick me out, but they don't. I don't know why. I'm no Vampire Slayer, it's not like I'm helping or anything."

The two look around and realise something "It's quiet."  
Damon nods in agreement "Yeah. Too quiet."

The two slowly head inside the bar only to find it empty as they walk through they spot the blood on the walls Damon places his finger on a loud of green gunk on the wall, and smells it "Demon blood." He informs Alaric who sighs, the two turn the corner and spot the bodies on the ground.

Damon spots the large amount of different puddles of dust, he sighs "Vampires."  
"What the hell are those?" Alaric asks as they approach the severed demons.  
"Demons." Damon tells him before pointing at different body parts "Brachen and Kailiff demons from what I can see. But I'm not exactly all knowing when it comes to half breeds."  
Alaric looks around "Seems like a Slayer. Buffy?"  
Damon scoffs "No."  
"How do you know?"  
"Buff likes to avoid slicing a deicing. Plus she's not lazy, she doesn't just leave bodies lying around, she'd bury them or burn them, make sure some innocent doesn't find them."  
"You still think Klaus is sending us on a wild goose chase."  
Damon nods "Definitely. That and my guess he's got bigger things going on and he does not want us involved."

* * *

Mystic Falls (Several Hours Later)

"Andie?" Damon calls as he enters the TV station.  
"Damon." A shaky voice says from above, Damon looks up and spots Andie standing on the edge of the top level looking very close to falling.

"Hello, Damon." Mary says as she approaches, her face and voice resembling Buffy.  
Damon turns to her, "Mary." He hisses.  
Mary chuckles "I'm guessing you have gotten a lot better at telling the difference."  
"What are you doing here?"  
Mary tilts her head "I'm here to give you a message from Klaus. Stop looking for her. You're not gonna find her."  
Damon glares at her "You've been running around dressed up as her and massacring demons, to keep me distracted."  
"Yes." Mary says simply "But you're becoming a nuisance. You'll never find her, so I suggest you stop looking."

Damon chuckles slightly before running at the witch and slamming her against the wall "Where is she?" He hisses.  
Mary glares at him for a moment before looking up "Andie dear. You can move now."  
Suddenly Andie takes a step and falls, crashing to the floor, killing her instantly. Damon stares in shock only to groan in pain as Mary shoves a large piece of metal into his chest and pins him to the wall "Stay away from Buffy. This is your last warning."

* * *

Elena turns to Damon as he enters the room, clearly extremely pissed as she holds up the hundreds of bits of paper of clues to Buffy's location.  
Damon sighs "What? What are you doing here?"  
"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep it a secret?" She demands.  
"Can we not do this right now? I'm having a really bad night."  
Elena continues on, her voice getting angrier every second "All summer, every single time I came to you with a lead, you made me feel like an idiot for having hope, And considering you're in love with my cousin I figured of all the people who would have hope, it would be you."

Damon finally looks over at her "I was an idiot. And so were you."  
Damon tries to walk past her, but she grabs his arm "Tell me what you know, Damon."  
"I know you need to go home and pack for college, Elena."  
"We're supposed to be in this together. Why didn't you tell me you've been tracking the demons Buffy's been killing?"

Damon turns to her angrily "Because it's not Buffy, it's Mary!"  
Elena frowns in confusion "What?"

"Klaus has had his little witch bitch run around killing demons to throw us off track! He's not an idiot, Elena. He knows we're looking for Buffy, he's making sure we can't find her. But she is not with him, that I'm sure of."  
Elena shakes her head "No. You're wrong. If Klaus didn't have Buffy with him, she would have found a way back, or contacted us...she wouldn't just disappear."

Damon sighs sadly "I don't know where she is. The only two people in existence that know where she is will kill us all before we can get to her."  
Damon doesn't let Elena say anything, he simply storms out of the room leaving a crying Elena in his room.

* * *

Damon heads up stairs to the guest room, which Stefan had made into a gym for Buffy. He walks into the corner where a photo of Buffy and Stefan lay on a small table, he picks up the photo and tosses it across the room angrily and suddenly starts throwing furniture across the room. He tears down the punching bag and tosses it out the window before knocking down all the shelfs. Letting his anger and heartbreak consume him.

* * *

Sunnydale, California

Buffy is packing up the last of her things in her house when her phone starts to ring, she quickly walks over and picks it up "Hello?"  
Buffy frowns as she hears silence "Hello? Okay, then." She says before quickly hanging up the phone.

"Hey Buff, you ready?" Willow says as she stands in the doorway.  
Buffy nods unable to shake a weird feeling that started the moment someone called her phone. She simply picks up her final box and follows Willow out of the room.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Elena is packing up the last of her things, she sighs sadly as she looks over at a picture of her, Buffy and Jeremy.  
She takes a shaky breath and holds back the tears threatening to escape her. Slowly she walks over to her phone and as though against her own will, she dials Buffy number.

Shockingly the blonde answers " _Hello?"_  
Elena stands there in shock momentarily "Buffy?"  
 _"Hello?"_ The blonde says again as though she can't hear her.  
"Buffy! It's Elena, you're okay. Thank god. Look I need you to tell me where you are."  
 _"Hello?"_ The blonde says again _"Okay, then."_  
Suddenly the line goes flat "Buffy!" Elena yells "Buffy!"


	60. Searching

The next morning Elena walks into Damon's room "Just can't stay away, can you?" He asks.  
"I called Buffy last night." She says simply, cutting to the chase.  
Damon stares at her shocked for a second before common sense settles in "Yeah, and the other hundred times were different because..."  
"She answered the phone, Damon."

Damon's eyes go wide "What?" He says, only managing to get that one word out.  
"I called her, she answered the phone, Damon."  
"What did she say?' He asks, rather quietly.  
Elena sighs "Just Hello. That's what has me confused, it's like she couldn't hear me."

Damon thinks for a moment and quickly anger starts to build "Dammit!" He exclaims before punching a hand through the wardrobe door "Klaus. He knew we would try to call her, he made sure that if Buffy did answer she wouldn't be able to tell us where she is... How did she sound?"

Elena sighs even more confused "Fine. She sounded fine, not in pain, or scared. Just fine."

* * *

A Month Later - Sunnydale, California

Buffy knocks on Giles' door and as the door opens she simply stares "Happy Hal—hello Buffy."

Buffy continues to stare at the hat on Giles' head, she had to be dreaming he couldn't seriously be dressed like that "Oh...my god."  
"It's a sombrero." He explains  
Buffy nods in a daze "And it's on your head."  
"It seemed festive. Come in."

Buffy slowly walks inside and frowns as Giles offers her some candy, she shakes her head and looks around the apartment in confusion "What's going on here? You hate Halloween."  
Giles argues "I...I've never said any such thing. As my watcher's duties took precedence, I simply hadn't taken time to...well, to embrace its inherent charms. Until now. Look." Giles turns to the Frankenstein monster toy currently hanging on the wall and switches it one "It's alive! You see?" He chuckles "See how he...shakes?"

Buffy continues to stare at him blankly, however suddenly she blinks and see flashes of people walking around in costumes and one girl walking in a very stereotypical vampire costume.

"Buffy?" Giles asks worried.  
Buffy shakes herself "Sorry."  
"Another flash?" He asks her.  
Buffy nods, hating the fact that they knew nothing about these random flashes she had started having "They're still there, ever since I got some random calling me and not saying anything. But the flashes are getting less frequent, so no biggy. Anyway I was thinking that I should patrol tonight. You know, possibly, the cemetery, or if you had a better su—" Buffy continues to find herself staring at the hat "Could you please take that off?" She asks.

* * *

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Damon walks into the cellar where Stefan was looking extremely pale, he walks over to his brother and rips the chains off him "Come on." He tells his younger brother.  
Stefan looks up at him confused "What the hell are you doing?"  
Damon rolls his eyes "Look obviously the whole weaning you off the blood thing isn't going to work this time. So...you're going to learn control and I'm going to teach you. So get up."

* * *

Whitmore College

"Dammit!" Bonnie exclaims as she tosses the crystal across the dorm room "I can't find her. Even with blood it's just...Mary's stronger than me."  
Caroline frowns in confusion "How? You have the power of 100 dead witches."  
"I don't have access to them anymore. After I brought Jeremy back to life they stopped talking to me." Bonnie looks over at Elena "I'm sorry Elena. But I'm not gonna stop trying. We'll find her."  
Elena nods sadly "Don't worry about it. We won't give up."

* * *

One Month Later - Sunnydale, California

At the frat party Buffy is getting a drink when the cute TA in her Psych class, Riley, walks over to her "Hi." He says nervously.  
Buffy offers him a small smile "Hi." She says back.

Riley looks down at her nervously "Um...Buffy..." Riley freezes his mind going completely blank "You do the reading on chapter 9?" He asks, internally cursing himself for being such a moron.  
Buffy looks at him confused "Uh-huh."  
Riley smiles "Wow. Some theories, huh?"  
Buffy smiles uncomfortably and looks away.  
Riley tries again but again does something stupid, he holds up a cheese stick towards her "Cheese?"

* * *

Whitmore College

After her date with Liam, Elena heads back into the dorm where Bonnie was currently on the phone "Thank you so much." Bonnie says before hanging up the phone.

Bonnie turns to Elena, clearly very excited "I may have found a way to find her."  
Elena smiles "Really?"  
Bonnie nods "Yeah, do you remember Angel?"  
"Of course."  
"Well, um I did a spell and it turns out one of the people he works with is a psychic, maybe she can find Buffy."

* * *

Mystic Falls, Virginia

"A psychic?" Damon asks in disbelief as Elena fills him in on what she and Bonnie had discovered over the phone "Yeah, right. We'd have better luck with a dog being able to track Buffy."

At the name Stefan turns to his brother "Bu—"  
Damon raises his hand "Shh" He tells him brother before listening to Elena.  
 _"The thing is Damon, the psychic... she works for Angel."_  
Damon's eyes widen "You have got to be kidding me. Yeah we are not asking tall, dark and brooding for help finding Buffy."  
 _"Damon."_ Elena says firmly _"This is the first real lead we have had in four months, please."_

Damon sighs and looks over at Stefan who nods in agreement.  
"Fine." Damon huffs "Looks like we're going to L.A."

Damon hangs up the phone and turns to his brother "You sure you're up for this?"  
Stefan nods "It's Buffy, Damon."

* * *

Los Angeles, California

Elena, Bonnie, Damon and Stefan stare at the building "Angel investigations? You're kidding right?" Stefan asks.  
Damon nods in agreement "Does the guy really like making an ass out of himself?"  
Bonnie and Elena roll their eyes "This is it." Bonnie assures them.  
T  
he four make their way inside where they are stopped by one Cordelia Chase "Welcome to Angel Investigations." She looks them up and down "Paying customers only." Damon scoffs, causing Cordelia to turn her attention to the brothers, the glare on her face is replaced by a seductive smile "Well, hello there. Please come inside."

Cordelia leads the four inside and smiles at the brother "What can I—do for you?"  
Stefan rolls his eyes "We're here to see Angel."  
Cordelia frowns as Wesley appears "Angel doesn't take to visitors." The former watcher informs the group.  
Stefan turns to Wesley "He'll wanna talk to us. It's about Buffy Summers."  
Both of them stare with wide eyes for a second before Cordelia nods "He's in his office."

The four head inside and Angel stands "What can I do for you?"  
Stefan turns to Angel "Where's Buffy?"  
Angel raises an eyebrow "Excuse me?"  
Elena turns to him "Angel, please. We need to find her."

Angel stares at them all confused "Wait, who are you people?"  
Elena frowns in confusion "I'm Elena, we meet in Mystic Falls, last spring."  
Angel shakes his head "I'm sorry but I've never been to Mystic Falls, you've been mistaken. If there isn't anything else..."

Angel moves to the door but suddenly finds himself pinned against the door by Damon "Where is she?!" He hisses  
Angel shoves Damon off him "What do you want with Buffy?!"  
"That's none of your business, now where is she? You got a psychic my guess is you know exactly where Klaus is keeping her."

"Who the hell is Klaus?!" Angel yells angrily "Look I suggest you get out before this goes in another direction."  
The vampires glare at each other angrily, when Stefan realises something "Sorry." He says quickly "Our mistake." He quickly grabs his brother and the girls and runs out of the building.

Damon shakes Stefan off him "What the hell?!" He yells "He knows something."  
Stefan shakes his head "No. He doesn't. Don't you get it Damon. He didn't recognise Elena or me or any of us."

Bonnie turns to Stefan as she realises what he means "You think Klaus erased his memories."  
Stefan nods "Klaus is trying to make this as hard as possible for us to find her. If none of her people remember us, there is no way they will help us. My guess is to them Buffy is absolutely safe and fine. We're on our own on this."

* * *

One Month Later - Chicago

"How is she?" Klaus asks Mary.  
Mary sighs "Well she's engaged to a vampire named Spike thanks to a spell gone wrong."

Klaus chuckles "Things are well on track. Now do we know what is wrong with my hybrids?"  
Mary shakes her head "No. They should be working. Maybe you should have brought the Salvatore boy with you, then you could wake Rebekah."  
Klaus sighs in disappointment "I guess my plans will have to be put on hold. Once Buffy does what needs to be done, things will be different. Then I should be able to create my hybrids." Klaus stands from his seat "Until then...I want you to keep a close eye on those Salvatore boys, I didn't expect the elder brother to be able to fix the ripper so quickly, they are getting too close to my Slayer for comfort. I don't need her around them...at least not yet. They may useful soon but for now I don't want to risk disrupting fate, like you did. **"**

* * *

One Month Later - Mystic Falls

Bonnie sits in the abandoned house trying to speak to the spirits, "What are they saying, Bon Bon?" Damon asks as him and Stefan pace the room impatiently.  
Bonnie looks up and glares at them "Well, they're not exactly thrilled that you're both here."  
Damon rolls his eyes and looks around the house "Oh, come on!" He yells "We all know that you want the Slayer back here. So use your power and help us on out."

For several minutes nothing happens "Screw this." Damon says before heading for the door however suddenly Bonnie screams "Bonnie?" Stefan says as he runs over to her.

"No!" Bonnie yells, Stefan freezes and watches as Bonnie raises her hands, as she does a large ball of light appears in the middle of the room.

The two brothers stare in shock as they watch the ball of light spin rapidly, when it finally slows both of them can see Buffy "Buffy." They both say quietly shocked.  
"What is this?" Stefan asks.  
Bonnie shakes her head "They are showing us something, it's our job to do the rest."  
The three turn and walks as Buffy crashes through the window of an abandoned clock tower building.

* * *

Sunnydale, California

Buffy crashes through the window and crashes into one of the Gentleman's monsters, she kicks the next that comes at her sending it flying across the room, and as another goes for her she merely grabs it and tosses it into the wall.

Buffy then pulls out her crossbow and aims it at the man but as he turns to aim his gun at her she freezes.  
The man was Riley.  
She stares with wide eyes for a second before another one of the monsters runs at Riley he ducks allowing Buffy to do a spinning kick, sending the creature across the room.  
While Buffy fights one of the creatures Riley takes the other.

Buffy sends a kick to the thing's stomach before sending one to it's face, she quickly punches it, then flips it in the air sending it crashing to the ground.  
Buffy notices one of the other creatures stand, she runs over to the rope hanging from the wall and swings herself across the room, she kicks the creature sending it flying across the room.  
Buffy jumps down and notices one of the creatures heading up the stairs, she glances over at Riley before running after the creature.

Buffy gets up the stairs and spots the hearts immediately, however one of the creatures runs up from behind her and kicks her into the room.  
Two more creatures run over to her and the three together hold Buffy.  
The blonde struggles as the Gentleman approach her, one of them holding a knife.

Buffy continues to struggle but suddenly the Gentleman falls, Buffy looks over to spot Riley who had shot them with his gun, Buffy quickly flips herself backwards kicking one of the creatures in the face. She quickly fights off the other creatures and as she facing one, a gentleman sneaks up behind her and cuts into her back, Buffy freezes as the pain hits her, giving one of the creatures a chance to grab a hold of her.

Buffy struggles but then spots the box from her dream on the table, she starts banging on the table trying get Riley's attention. When she does she gestures to the box, he nods but smashes the wrong box, when he smiles Buffy rolls her eyes and gestures to the other box. As Riley smashes it, the creature sends her flying to the floor and the moment she gets her voice back she screams to the top of her lungs causing all of the gentleman's heads to explode.

* * *

Mystic Falls

As the image fades Damon, Stefan and Bonnie stare in shock "Where is she?" Stefan asks.  
Bonnie shakes her head "The witches don't know, that small bit there was all they were able to get. Mary used extremely powerful magic to make sure they couldn't find out where she is."

"So that's it." Damon says angrily "We get that. Her beating up a bunch of creepy ass creatures? How is that supposed to help us?"  
Bonnie sighs "I don't know. I'll keep looking. But..."  
Stefan turns to her in understanding "The longer she's gone, the less chance we'll ever find her. In time Klaus could make it so, that we don't even get small clues. She'll just be gone."

* * *

 **...5 Months Later...**

After months and months of searching and unable to find anything, Damon and Stefan left Mystic Falls, still determined to track down Buffy, while Bonnie, although she had tried everything she could think of, could not find Buffy.  
Elena had started to lose hope and had become more focused on college trying to distract herself.

Bonnie walks into the dorm room and offers Elena a small smile, "Hey." Elena says as she turns to Bonnie, but before Bonnie can say anything else, she collapses and groans in pain, clutching her head.  
"Bonnie!" Elena yells, as she runs over "Bonnie! What's wrong?"  
"The sprits." Bonnie groans as she explains "They found something."


	61. Clues

Sunnydale, California

Willow, Xander, and Giles sit in a circle surrounded by candles "Spiritus...spirit." Willow says as she places the first card into the circle.  
She then hands Xander his card "Animus...heart."  
And finally she hands Giles his card "Sophus...mind." he says as he places his own card in the circle.  
Willow then take the final card and places it in the centre of the circle "And Manus...The hand."

:

Buffy runs into the hidden room in the initiative where Adam was currently watching the monitors "Fun, isn't it?" She asks as she stands in the doorway.  
Adam grins and takes a step towards her "I do appreciate violence."  
Buffy nods "Good." She runs as Adam but he punches her sending her flying to the ground, Buffy quickly rolls herself back up and sends a kick to his stomach, she sends several strong punches to his face, but they seem to have no affect, when she throws another punch he blocks it before tossing her into the wall. He moves towards her and lets the skewer come out of his arm, he aims it at Buffy, but she jumps out of the way before snapping the skewer on her knee and punching Adam in the face sending him toppling back slightly.  
Buffy grins "Broke your arm."

The robot/demon creature grins "Got another." Buffy watches in shock as one of his arms transforms into a large gun "I've been upgrading." He tells her, before aiming the gun at her.  
As he fires, Buffy runs and dives for cover behind the control panel.

:

"We implore thee, admit us." Willow chants "Bring us to the vessel. Take us now." Suddenly all three of them look up with wide eyes.

:

Buffy does the same, and just as the control panel gets blown up she shields herself, Buffy stands her eyes now glowing a bright orange.  
"You can't last much longer." Adam tells her.  
"We can." She says, her voice now merged with her friends' "We are forever." Buffy chants in Sumarian, while Adam tilts his head "Interesting." He says before raising his gun again, as he fires Buffy continues to chant in Sumerian and builds a forcefield around her, blocking the bullets.  
Adam stares shocked "Very...interesting."  
When Adam fires again, Buffy raises her hand transforming the large bullet into a flock of birds, she then raises her hand again causing Adam's gun hand to transform back to it's original form.

Adam looks down for a second before moving towards Buffy, this time when he goes to hit her, she is too fast, every hit he aim misses and she is able to hit him with great force and speed, she then pushes him, causing him to topple backwards. Buffy sends a pick to his chest, causing him to fall to the ground, Adam move to hit her but she grabs his arm and wraps a hand around his neck. Adam stares at her confused "How...can you—"  
"You could never hope to grasp the source of our power." She says before flipping him through the air. As he lands on his back on the ground Buffy sends him back crashing into the wall and sends kicks to his stomach quickly, before shoving her hand into his gut. He tries to fight her off but she manages to yank out his power source "But yours is right here."

* * *

Whitmore College

Bonnie gasps and finally turns to see Elena "I saw her. Buffy."  
Elena's eyes widen "Where is she?"  
Bonnie shakes her head "I don't know, some government facility, I couldn't tell. But I have an idea."

* * *

Mystic Falls

Elena had called Damon and Stefan who were now impatiently waiting for Bonnie in their living room. "What is this about?" Damon asks as Bonnie and Elena walk into the room "We were on a lead. Not the best time for you to call."  
Bonnie turns to the brothers "The spirits, they showed me a way to find Buffy."  
"What?" Stefan asks, shocked "I thought they didn't have the power to find her."  
Bonnie nods "They didn't. But things are different now?"  
"Wanna explain that?" Damon asks.  
"The spirits can sense surges in power. There was one, a big one...in Sunnydale."

Damon's eyes widen "He kept her in plan sight."  
Stefan frowns "But we talked to contacts in Sunnydale. There was nothing." Bonnie nods "Klaus is smart he knew that we would doubt that he would bring her there, he made sure no one was aware that she was back, he knew that after that we wouldn't think of Sunnydale because we all thought he needed her now. But..."  
Elena interjects "Mary said, that things needed to be set right. Buffy was never meant to come to Mystic Falls, she was never meant to leave Sunnydale."


	62. Buffy vs Dracula

Two Week Later – Sunnydale, California

Buffy runs through the cemetery dodging and running around the dozens of graves, as she manages to build up her speed she gets closer to the vampire, currently trying to escape from her.

Buffy places her foot on a grave and pushes herself upwards, she manages to tackle the vampire to the ground and quickly rolls herself back up. The vampire tries to stand, however Buffy sends a quick powerful kick to his face sending him spinning through the air before he lands on the ground.

The vampire quickly stands and runs at Buffy, he swings his leg out but Buffy easily deflects it, she crouches to her knees and swings her leg around sending the vampire toppling to the ground. Buffy spins herself back up and pulls out the stake from her back pocket. Buffy quickly does a front aerial knocking the vampire back down making his attempt to stand futile, and before he can fight back Buffy drives the stake into his heart.

Slowly Buffy stands and a grin covers her face as she feels the adrenaline pump through her body and the satisfaction of the kill.

Stefan and Damon watch as Buffy places the stake back in her pocket before heading off in the opposite direction. Damon moves to follow her but Stefan grabs his arm, "What the hell are you doing?" Damon asks.  
Stefan sighs "It's been a year Damon. We don't know what Klaus did to her. We need to observe for now. Plus it's best if Elena is the first to approach her but first we need to wait to hear from Bonnie. She's gonna make sure Klaus is no where near here, you know what Buffy would do if she found out we risked Elena's safety to help her."

Damon rips his arm from Stefan's grasp but nods in agreement "Blondie would kill us for sure. Fine. We watch, find out what Klaus did to her, my guess he's got her on some happy pills or something." Damon takes a deep breath and turns his attention back to the blonde currently leaving the cemetery "One thing for sure, girl hasn't lost her touch."

* * *

Damon paces the hotel room as he watches Stefan speak to Elena on the phone  
"We found her." Stefan tells the cousin.  
 _"She's there?"_ Elena asks, so shocked that she almost couldn't believe it " _She's okay?"_  
Stefan nods "From what we can see, yeah. But after so long...who knows what Klaus has manipulated her into believing, we don't know how long Klaus has left her in Sunnydale but he could have left her alone, because he did something to her."  
"Like make her go all psycho murder-y if she sees us." Damon says.  
Stefan sighs "We're gonna watch her today, see if Klaus has anyone watching her and the moment Bonnie says we're good, you can see her."

Stefan hears Elena take a shaky breath and figures she is most probably crying in joy right now _"Take care of her."_  
"Will do." Stefan assures her, before hanging up the phone.  
Damon, who was now getting extremely impatient turns to his brother "You done spreading joy now?...Good, now to the beach."

* * *

Damon and Stefan sit on the beach and watch as Buffy catches a football before jumping around in joy "Ha!" They hear her yell "Touchdown! Oh, yeah. Go, team me!"  
Stefan turns to watch as Buffy tosses the ball back to tall man "Who that guy?" He asks, the underlining jealously evident in his voice.

Damon turns and the same look covering Stefan's face begins to take form on Damon's "The doof? Not sure."  
"Anybody ever told 'team you' the quarterback throws like a girl?" They hear Riley ask.  
Damon shakes his head "Not a good idea." He mutters as the doof tosses the ball back to Buffy.

Buffy frowns "I do?" She asks her boyfriend.  
Riley shrugs, so Buffy tightens her grasp on the ball and throws the ball at Riley with more strength, however it seems at though it was too much, as the moment the ball hits Riley he falls.

While Damon chuckles Buffy stares with wide eyes "Ohh! Uhh. Oh, sorry."

The smile falls from both brothers' faces as they watch Riley stand and run over to Buffy lifting her off the ground.  
Stefan's eyes widen as he watches Riley kiss Buffy "Well that explains that." Damon says, his eyes also wide "Seems that whatever Klaus did, got her to cheat on you. Just not with him."

As Riley finally places her down Buffy is about to follow him back to her friends however she freezes, she gets an odd feeling that someone was watching her, she turns her direction to where Damon and Stefan were seated only to see it empty.  
Buffy frowns in confusion, she was so sure she had felt something, something she hadn't felt since the call about her aunt Jenna and the haunted house.  
"Buffy, come on." Riley says.  
Buffy shakes her self back to earth and takes Riley's hand before she follows him back up the beach.

"Did she see us?" Damon asks his brother from their place in the bush, Stefan shakes his head as he watches Buffy take Riley's hand, with a frown on his face "No. Don't think so."  
Both brothers sneak back out of their hiding place and sit back down before continuing to watch the blonde vampire slayer.

"Game over?" They hear Willow ask.  
Riley nods "Uh, Buffy slayed the football." He tells the red head as he raises the football before tossing it to the ground.

Stefan turns his attention to the red head "That must be Willow."  
"Willow?" Damon asks.  
"The witch slash best friend."  
Damon nods "What so she's the Bonnie of this...what did Buffy call it...oh yeah, Scooby gang." Damon looks over at the different members of the group, he points at Xander "That's the Jeremy. Constantly almost gets himself killed." He then points at Anya "The Caroline, never shuts up and can be annoying as hell."  
Stefan sighs "Damon..."  
The older brother merely shrugs "What? I'm trying to catch up sooner. I'm just waiting for the Rick of this town to show up."

"Ignis Incende!" The brothers hear Willow yell, they turn to see the fire suddenly appear on the grill, Damon whistles "Definitely the Bonnie. Girls packing some major power." Suddenly it starts pouring in rain "Or not." Damon says as him and his brother watch Buffy and her friends run off.

* * *

"I'm still confused." Stefan says as him and Damon talk in the hotel room "I mean, Klaus knows she has powerful friends here. Why send her back?"  
"For all that prophecy crap." Damon mumbles as he sits on the chair with his feet propped up on the table.  
Stefan sighs "I don't know. We haven't seen anyone out of the ordinary watching her, and Klaus is no where in sight. Why would he abandon her here, when he did all that to get her and not have someone watching over her."

Damon shrugs "Whatever he did to her, must be big. I mean she's not running, whatever he did, he's confident enough in it that he can know she won't run."  
"He could be threatening someone." Stefan suggests.  
Damon shakes his head "Who? He thinks Elena is dead, plus it doesn't explain why she has hooked up with the doofball...maybe you pissed her off last time you saw her."

Stefan glares at his brother "Shut up, Damon."

* * *

"She didn't slay this often back in Mystic Falls." Stefan says as him and Damon observe Buffy fighting a vampire.  
Damon looks Buffy up and down "She didn't wear leather that often either. I like it." He says, while smiling approvingly at the blonde.  
Stefan glares at his brother before turning back to Buffy, the two watch as Buffy knees the vampire in the stomach before jumping on his back.

As Buffy fights the vampire neither of the brother's notice the fog moving towards them.

Buffy sends a kick to the vampire's face sending him down to his knees however when she spins and swings her leg around he grabs her leg and lifts her off the ground before tossing her away.  
Buffy rolls herself back up and runs at the vampire; she jumps up, wrapping her legs around his head before twisting her self to the side, causing them both to go ground. Buffy quickly gets up though and stakes him.

Stefan and Damon watch as Buffy stands and heads toward the exit of the graveyard, both of them move to follow her, however they freeze when they hear someone speak "Very impressive hunt."

Stefan and Damon turn to see the man standing watching Buffy intently "Such power."  
Damon frowns in confusion "Whose this douche? Count Chocula? I mean what's with the accent?"  
"Shh." Stefan hisses "You forget, she hears just as well as us."  
Damon rolls his eyes and turns his attention back to Buffy and the pale tall man.

Buffy grins at the man "Who are you?"  
"I apologise." He tells her "I assumed you knew. I am Dracula."  
Buffy's eyes widen in excitement "Get out." She says, at the same time that Damon says "No way."

Damon turns to Stefan "Dracula, freaking Dracula. Now way. I mean come on, first vampire hybrids now these."  
Stefan sighs "We're not in Mystic Falls anymore Damon, we're on the Hellmouth now, things are drawn here things that are a lot better at staying hidden than us it seems."  
"Look I'll admit Bram Stroker is right about most things, but Dracula, hell no. This is a joke."  
"Why don't we just watch." Stefan suggests, getting annoyed.  
"Fine." Damon moans before turning back to the blonde vampire slayer and Dracula.

"So let me get this straight. You're...Dracula, the guy, the count." Buffy asks clearly not believing it.  
"I am." Dracula says simple.  
"And you're sure this isn't just some fan-boy thing?" She asks "Cause I've fought more than a couple...pimply, overweight vamps that called themselves Lestat."  
Damon chuckles "Told you he wasn't the real deal."  
Stefan sighs and looks at the vampire intently "I don't know."

"You know who I am." Dracula says, "As I would know without question...that you are Buffy Summers."  
The Slayer smiles "You've heard of me?"  
"Naturally."

Damon scoffs "Stalker much."  
Stefan argues, "She's the slayer, my guess everyone knows who she is."

The two turn back to the vampire and slayer as they hear Dracula speak "I came to meet the renowned killer."  
"Yeah, I prefer the term slayer. You know, killer just sounds so—"  
"Naked?"  
"Like I paint clowns or something. I'm the good guy remember?"  
Dracula tilts his head "Perhaps, but your power is rooted in darkness. You must feel it."  
Buffy sighs "No. You know what I feel? Bored." Buffy moves forward to stake the vamp only to fall to the ground as he disappears in mist.

Damon turns to Stefan "Okay, maybe you were right. But what the hell?"

The two turn back to notice that both Willow and Xander were now standing with the blonde "Nice." Xander says as he turns to Dracula "Look who's got a bad case of Dark Prince Envy."  
"I have no interest in you." The dark prince tells him "Leave us."  
Xander decides to mimic him "No, we're not going to leave you."

Damon raises an eyebrow "Maybe he's like a mix of Donovan and Jeremy. Would explain the amount of stupid."  
Stefan sighs "Damon..."  
Damon rolls his eyes and turns back to see Xander now standing behind Buffy, looking over at Dracula fearfully "Hey, sorry, man. I was...just jokin' around."

"This is not the time." Dracula says, his focus completely on Buffy "I will see you soon." He tells her before transforming into a bat.

* * *

Damon and Stefan stand outside Buffy's house as the blonde slayer sleeps.  
"What is it with crazy old vampires being obsessed with blondie?" Damon says, the bitterness evident in his tone of voice.  
"She is the Slayer." Stefan says, never taking his eyes off the blonde's bedroom window.  
Damon sighs and finally stops pacing before leaning against the tree "Are you sure that's her room?"  
Stefan nods "Yeah. She used to tell me about her home here, and all the times she snuck out to patrol before her mom knew the truth."  
Damon is about to comment when the two see fog move towards Buffy's window  
"Is that—" Stefan asks.  
"Yep. Dracs is a real creep. But then again you're still technically her boyfriend and you're stalking her, who's the bigger creep."  
Stefan rolls his eyes and watches as the fog backs away from the blonde's window "Guess he doesn't have an invite." Damon says with a shrug.

Slowly the fog comes back to the ground before forming into Dracula, he looks over at the brothers "You should not be here." He tells them "You're kind are not welcome on the Hellmouth."  
Damon shrugs "Yeah, well I love to do things I'm not allowed to. Sorry pal."  
"Silence." He tells them, both brothers, suddenly the two find themselves unable to speak. At that moment the front door opens and out steps Buffy, Dracula turns to the brother "Don't move. I have other things to attend to, more important then you two."

Dracula slowly makes his way to Buffy "You are magnificent." He tells her.  
Buffy gasps and turns to face him, slowly she relaxes "I bet you say that before you bite all the girls."  
He looks at her as though hypnotised himself "No. You are different. It seems as though I am not the first to realise so."  
He says as he glances at Damon and Stefan who were glaring at him angrily, Buffy moves to turn but Dracula's voice stops her "Kindred."  
Buffy glares at him "Kindred? Hardly—"  
"Pull your hair back." He tells her cutting her off, against her own will, Buffy moves her hair away from her neck, she looks up at him nervously "This isn't how I usually fight. You think you can just waft in here with your music-video wind...and your hypno-eye—eyes—"

"I have searched the world over for you." He tells her "Much like another has. But I have yearned for you." He moves in closer to her, while Stefan and Damon both fight to be able to move "For a creature whose darkness rivals my own." He touches her check and she flinches as he tilts her head to get a better view at her neck, he places his hand over to scar "You have been tasted." He tells her.  
"He was—"  
"Unworthy. He let you go" He says, cutting her off "But you have also been bounded, to another." Dracula looks at her closely "You don't remember the bound, but the first...the embrace...the bite...you remember."

Buffy looks at him confused, completely oblivious by what bond he was talking about, her eyes however widen as he mentions the mark Angel had left on her. "No."  
Dracula leans in closer "Don't fight." He tells her, as both Damon and Stefan fight against all might to try and break free "I can feel your hunger." Buffy does as he says and stays still as he bites into her neck.

* * *

"Okay, I get compulsion. But what the hell!?" Damon yells at the computer as him and Stefan speak with Bonnie and Elena.  
Bonnie sighs _"I did some research, Dracula uses some sort of gypsy magic thats why he can manipulate others, it's powerful stuff. Never figured it would work on Buffy."_  
 _"Is she okay?"_ Elena asks.  
Stefan nods "She's fine. Dracula didn't drain her, he just let her go."  
Damon frowns as he sees the look on Bonnie's face "What?" He asks "Is bite number four fatal or something?"  
Bonnie sighs " _I did some reading into Dracula after Stefan told us he was in town. And well, Dracula would rather have a connection with his victims, those powers of his help to draw them in."_  
Damon rolls his eyes "Get to the point Bon Bon."  
 _"Well he goes through the motions of an intimate seduction, the end result is the same—he turns them into a vampire."_

Stefan's eyes widen "Wait, what?"  
 _"My guess that Dracula will be paying Buffy another visit soon."_

"Like hell he will." Damon says "What is it with these immortal vampire dicks trying to make Buffy their evil queen."

Bonnie sighs _"Look I'm still working on the spell to find out Klaus' location but you need to be aware that Dracula, well he tends to form a relationship with his prey. So he'll come for her. It's not enough for him to take her. She must want to be taken. She must, what's the word – burn for him."_  
Elena nods " _If he bit her, he's got that connection, we had a look and after he bites most of the women that tends to be when they become more drawn to him."_  
Stefan looks over at the slayer's cousin "How do we find him?"  
 _"He's like Damon. Look for the doucheiest place in town."_  
Damon glares at the brunette "Buffy was a bad influence on you."

* * *

"How did we not realise there was a damn castle in this town?" Damon asks as him and Stefan stand outside the large property.  
"Well we weren't exactly planning on staying long. This was supposed to be a simple grab Buffy and get her home plan."  
Damon nods "Ahh yes, well hopefully the little witch can figure out how to fix whatever hypno crap Klaus has done to make her think that everything is a ok in Mystic Falls."

The two head inside the castle and slowly try to make their way through the building, "What can I do for you both?" Dracula asks as he appears behind them.  
Damon turns to him, quickly hiding the shock "I think the question is how can we help you...die."  
Damon runs at Dracula but ends up crashing into the wall as Dracula disappears in a fade of mist. "Dammit. I hate this town." Damon mutters as he stands.  
"Get in line." Stefan says before the mist appears behind him, Stefan turns and raises his fist, but before it can land Dracula grabs Stefan's arm and throws him into the wall.  
"You are unworthy of such a creature." He tells the brothers.

"Master?" Dracula hears Xander say as he moves towards the room.  
Dracula turns to the brother "I have no use for either of you at the moment. Stay." He tells them before making his way into the main room.

"Buffy?" Stefan breaths as he spots her follow Xander into the room.  
"I deliver the Slayer." Xander tells Dracula.

Buffy walks into the room not noticing Damon and Stefan who were hidden in a dark corner of the room trying to move.  
"She who you most desire. Sorry. Whom." Dracula turns to him "So now comes the immortality, right? You do the thing and—"  
"Leave us." Dracula tells him "We must not be interrupted. And take those out that way." He says gesturing to Damon and Stefan before pointing at the door in the darkened corner.  
Xander nods obediently "You bet." He walks over to the brothers not bothering to look at their faces and drags them out of the room the last thing they hear as the door closes is Dracula "I knew you'd come."

* * *

The further they get away from the room the more the brothers are able to move, once far enough Damon shoves Xander off him keeping his face in the shadows. Xander turns to them "No. You need to come with me, that's what the Master says, so that I can be immortal."  
Damon rolls his eyes "Yeah, not gonna happen, we're going back."  
Xander holds his ground "Well, you'll have to go through me."  
Damon grins "Okay." He says before slamming Xander's head into the wall.

"Damon!" Stefan yells as Xander collapses to the ground.  
Damon rolls his eyes again "Guy was asking for it. Now come let's go save the slayer in distress." He says before walking back down the hall, in the direction of the main room.

The two are just about to enter the room but as they open the door they spot Dracula flying through the air, before landing painfully on the table with a grunt.  
Damon frowns "What the—"

"That was gross." The two hear Buffy say flatly, they turn their attention to her as she walks over to Dracula who was now standing again "You are resisting." He says clearly unhappy.  
Buffy tilts her head "Looks like."  
Damon grins "There she is."

"Come here." Dracula orders the blonde "Come to me."  
"You know, I really think the thrall has gone out of our relationship. But I want to thank you for opening up my eyes a little."  
Dracula arches an eyebrow "What is this?"  
Buffy smirks "My true nature. You want a taste?"

As Dracula runs at her Buffy jumps over him, Stefan moves to walk in to help but Damon stops him "Let her have her fun, man." Damon turns and watches as Buffy kicks Dracula into a corner before kicking the crap out of him, the oldest brother grins "Just watching this."  
Damon hisses as he watches Buffy get thrown backwards into the wall "Ouch."  
"Damon, we need to help her." Stefan tells his brother.

Damon gestures to Buffy who swings her leg out kicking Dracula, who lands on his back on the table "She's got this."  
Buffy slams a torch onto the table, but Dracula quickly rolls away, Buffy looks over at him "A guy like you should think about going electric. Seriously." She tells him.

Dracula glares at her before turning back into smoke, Buffy watches intently as the smoke moves, once she realises where it's going she runs grabbing her stake before jumping onto the next level and staking him. Dracula gasps "How do you like my darkness now?" She asks before ripping the stake out letting his body turn to dust.

Buffy slowly makes her way down the stairs she is about to head for the door however she freezes, she turns to a darkened corner of the room and slowly walks towards it, feeling drawn to it somehow.

Stefan and Damon watch as Buffy moves towards them and begin to look for an escape however luckily for them her attention is taken away, as Riley runs into the room.  
Both brothers watch for a moment before slowly heading out through the backdoor.

* * *

Buffy stands by Dracula's remains and waits for him to arise, the moment he does Buffy drives her stake into his chest "You think I don't watch your movies? You always come back." She says sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.  
Buffy folds her arms as she watches the remains begin to rise again "I'm standing right here." Immediately the remains fade.

Buffy grins happy with her work, she is about to head for the exit when a gust of wind goes past her and suddenly the candle in the room is blown out. The room darkens and turns almost pitch black as another gust of wind goes past her blowing out the torch on the wall.  
Buffy clutches the stake in her hand tighter "You know the speeding thing is creepy right?" She calls into the darkness.  
She hears a man chuckle "You've said that before."  
Buffy arches an eyebrow "And you've just upped the creepy level right up. Why don't you show yourself?"  
Damon and Stefan step forward, Buffy frowns as she is unable to see them properly but only able to see their silhouettes "It's good to see you again, Buffy." Stefan says.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Look whoever you guys or things or whatever's are I'm really not in the mood, so let's just get this over with."

Before Damon and Stefan could do anything, Buffy runs towards them, she jumps upwards in a double split kicking both of them in the face.  
As she lands she turns to Damon who grabs her arms "We're not gonna hurt you. We just wanna talk." He tells her, Buffy shrugs "Not much of a talker." She says before head butting him in the face.  
Damon grunts in pain, but then Buffy grabs his arms and spins herself around and tossing him into the opposite wall.  
Buffy turns to Stefan "Buffy..." He says softly but she simply sends a kick to his stomach sending him backwards "Sorry guys, I'm not big with super speedy creatures who trap me in a castle and won't show their faces."  
Buffy walks into the hall and grabs the torch before tossing it into the room with the brothers and locking the door behind her.

"Dammit!" Damon mutters "Girl's gotten a hell of a lot stronger in the past year." He stand and his eyes widen as he spots the fire beginning to grow in the room "What is it with this family leaving us to die in fires."  
Stefan turns to his brother and drags him to the window "Come on." He says as the fire gets closer to them. The two then dive out of the window.

* * *

Stefan opens to motel door to reveal Bonnie and Elena, his eyes widen "What are you guys doing here?" He asks as he pulls them inside "Klaus could be—"  
"Klaus hasn't been in Sunnydale in over a year." Bonnie says interrupting him.

Damon walks into the room "What? That doesn't make sense."  
"It's true." Elena tells them.  
"I did a spell." Bonnie tells them "I was able to track all the places Klaus has been, he hasn't been in Sunnydale since a week after he took Buffy."  
Damon arches an eyebrow "Are saying that Buffy has been here the whole time, without Klaus watching her?"  
Bonnie nods "I think so. I just don't know what he did to make her stay away. But my guess if he hasn't been paying her visits it's because he is trying to set things right like he said. My guess him being here now complicates things, so I figure he's got a witch showing him visions of Buffy from time to time, but other than that he is keeping his distance. At least for now."

Elena steps forward "Which means, it's safe for me to be here."  
Stefan sighs "Elena..."  
The brunette interjects "Bonnie did a spell, it's like a glamour or something, no one will know I'm here unless they are here themselves." Elena folds her arms "Now, I want to see my cousin."

* * *

After speaking to Giles, Buffy is in her room getting ready to head out with Riley, she heads down the stairs and is about to head out the back door when she hears a knock at the front door. She frowns and looks down at her watch momentarily, she sighs before closing the back door and heading towards the front of the house.

Buffy pulls open the front door and spots four people standing at her doorway, two girls around her age and two men.  
"Buffy" The Elena breaths as she sees her cousin for the first time in over a year "You're okay?"  
Buffy frowns in confusion "Looks like."  
Before Buffy can say anything else Elena throws her arms around Buffy in a tight embrace, Buffy's eyes widen "Woo, okay. Stop."

Buffy pulls Elena off her, Elena sighs "I'm sorry, it's just I was so worried. And I've missed you."  
"We all have." Bonnie tells her.

Buffy looks between the four of them and says something they could least suspect "I'm sorry, I'm missing something here. But...um...who are you people?"


	63. Real Me - Part 1

Elena's face falls as Buffy speaks "Who are you people?" The blonde asks.

The four of them stare in shock as Buffy stares at them unable to recognise them, Elena shakes herself keeping the tears buried "I'm Elena...Elena Gilbert."

Buffy's eyes widen "Gilbert?-You're my cousin. Sorry, it's just been a busy...well year. What are you doing here?" Buffy looks around for a second at the others "Sorry, I'm being rude, why don't you guys come on in."  
Buffy pulls the door open and let's the four enter the house, she leads them into the living room, she turns to Bonnie and holds out her hand "Hi, I'm Buffy."  
"Bonnie." The witch says forcing herself to take Buffy's hand.

Buffy then turns to the brothers "I'm Stefan." Stefan says, slowing taking Buffy's hand resisting the urge to never let her go, Buffy smiles "Buffy."  
"Damon." He elder brother says as Buffy, turns to him.

The blonde smiles "It's nice to meet you all." She says before taking a seat.  
"So what can I do for you, Elena?" Buffy asks "I mean, you haven't actually been down to Sunnydale in...well ever."  
Elena stutters "Well—I—I."

"Miss Self Righteous here, is transferring to UC Sunnydale." Damon says, giving Elena a pointed look.  
Elena turns to Buffy "That's right. After all that's happened in Mystic Falls I just kinda need a break. Me, Bonnie and Caroline we all need it."

Buffy arches an eyebrow, she watches the older brother Damon a moment before turning back to her cousin "What about..." Buffy scrambles her thoughts trying to remember the name of Elena's brother "...Jeremy?"  
Damon interjects "Gilbert Jr will be joining soon."  
Buffy turns to him "You really like answering questions not directed to you, don't ya?"  
Damon smirks "Yep." Buffy rolls her eyes and turns back to Elena "So what do you need from me?"  
Elena glances over at Bonnie, who nods telling her to play along "I was hoping me and Jeremy could maybe stay here for a while."  
Buffy hesitates, she really didn't like the sound of this "This town is not exactly the safest place, a lot of...let's say weird stuff happens."  
Elena chuckles "Living in Mystic Falls is not exactly as uneventful as you think."

Buffy sighs, she wasn't exactly comfortable letting people she barely knew stay with her, but...Elena and Jeremy were her only family. Buffy, had managed to keep her mother out of danger for a long time, she could do it again. Buffy looks up at Elena and smiles "Sure. Might be nice living with someone again."  
"What do you mean?" Stefan asks.

Buffy looks down sadly "Well after my mother passed, my dad was given custody but he's not exactly the best father figure so...I emancipated myself, been living on my own ever since."  
Elena is about to say something however Buffy's phone buzzes, Buffy glances down and closes her eyes "Dammit. I'm late." She says, she turns to Elena "I'm so sorry, but I have to go meet my boyfriend Riley, um..." Buffy grabs the spare key off the side table and hands it over to Elena "Here's a key. You guys can stay and hang out, I won't be gone too long, but um when I get back I'll show you around and I'll sort out the spare rooms for you."  
Buffy gives them a wave before quickly heading out the front door.

Stefan stares at the door in shock, his heartbreaks as he realises that she doesn't remember anything.  
"She doesn't remember." He says quietly "How—how is this possible?"  
Elena who looks as miserable as him, turns to face Bonnie "Bonnie do you know what's going on?"  
Bonnie shakes her head "I'm not sure. Klaus can't compel her, it must be a spell, something to erase her memories."

"Mary." Damon hisses "She had some potion or whatever could erase memories but..." Before Damon finishes he's sentence he storms out of the room slamming the front door behind him.

* * *

Stefan heads after his brother, "How did you know?"  
Damon turns to him "What?" He asks annoyed.  
Stefan steps closer and crosses his arms clearly not happy "How did you know about that potion."  
Damon rolls his eyes "That's none of your concern brother."  
"Fine. But if you knew why didn't you tell us Klaus had access to something like that?"  
Damon shrugs "I don't know. I was a bit to preoccupied with everything else going on!"  
Stefan glares at his elder brother "Really?! Or was it just so that you could use it on her with none of us finding out!?"

Damon moves closer to his brother and glares at him "What did you just say to me?"  
"Don't play dumb Damon. We all know that you would have compelled Buffy to leave me the moment you meet her but you couldn't. This little potion just made it that much easier for you to try and steal –"

Stefan is cut off when Damon punches him in the face, Stefan growls a him and moves to attach but suddenly both brothers grab their heads.

"Enough!" Bonnie yells as she steps outside her hands raised as she keeps both brothers from tearing each other apart.  
Bonnie sighs "We don't have time for this so deal with your crap later."

Bonnie releases them both and the brothers glare at each other "We're not done here." Stefan tells him.  
"Time and day brother." Damon says simply before moving for the front door.

* * *

"So what do we know?" Elena asks the group as she paces Buffy's living room.

Stefan leans forward resting his arms on his knees "Well, after Buffy showed up Mary did something, the last thing I remember was Klaus saying something about a deal."  
Elena turns to Damon "Did Buffy say anything before she left?"  
Damon shakes his head as he stands by the fireplace "Nope. Just 'I'm Sorry.' After Katherine showed up and told her that Stefan needed his ass saved she took off." Damon pauses "But...Katherine said that Klaus had a offer Buffy couldn't refuse, which means..."  
"She may have let him erase her memories. Why would she do that?" Elena says with a sigh as she takes a seat next to Bonnie.

Bonnie thinks for a moment "It's Buffy. Think about it, she never does anything, unless it has a really good reason. Damon was already cured so I don't know why but...Klaus left Mystic Falls right after Buffy would have made this deal with him. Maybe she did it to make sure he wouldn't find out about you and to keep him away from the rest of us."  
Elena turns to the brother "But if Buffy doesn't have her memories how does Klaus expect to—"

Damon turns to the brunette, cutting her off "Well, murdering her aunt and cousin and threatening to kill everyone she loves isn't exactly the way to make her want to be Mrs. Klaus. My guess it had something to do with this destiny crap, first to make sure she doesn't run off and put him back in the position he was in before, but it also means he gets a second chance to win her over."  
Stefan turns to Bonnie "Is there anything you can do, a spell?"

Bonnie thinks for a moment "I don't know, I don't know a lot about potions, I may be able to write a reversal spell, but...I would need a sample."  
"A sample?" Damon asks confused.  
The witch nods "To understand exactly what he did to her, and if it's permanent I need to see the potion, there's a spell that might work on it and it will tell me how it works."  
"How are we supposed to get this sample?" Elena asks  
Bonnie shrugs "I don't know. There are only two people who may have some."

"Mary and Klaus." Stefan says with a sigh "Find out what you can, we'll see what we can do about finding that sample."

* * *

"So she just showed up?" Willow asks Buffy, as her, Riley and Xander as well as Xander stare at the blonde.  
Buffy nods as she paces Giles's apartment "Oh, yeah. With a ton of her friends."

Riley turns to his girlfriend "I don't get it, I mean you haven't seen this girl since you were kids."  
"I know." Buffy says as she nods in agreement "I know nothing about her. She knows nothing about me, but now her and my other cousin want to move in with me...what the hell am supposed to do? I mean Sunnydale, not exactly a place I would recommend moving to—all the death, demons and vampires not exactly that inviting."  
Giles sighs "Well, we can safely assume that your cousin and her friends don't know the truth."  
"The G-Man is right." Xander says causing Giles to groan "I asked you to resist from calling me that."  
Xander shrugs and just continues "Look anyone who knows about this stuff, knows that the Hellmouth is not the place to be. Too big with the brewing evil."

"I guess." Buffy says with a huff before flopping down on the leather chair "I just...how am I supposed to keep them safe. I tried that with my mom and that almost got her killed by Darla and Spike and..."

Giles turns to his Slayer interjecting "Buffy, you are perfectly capable of protecting the people in your life. You kept your mother out of supernatural harm for years, I'm sure you can keep your cousin's safe until Elena decides she is ready to go home."  
Buffy takes a deep breath, finally calming as relief washes over her "Yeah, I'm sure she'll want out of this town soon enough, I mean who would ever want to stay here."

* * *

A few hours later the Mystic Falls group were sitting in Buffy's kitchen, when the blonde slayer finally re-entered the house. Buffy had snuck in through the backdoor hoping to get a few more moments to think about how she was going to deal with this.

"Hi Buffy." Elena says, shocking Buffy out of her thoughts, Buffy turns to the brunette "Elena, guys, hey. Sorry that took so long, a friend of mine needed help.

Buffy smiles awkwardly "Hey guys, so um..." Buffy tries to think of what to say "...um, you said your friends were moving here as well, where will..."  
Bonnie interjects "Me and Caroline are staying at the dorms. Elena wanted to stay with Jeremy so..."  
"And we've got a house near by." Stefan informs  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Wait...you're all moving here? I mean I get it's sunny and all but you do realise this town has like the highest death rate in south California, right?"  
Damon shrugs "Yey. I've lived in worse places."

Buffy rolls her eyes "I doubt that..." She pauses "Look, it's late you lot can all stay here tonight. Deal with your house or dorms stuff tomorrow." Buffy quickly moves around to the fridge and pulls out the leftover box of pizza and quickly takes a bite of the half eaten slice, she turns back to the ground "Sorry, starving, slay—studies make me hungry." Buffy groans internally as she almost spill the fact that her and Riley had done a quick patrol after meeting with the gang. The blond takes a deep breath and quickly downs the rest of the pizza before turning to Bonnie and Elena "There are two spare rooms, you guys can bunk up." Buffy turns to Elena "Either of them your boyfriend?" She asks gesturing to the brothers.  
Elena shakes her head in a panic "No! –I mean no. My boyfriend is in Whitmore still."

Buffy arches an eyebrow at the panicked reaction her cousin gave her before sighing "Okay then. Well I guess girls bunk up and guys do the same." Buffy stares the four of them for a few more moment before yawning "You know I'm beat, so I'm gonna crash. I'll see you guys in the morning. Night."

* * *

Buffy woke up at about 2am and sighed "Again really?" She groans before slipping out of the bed, she quickly grabs her jacket and her stake before heading down the stairs. Buffy walks through the kitchen and slips out the back door not noticing Damon following her out a few moments later.

Damon follows Buffy through the graveyard and watches as she comes up behind some guy "Looking for me?" the blonde asks before punching the man in the face.  
The man turns to her and growls, his true vampire form revealing itself.  
Buffy grin's "There we go. Knew you were in there."  
"Slayer." The vampire growls before moving to attack her, however the vampire was young and Buffy quickly managed to knock him down, the vampire glared up at her angrily "Things here were great until you returned, you never should have come back."  
Buffy smirks before grabbing him and driving the stake into his back "And they say one person can't make a difference."

As the vampire turns to dust Buffy frowns "Did he say returned and came back?" She asks herself, she thinks hard for a moment and suddenly has a flash of a house, not one she recognised, however she shakes herself "Damn flashes. I'm going insane. He's obviously taking about L.A." Buffy assures herself before walking  
Damon watches Buffy frown in confusion and stares at her with interest, as she seems to suddenly zone out, is she remembering something was all he could think.

However as she shakes herself and speaks that glimmer of hope inside him falters and he can only stand there as she walks away.


	64. Real Me - Part 2

"There is nothing but you." Giles says softly as he circles Buffy, who stands in the centre of the room, her hands planted on the wooden log "You are the centre. And within you, there is the core of your being, of what you are. Find it. Breathe into it. Focus inward. Let the world fall away. Fall away. Fall away."

Buffy's eyes snap open and she pushes herself up into a handstand, balancing on the log, she listens carefully to the soft hum of the crystal in the corner of the room and slowly starts to raise her right arm to the side. A she balances on one arm she takes slow and steady breaths, nothing able to break her concentration.

Suddenly a loud ringing goes off and Buffy slips, she crashes to the group with a gasp.  
"What the bleeding hell?" Giles asks as he walks over to help Buffy.  
Buffy groans "This is why I preferred living alone. No distractions." She says simply as she picks up her phone to see a missed call from Elena.

* * *

"She's on her way." Elena tells the group as she hangs up the phone.  
Stefan nods "Okay, everyone just remember don't say anything, we have no idea what she's been through in the past year, she could hate vampires even more than she did the first time around. We need to be careful."  
"We got it." Damon says annoyed "No vampire talk, yadyada. We done now?"

Before anyone can say anything the back door open and in steps the girl in question, she waves at them "Hey guys."  
Bonnie turns to Buffy "How was your run?"  
Buffy offers the young witch a small smile "Great, I'm actually gonna go shower."  
Buffy is about to head out the room when Elena stops her "Buffy, do you have plans today?"

Buffy freezes and sighs "I'm sorry, I have this...tutor session thing for one of my classes."  
Elena nods disappointed "It's okay. I guess we can explore the town then."  
Buffy hesitates "Sure. I'll meet up with you guys at around 4..." Buffy says as she remembers that sunset is at 5.30 "...then we can go get a late lunch or something, get to know each other better I guess."  
Buffy offers everyone in the group a small smile before quickly escaping upstairs.

As the blonde disappears Elena sighs "Well that went well."  
Damon chuckles "Just back to where we started all right. She wants nothing to do with any of us. Just like old times. Is it weird I miss her threatening to castrate me?"  
Bonnie, Elena and Stefan all ignore Damon and continue to try to think about what to do next.

* * *

"So..." Stefan says as he paces the kitchen "...we need to find this potion right. There's no way Klaus will give it to us, but maybe...we could persuade Mary."  
Bonnie raises an eyebrow "Why would she help us? She hates us."  
Damon interjects "But she hates Klaus more. And last I saw, she was his little bitch, my guess she wants off that leash."  
"But how are we supposed to find her?" Elena asks.

"I..." Stefan starts however he stops once he spots Buffy walking into the room, he gazes at her, soaking up every aspect from her more golden blonde hair to her eyes, he had missed her, was all he could think.

Buffy offers them all a smile before moving towards the fridge "So what are you guys doing today?" She asks trying to deal with the awkward silence.  
Elena opens her mouth however nothing comes out so Stefan speaks up "Just touring and dealing with moving stuff."  
Damon nods in agreement "Yeah, moving large boxes. So fun." He says sarcastically.

Buffy chuckles slightly "Yeah not big with the moving either, why do you think I decided against dorms this year. Too much effort plus I'm always carrying the heavy stuff. Not good for my nails."  
Elena giggles as does Bonnie, however everyone's attention is drawn to the living room as the front door bell goes off.  
Buffy frowns in confusion and moves into the hall, Elena follows as do the others.

Buffy opens the door and smiles as she spots Riley, "Hello Gorgeous." He says as he steps inside the house.  
Buffy chuckles "Suck up."  
"What?" He asks, acting clueless "You're a gorgeous woman."  
Buffy smiles before leaning up to kiss him deeply.

Stefan and Damon stare at the couple not happy, Stefan coughs hoping to get the couple to break apart.

Buffy who had not realised that the others had followed her, reluctantly pulls away from her boyfriend and turns to the group "Guys this is my boyfriend, Riley. Riley this is my cousin Elena and her friends."  
Riley shakes Elena's hand "It's lovely to meet you."

Stefan and Damon continue to glare at Riley, Stefan steps forward "I'm Stefan." He says as he holds out his hand towards Buffy's boyfriend, Riley turns to her ex and smiles "You too." He takes Stefan's hand, Stefan squeezes his hand tightly, not hard enough to do any damage but hard enough to make Riley flinch slightly.

Buffy offers the group a small smile "I'll be back in a minute." She takes Riley's hand and leads him into the other room, Riley twirls her as she walks. The blonde smiles up at him "Well, this is a surprise of the nicest kind."  
"Now it's my turn to be surprised." He says as they take a seat "I thought we had plans today."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Plan? We planned plans?"  
"Well, you said, uh, 'Come over tomorrow and we'll hang.' And then I said, 'okay.' Not the invasion of Normandy, but still a plan."  
Buffy nods "Right."  
Riley watches her intently "We're not hanging today, are we?"  
"Giles is on his way to pick me up."  
Riley nods in understanding "Oh, slayer training."  
"Slayer shopping, actually." She says before peaking into the hall to make sure the group weren't there "Plus I got to make sure they don't get themselves killed."

Riley smiles, the disappointment evident on his face "Okay, well, we'll hook up later."  
"Are you mad at me?"  
"No, not at all. I'm plotting your death but in a happy way."  
Buffy smiles, relieved "Good."  
"Now, look, Buffy, I know what this means to you. And I get you now have to deal with these...complications..." He says gesturing to the hall "...I'll see you tonight."  
He leans forward and kisses her softly before standing "Bye." He says as he heads for the door "It was nice to meet you all." Riley calls into the house before exiting.

* * *

Once Buffy had left Stefan turns to Bonnie "We need to track down Mary and now."  
Bonnie sighs "I'm trying. Something's blocking me."  
"Well keep trying." Damon tells her.  
Bonnie glares at him before moving out of the room back upstairs, Elena turns to him "You're an ass." She tells him.

The brunette sighs "Look I get this is hard for the both of you, it's hard for me too, but you are not making this any better. This isn't about the two of you being jealous this is about my cousin. Buffy needs our help, so get your asses together, stop pushing Bonnie to do more than she can, and actually do something."  
Elena takes a deep breath "I'm going to go around town, and see what we can learn about what's happened in the past year."  
Elena picks up her bag and walks out the room, as the door closes behind her the brothers turn to each other.

"She's right." Stefan says.  
Damon huffs, unfortunately agreeing with his brother "So what do we do?"  
"Well if there is one person who knows where Mary would be...it would be the closest thing she has to family."  
Damon scoffs "Katherine. And how are we supposed to find her, girls like a ghost."

"I can find her." Bonnie says as she appears at the top of the staircase "Katherine will be easier to find then Mary. I'll do a locator spell using some of Elena's hair, their blood related so it shouldn't take too long."

* * *

"I understand your predicament Buffy." Giles says as the two drive towards the magic box "But I'm certain that Riley understands better than anyone else...the importance of training. And in terms of dealing with your family showing up, I'm certain that he understands the new complications you have."  
Buffy sighs "Yeah. I know, Buffy train, Buffy keep family and families' friends from getting killed yadada, must sacrifice own personal life."

Giles glances over at his young Slayer "Buffy, you cannot think of it like that—"  
Buffy interjects as she stares at the list of books "There's a lot of books on this list. Any of them come on tape? You know, read by George Clooney or someone cute like that?"  
"You're entering a new realm here, Buffy, one for which I myself am not entirely prepared." Giles tells her, their previous conversation now forgotten "Are you ready for this commitment?"  
Buffy chuckles "I'm just kidding. Hey, this Betty's ready. Colour me committed."

* * *

Elena is walking through town and heads to the library "Excuse me." She says as she approaches one of the workers "Yes?" The female worker asks as she turns to the brunette.  
Elena offers her a small smile "I was hoping to look at the archives of newspaper reports from last year."  
"Oh." The woman says "Yes. Um...follow me." The woman leads Elena into the back room "This computer here can help you, just go to the search box use key words, it's really simple, it will search all the newspaper reports from the last few years."  
"Thank you so much." Elena says as she moves to take a seat.  
"No problem honey. Just let me know if you need anything else." The woman smiles at Elena sweetly before leaving the room.

Elena turns to the screen and immediately starts searching, she starts by searching for information on UC Sunnydale.  
She looks back not finding much until about 4 months after Buffy had disappeared.

Elena read the report slightly horrified as she reads about the poor man murdered at the college frat party, she looks through the paper and spots an image of the scene and sees one of Buffy's friends in the background.  
Elena moves onto the next article and this one is weirder than the last, people losing their voices, people missing hearts.

As she searches and starts putting together the pieces of Buffy's last year, from a sort of massacre of people on Thanksgiving, to a young child being gutted and ripped apart.

"Oh, my god." Elena breaths as she stares at the articles.

* * *

Buffy looks over at Willow nervously before blurting it out "I can't take Drama with you."  
The witch's eyes widen "What? You promised."  
"I know but Giles—"  
Willow cuts her off "The hell with Giles."  
Giles turns to Willow "I can hear you, Willow."

Willow keeps her focus on Buffy "Drama is just Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. You can blow off training Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, can't you?"  
Buffy sighs "Look between school, my relatives showing up and training, I just don't have the time. Plus what happened to 'People gotta respect a work ethic'?"  
"Other people, not me. There's a whole best friend loophole." Willow sighs "Also speaking of reasons why your ditching me when do we finally get to meet said relatives?"

Buffy groans "Can we just pretend that you already did?"  
Willow shakes her head "No you took away drama from me, so I get this. Tonight. Dinner at yours we'll order pizza or something."  
Buffy huffs "Fine. But this is so not fair."

"Shop's kinda dark." Tara says drawing Buffy and Willow's attention "Maybe it's closed."

* * *

"I found Katherine." Bonnie says as she approaches the brothers.  
"Where is she?" Stefan asks.  
Bonnie points down at the map "Windy City."  
Damon raises an eyebrow "What the hell is she doing in Chicago?"  
"Not how this works." Bonnie tells them "I did my part, you do yours." She then walks out of the room.

Damon leans back in his chair "Now which one of us, is Katherine obsessed with, who she is likely to do anything for them if he flashes a small smile her way?" Damon asks tapping his chin pretending to think carefully.  
Stefan sighs "Damon..."  
"Look I'm just being realistic. If she's was gonna help either of us out, it would be you. So I suggest you go."

Stefan scoffs "And leave you here alone with the girls and Buffy? Not a chance."  
Damon waves him off "Hey! I'm reformed. Don't worry bout the girls Bon Bon and doppelcousin ain't my type anyway, plus if I let anything happen to either of them a certain blonde is likely to, what's the word she liked to use...oh yeah, castrate and or maim."  
Stefan rolls his eyes "Fine. But I don't trust you around Buffy."

Damon shrugs "Oh come on, it's been a year brother. You still this insecure? I mean clearly she's moved on."  
"Don't play with me Damon." Stefan hisses.  
Damon rolls his eyes and stands turning to his brother "Look, don't worry. I'll be on my best behaviour, plus this version of her clearly hates me. So what do you have to be worried about?"

* * *

Elena is walking through the town when she spots something that catches her interest, inside the Magic Box she spots Buffy and her group of friends, Elena moves closer to try and listen in on their conversation but suddenly someone grabs her and tosses her against a car "What are you doing here?" A man asks as he stares down at Elena "You're one of many faces, shouldn't keep reappearing."

Elena frowns and tries to move away but he grabs her arm "You appear across time. Shouldn't happen."  
Elena tries to remove her arm but when he still refuses to move, she elbows him in the face and twists his arm behind his back before slamming his head against the door knocking him unconscious.

Elena sighs and takes a deep breath, extremely grateful for the training from both Alaric and Buffy in basic self defence.

"Elena!" Buffy says as she appears in the doorway, "What happened?" She asks as she spots the unconscious man on the ground, Elena tries to think "Grabby creep."

Buffy walks over and taps the man "You knocked him out cold. You've got training."  
"Basic self defence. I had Alaric start training me after you—I mean after my aunt died."  
Buffy nods sympathetically "You okay?"  
"I'm fine. Just gonna head back to the house...I'll see you tonight?"

Buffy gives her a small smile "Yeah. Tonight."

* * *

After making sure Elena was out of sight Buffy heads back inside the magic box "Looks like my cousin is a bit of a badass."  
Willow turns to her "What?"  
"Elena was outside, knocked some creep unconscious when he got too grabby." Willow nods in approvable before Buffy speaks again "So,what do we know, other than the obvious multiple vamp thing?"

Willow walks around from the counter holding a large book "Well, I've cross-checked the inventory list, and things are definitely missing. Mostly books..." As she speaks Buffy walks over and looks over the witch's shoulder at the book "...including _A Treatise on the mythology and methodology of The Vampire Slayer._ "

As she speaks Buffy pulls out her list of books and spots the same book "Oh, shoot. Was that the only copy?"

Giles glances over at his slayer "Come on, Buffy. This could be very serious. Whoever's leading this pack of vampires...appears to be interested in learning more about you. Perhaps searching for weaknesses or—good lord." Giles says as he stares at the book in his hands.  
"What?" Buffy asks.  
"Well, I had no idea the profit margins...on a shop like this were so high."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and zones out as she ignores Giles's fascination with the shop.

"I'm gonna go help Riley Patrol." Buffy says.  
Willow turns to her "Aren't you forgetting something? You're on relatives duty."  
Buffy groans "Oh dooey."

Buffy's attention is finally brought back to Giles as she spots him staring at an empty case "Oh hello." He says intrigued "Something's been taken from this case. Look here."  
"What'd they take?"  
"I should think an item of-of value...or-or power, possibly even—"  
Willow cuts in "A unicorn. Ten-inch ceramic unicorn imported from Thailand."  
"Was it valuable?" Buffy asks.  
"List price, 12.95"  
Giles continues to stare at the empty case "Which begs the question, what kind of unholy creature...fancies cheap, tasteless statuary?"

* * *

Buffy pulls the door open "Xander thank you so much." The blonde says as she lets her best friend in "No problem Buff. Actually looking forward to meeting the fam."  
Buffy chuckles "Come on." She closes the door and leads him into the kitchen "Wil is coming over later."  
"Anya too."  
Buffy nods and turns to Elena and Bonnie, who are sat in the kitchen "Hey guys. This is Xander."  
"Ladies." Xander says with a little bow "How do you do?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Stop being a doof."  
"I cannot. The doofness must be shown."

Elena and Bonnie chuckle as does Buffy, the blonde turns to her cousin and her friend "A couple friends are gonna be over in a bit they all wanna meet you..." Buffy looks around the room and notices something "Where are the brothers?"  
Elena's eyes widen "Um...Stefan and Damon they...Stefan is going to see a...friend, Damon's just dropping him off at the airport."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Okay. Look I got to pop back out for a bit, but feel free to talk with Xand, learn about Sunnydale and stuff."

"Where are you going?" Bonnie asks, curious.  
Buffy takes a deep breath "Just gonna go help a friend of mine with something. Shouldn't take too long. You guys gonna be okay?"  
Xander turns to the slayer "We'll be fine. We're just gonna play with matches, run with scissors, and take candy from some guy. I don't know his name."  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement before heading out the backdoor.

* * *

As the two brothers approach the airport Stefan turns to his brother "Look I may not like this but...I'm trusting you with this, with her. Take care of her Damon."  
Damon raises an eyebrow at his brother "She can take care of herself brother."  
"You know what I mean Damon. Elena doesn't realise, but if Buffy get's her memories back all at one... all that grief and pain is going to come rushing back to her. It will cripple her."

Damon looks at his brother intently "Do you want her to get her memories back?"  
"Of course but...I don't know if it's the best thing to do, maybe gradually giving her the memories back, but maybe...maybe she's better off without her memories."  
Damon scoffs at his brother in disbelief "What happened to the Stefan who yesterday wanted nothing more than to get his girlfriend back?!"  
"She's happy Damon."  
"What? So we just offer her up to Klaus?"  
"Of course not, but after what Elena found out, she's been through too much. Finding out all of the stuff that happened...she will be re-living it all over again. I don't want to do that to her."

Damon sighs "Look, just go find the crazies we'll figure out everything else later. But brother...with Klaus looking for her, she's gonna be able to protect herself better if she knows the truth."

* * *

"So what's it like living here?" Elena asks, as her Bonnie sit with Xander, Willow and Anya.  
Xander looks over at Willow and chuckles before answering "Eventful could be a word used."  
Willow who was currently watching Bonnie frowns, she could feel some immense power coming off that girl, she turns to Xander "Xander, can you come help me get the food."  
Xander shrugs, completely oblivious to what was happening "Yeah, sure."

"So where's the food?" Xander asks as he walks into the kitchen.  
"There is no food, Xander." Willow says causing him to pout "The girl Bonnie. Xander, I think she's a witch."  
"Willow that's ridiculous."  
"Xander, I don't know what it is, but I can feel power coming off of her. It's old and powerful, more powerful than anything else I have ever felt."

* * *

"I think Willow knows I'm a witch." Bonnie says to Elena the moment the other two are gone.  
Elena turns to her "What? How?" She asks worried.  
"Grams always said that witches could sense others. She must have sensed me."  
"Plus the fact that you have the power of 100 dead witches I'm guessing doesn't help you hide." Elena says with a sigh "So what do we do?"  
"Well if Willow knows then we may have to tell Buffy. Not everything, but at least that we know about witches."

* * *

As Buffy and Riley troll through the cemetery, Buffy continues to complain "This is exactly why I live alone, I mean having to lie to people constantly about where I'm going sucks. Plus it's always where you going, Buffy? What you doing, Buffy?...a few days ago I didn't have to shield anyone from anything."  
"Like dead shop keepers." Riley says simply.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Look Elena didn't even get near the place, look I just...I'm not used to this."  
"Not used to what?"

Buffy sighs and takes a deep breath, hesitating slightly "I've been alone for the past two years, no family to protect from the supernatural and now..."  
Riley nods, finally understanding "Now you have an older cousin, a younger cousin and all her friends to protect. With the rest of us, you know that we're careful cause we understand the danger were as they..."  
"Don't." Buffy says in agreement "Look I'm sorry for venting all this on you."  
"Hey feel free to vent away, that's why I'm here."  
"Good to know." The blonde says with a smile "I don't know I just. There is a reason that I didn't contact these people. I didn't want to bring them into this, they get to be normal, why in the hell would they come here."

* * *

As Elena, Bonnie, Willow and Xander sit in Buffy's leaving room they continue to discuss things, mainly life in Sunnydale.  
"So your high school blew up, right?" Elena asks, remembering what Buffy had told her about the ascension.  
Xander nods "Oh yeah, that was one hell of a graduation, just glad it wasn't ours." He says with a chuckle.  
"So what about your graduation?" Willows asks.  
Bonnie smiles sadly "We actually didn't go to ours, too much was going on."  
Willow nods, keeping a close eye on the other witch "So you guys go were going to Whitmore right?"  
Elena nods "Yeah, I'm a medical student, Bonnie studies Psychology."  
Xander pipes in "See I still don't get it. College, it's just like high school why would you wanna do that. Join the real world."  
Willow smirks "Say Xander what's your temp job this week."  
"Still in construction ma'am."

Suddenly a rock is thrown through the window, causing everyone to gasp, Xander quickly stands and walks over to the rock ,which has a piece of paper around it.  
He unwraps the paper and reads the note, before turning to Willow 'Slayer, come out and die.' Willow reads, her eyes widen, however before she can say anything a voice from outside interrupts her.  
"I'm waiting for you, Buffy!"  
Elena raises an eyebrow "What's going on?"  
Xander peaks out of the window and spots Harmony with her gang "I know you're in there!" She yells frustrated.  
"Xander?" Elena asks again.  
Willow gives Elena a small smile "Um...well you see, um well...Buffy will explain."

* * *

Elena and Bonnie listen from the kitchen to Xander speaking with the blonde "You'll just have to come back and kill Buffy later." They hear Xander say, causing both of their eyes to widen.  
"Vampire." Elena mouths, suddenly both girls hear Xander laughing.  
"Is he laughing?"Bonnie asks in disbelief before listening.  
"What's so funny?" They hear Harmony asks.  
"Nothing." Xander says, continuing to chuckle "What could be funny? Just, look out! It's the terrifying Harmony gang! Ooh!"  
"Stop laughing!"  
Elena rolls her eyes and turns to her best friend "This town is so weird."  
Bonnie nods in agreement before frowning "We gotta call Damon."

* * *

"Wait so Buffy doesn't remember anything?" Jeremy asks Damon, after he had picked him up from the bus station.  
"Yep." Damon says as he focuses on the road "Clean slate and all that."  
"Nothing? So not Vicki, not Klaus, not Jenna?" The human teenager asks, still in shock.  
Damon sighs "No. Klaus had a witch create new memories, she knows Jenna's dead, that's bout it."  
"Well how do we fix it?"  
"Well bon bon is looking into that. And Stefan's visiting the bitch witch misses, while I'm stuck babysitting."

Jeremy sighs sadly still in shock as to how this could have happened. The two sit in silence as they drive back to Sunnydale until Damon's phone starts ringing "What?" He says as he answers it."  
Suddenly a frown covers Damon's face, "Dammit, I'll be right there. Whatever you do don't do anything stupid." He says before he hangs up the phone and presses down on the excelerator.

* * *

Buffy sits on the counter listening to Xander, as he finishes she bursts out in laughter "Harmony—Harmony has minions?" She asks, barely able to breath due to the laughter.  
Xander nods "Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction."  
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She says clearing her throat "It's just—" The blonde can't hold it in and continues laughing "Harmony has minions."  
"And ruffles have ridges. Uh, Buffy there's actually something else to this little tale."  
"I sure hope so, 'cause I'm having trouble breathing." She clears her throat and tries to act serious "What is it?"  
"Well, she did come here to kill you."

Both Buffy and Riley burst out in laughter, "Buffy..." Riley says, barely able to contain his own laughter "...come on. They have killed once that we know of. She could be a threat to you."  
Willow interjects "Especially now that you have a cousin living under the same roof, and her witch best friend."  
Buffy freezes "What?"  
"Buffy, Bonnie's a witch. And she's powerful, could sense the power the minute I met her."  
The smile falls from Buffy's face "Where are they?"  
"Upstairs."

* * *

Buffy walks into the guest room and glares at both Bonnie and Elena "So wanna tell me what you're really doing here?"  
Elena and Bonnie quickly stand and turn to the blonde "Buffy, we can—"  
Buffy cuts her cousin off "Cause here's what get's me, you invite an extremely powerful witch to the Hellmouth and I'd figure with the amount of power your carrying you know exactly who I am. And trust me when I say, you really don't wanna lie to me again."  
"We didn't lie." Elena says "We just decided it was best you didn't know. And we know that being who are means that you were keeping your secret to protect us, that's why we didn't push."  
Buffy crosses her arms "So you know about witches, let me guess Mystic Falls not exactly supernatural free."  
Bonnie nods "Honestly more than we like."  
"Then why come to the Hellmouth, That's what this place is, supernatural creatures practically migrate from here."  
"The wanting to get to know my family part wasn't a lie, neither was leaving Mystic Falls. " Elena says trying to convince her cousin.  
Bonnie speaks up "We didn't know how many things would be here, and we didn't know your friends we were just being cautious."

Buffy frowns "Look you and Jeremy are my only family, so...I'm not gonna kick you out, unless you lie to me again. So tell me is there anything else you are keeping from me."  
Elena moves to tell her about Damon and Stefan but freezes "I—No, nothing else."  
Buffy nods "Good. Look I wanna trust you, both of you, but I don't know you, so just follow my rules until I can, don't go out after dark by yourself. I can't lose anyone else. I can't be there to protect you all 24 hours a day. I just can't."

* * *

A little while later Damon arrives with Jeremy "Miss Summers." He says as he spots Buffy standing with Bonnie in the kitchen.  
Buffy turns to Bonnie "Let me guess he knows."  
"Yep."  
"Question why did you not barbecue him or at least turn him into a more decent person."  
Bonnie chuckles "Tried to barbecue him but yo—A friend stopped me. Anyway Damon's a dick but he cares too much about someone who loves Elena so he's useful to have around."  
Buffy smirks "So he's whipped by some mystery girl?"  
"Pretty much. Also she happens to be he's brother's girl."  
Damon who was still standing there, glares at the girls "I can hear you."  
"We know." Bonnie says.  
Damon turns to the witch "What did you guys tell blondie here?"  
"That we know about the supernatural, okay Damon."

Buffy rolls her eyes "I really don't like you." She says as she walks past Damon and over to Jeremy "So you're my younger cousin right. Younger and extremely taller cousin." She says as she looks up at him.  
Jeremy grins at her "Yep. I'm Jeremy."  
Buffy smiles "Okay Jeremy come on, I'll show you to your room."

The moment Buffy is out of the room Damon turns to Bonnie "Where's Elena?"  
"Here." Elena says as she walks into the room.  
Damon nods "Good saves me the effort of yelling at you from a distance." He says before grabbing her arm and pulling her outside.

* * *

"What the hell did you tell, Buffy?!" Damon yells once they are in the back garden.  
"Damon—"  
The vampire cuts her off "No, Elena. I specifically said not to tell her anything!"  
"We didn't have a choice." Elena exclaims "Willow knew Bonnie was a witch and then a group of vampires showed up, what else was I supposed to do, Damon."  
"I don't know, play dumb." He says angrily "It's what you do with your boyfriend, so you should be used to it by now."

Elena glares at him angrily before speaking "Buffy knew something was up, I told her what we know without telling her about you and Stefan, be grateful for that. I could have told her and she would have killed you. This version of Buffy doesn't remember that she loves Stefan or that cares about you, she's like she was when she first came to Mystic Falls, Damon. And you remember how well that always ended for you, getting your ass kicked and life threatened, this time she won't have anything holding her back."

Damon glares at her once more before storming inside, Elena just watches him go angrily. After a few minutes she takes several deep breaths and finally steps towards the house.

As she does Anya who had come into the house a few moments before spots Elena outside "What are you doing, it's not safe out here." Anya says as she walks over to Elena.  
Elena nods "Yeah, I know. Sorry, coming in now."  
"You're right. It's not safe." Mort says as he appears out of the darkness, a smirk on his face.  
The large vampire then punches Anya in the face sending her flying into the kitchen before grabbing Elena.

* * *

"Anya!" Xander exclaims as him Buffy and Riley enter the kitchen, to spot her passed out with the backdoor wide open.  
"Vampires took—" Anya mumbles, no one able to understand her as Riley examines the injury "This head wound looks bad. We'd better get her to a hospital."  
"They took her."  
Xander kisses her forehead "Easy, Anya, Shh."

Buffy moves to dial 911 when Anya's voice stops her "Elena." The ex demon mumbles.  
Buffy's eyes widen and she makes her way to Anya's side "Elena? What about Elena?"  
"She was outside. They took her. Vampires."  
Buffy begins to panic "Oh god, oh god." The slayer turns to Riley and tosses him to phone "Uh, take care of Anya."  
"Buffy!" Riley exclaims as she runs out the house.  
Buffy keeps going "Here a couple days and she's already in trouble, that's a real welcome to the Hellmouth."

* * *

Buffy kicks down the door at Spike's crypt violently causing it to slam open, Spike turns away from his TV to face the blonde "Well, speaking of dishes, to what do I owe this unpleasant—"  
Buffy cuts him off by punching him in the face, sending him crashing into the wall "Ow! Bloody Hell!" He exclaims, as she grabs the front of his shirt and glares at him "I don't have time for banter, Spike. My cousin just got the Sunnydale welcome, which means I need information."  
"Didn't know you had a little cousin." He says causing Buffy to punch him in the ribs.  
"This one is older. Now where's Harmony's lair?"  
Spike glares at her "Haven't seen her in months. How should I know—ow!" He exclaims as she punches him in the nose.  
"Where is she?"  
"At least lay off the nose." Buffy raises her first again "Okay, okay!" He says panicked "Used to have a cave in the north woods. About 40 meters past the overpass construction site." Buffy nods before punching him again "Ow!" He screams as she turns to head for the door "I was telling you the truth!" He yells.  
"I know." Buffy says simply as she exits the crypt.

* * *

"They don't respect me." Harmony tells Elena, who is currently chained to the wall "They pretend they do. But deep down they think I'm nothing. I mean, I'm the one who put this group together. Me. But they treat me like I don't even matter. Do you have any idea how that feels like."  
Elena rolls her eyes "I know how it's gonna feel when you die."  
Harmony just continues on, Elena's comment not even registering in her head "They have no idea how much pressure I'm under. I have to make all the hard decisions. And it's hard."  
Elena just continues to stare at her "You talk a lot. Seriously I've never heard someone complain so much, I don't even do that and my entire family is dead. You are like the most stereotypical blonde ever."  
Harmony glares at her "Hey! You're not supposed to be like Buffy. You're supposed to be all weak and...scared like."  
Elena scoffs "Yeah, I've meet worse. Hell when you watch your cousins ex-boyfriend...or current boyfriend that's still really confusion...anyway when you watch him all Ripper like, makes some one like you look just like an innocent puppy."

At that moment Harmony's 'gang' enter the cave, she turns to them annoyed "Excuse me. I didn't hear anybody knock."  
Mort focuses on Harmony "We've been talking it over and we decided we don't like this plan."  
One of the other vampires interjects "Except for Brad. He abstained."  
"Oh, really?" Harmony asks "You have a plan you like better?"  
Elena chimes in "A plan which isn't as obvious?"  
Harmony turns to her "shut up. I'm being the boss right now."  
"We're gonna feed on the girl." Mort tells both women "And kill you. Maybe not in that order."  
Harmony struts forward confidently "I don't think I like your attitude, Mort. Kill him for me." She says, but none of the other members of the group move "All right. You're all on my list."

Mort moves towards Harmony and she backs away fearfully "Th-this isn't fair. Okay, so things haven't been perfect. I just need a little more time to grow into my leadership role."  
"Time's up." Mort tells her before grabbing her by the throat.

As Mort drags Harmony away one of the vampires approaches Elena, as he gets closer Elena headbutts him before kicking him the chest "I'm the cousin of a slayer, do you really think I don't know anything."  
The vampire groans slightly before looking up at her "Doesn't matter your not very strong like your little, cuz."  
Elena glares at him and as he moves to touch her she backs away "Touch me and my 'little cuz' is gonna kill you."

The vampire grins before tapping her slightly with his finger, when nothing happens the rest of the vampires beginning chuckling. Suddenly the one in front of Elena gets an arrow through the chest before bursting into dust. Elena's eyes widen "Huh, that different from the other kind."  
The vampires in the room all turn to face Buffy, "Can't say she didn't warn him." Buffy says as she looks at all the vampires.  
Harmony turns to Mort "And you didn't like the plan."  
Buffy turns to Elena "You ever seen a vampire die?"  
"More than I like."  
Buffy nods in agreement "Okay, well if you wanna close your eyes I get it, this isn't gonna be pretty."

Buffy turns back to face Harmony who approaches her "So, slayer, at last we meet."  
"We've met, Harmony, you half-wit."  
Harmony chuckles "I'm the half-wit? Um, excuse me, but looks who's fallen into my—"

Harmony is cut off as one of the vampires runs at Buffy with an axe, the blonde slayer ducks under the axe as it is swung at her, she then slams her fist into the vampires fist and grabs the axe cutting off his head, as another vampire runs at her she merely swings the axe again, easily decapitating him. Harmony stares with wide, fearful eyes "Trap."  
Buffy moves towards the female vampire "Harmony, when you tried to be head cheerleader, you were bad. When you tried to chair the homecoming committee, you were really bad. But when you try to be bad, you suck."

Elena notices Mort come up behind Buffy "Buffy, behind you!"  
Buffy swings the axe around, but Mort catches it and sends a strong punch to Buffy's jaw, he then grabs the axe and slams it into her back, causing Buffy to fall to the ground.

Elena watches fearfully and desperately tries to pull at the chains.

Buffy stands quickly as Mort tires to bring the axe down on her, she sends an uppercut punch to his face, before grabbing a large piece of wood, she swings it at him but it breaks in two as it makes contact with him.  
Mort manages to punch her again, but when he goes again Buffy ducks and swings her leg out sending him flying into the wall.  
He manages to knock her down to the ground again and then tosses her across the room.

Buffy groans in pain before quickly standing as Mort approaches her, she ducks his next hit and leaps into a front arial kicking him the face, she throws another punch at him but somehow he manages to get his hands around her neck, he lifts her off the ground and holds her up off the ground. Buffy struggles but spots the wooden unicorn next to Mort. Buffy comes up with an idea and places her feet on Mort's chest before pushing backwards, sending herself into a triple back tuck out of his grasp. The moment she lands on the ground she grabs the unicorn and drives the horn through Mort's heart turning him to dust.

Buffy breaths heavily and looks down at the unicorn in disgust before tossing it the the ground and making her way over to Elena. Buffy picks up the axe and spots in front of Elena "You may be older than me, but you are in so much trouble. I'm just glad you already knew about this stuff, otherwise that would be a complicated conversation."  
Elena nods in agreement "Yep. Been through the explanation of vampires before, did not enjoy it."  
Buffy nods and swings the axe at the metal chains attached to Elena "So here's my question, you know about all this stuff, yet my one rule, you can't follow. Don't go outside after dark, especially not in the middle of the night. Not that hard to do."  
"I know." Elena sighs "I'm sorry, Damon just pissed me off."  
Buffy chuckles "I'm guessing he does that often."  
"You have no idea."  
As Buffy continues to hit the chains she speaks "So looks like you've had a proper Sunnydale welcome. You got kidnapped, attached by a vampire and almost died. Seems about right."

* * *

"This place is so..." Elena tries to come up with a word as he and Bonnie look around the Magic Box.  
"Awesome." Bonnie finishes "Do you know how hard it is to get even a 16 tenth of these ingredients in Mystic falls. This is like a witch's dream house."  
Buffy chuckles before turning back to Giles "Giles, are you sure about this?"  
"Why wouldn't I be?" He asks.  
"Well, aside from the fact that...most magic shop owners in Sunnydale have the life expectancy...of a spinal tap drummer, have you run a store before?"  
Elena raises an eyebrow "That's really morbid." Elena then turns to Giles "Wait you bought a store, with no prior experience?"  
Giles nods "I was a librarian for years. This is exactly the same, except people pay for the things they don't return. It'll give me focus, help increase my resources, and it'll prevent you lot from trampling all over my flat at all hours. There may even be some space for you to train in the back."  
Buffy sighs "Boy, you've really thought this through." She says as she follows him to the back room "How bored were you last year?"  
Giles frowns at the memory "I watched Passions with Spike. Let us never speak of it."  
Buffy chuckles before turning to Bonnie "Don't let Elena get kidnapped again." She jokes.  
Bonnie smiles "Looks like I'm on Elena patrol."  
Elena sighs "I'm older than both of you."

* * *

Chicago

Stefan moves through the busy streets heading to the townhouse Bonnie had told him about. He hesitates slightly, hating the fact that he had to do this, but it was for Buffy. As he heads up the stairs to to the entrance, he presses the bell and waits patiently for an answer.  
"Hello?" A female voice, much softer and kinder than that of Katherine's, asks.

Stefan raises an eyebrow at the voice before speaking "Hi, my name is Stefan Salvatore, I'm looking for Katherine Pierce."  
"There's no one here by that name." The voice says urgently, a hint of fear evident in her tone of voice "Please leave."

Stefan tries to argue but the woman cuts the connection "Dammit!" He exclaims as he slams his hands onto the wall. He storms down the stairs and heads into the back alley way, looking for a way inside, suddenly he is grabbed from behind and finds him self pinned to the wall "Hello, Stefan." Katherine says an angry smirk on her face "You just couldn't stay away, could you?"


	65. The Replacement

"I wish I had something food-like to offer you guys, but the hot plate's out of commission." Xander says as him, Anya, Riley, Buffy, Elena, and Jeremy sit in his basement, watching TV.  
"We think the cat peed on it." Anya says, not taking her eyes off the screen.

Xander looks over at the brother and sister and frowns as they look completely zoned out "What's with the new members of Summers clan?"  
Elena turns to Xander "We're still..."  
"Processing." Jeremy finishes "I mean...a demon, robot?"  
Xander nods "Ahh, see Buffster gave you some of the deets from the past year. Oh did she tell you all about what happened with her and Spike—"  
"Shut it, Xander, or lose something." Buffy says, not looking up from her book.

Xander gulps and turns back to the TV screen but not before winking at Elena and Jeremy, causing them both to chuckle.

At that moment a door slams upstairs, causing a look of misery to cross Xander's face "Huh. Guess the folks are back." Something makes a crashing noise upstairs as Xander's parents yell loudly "No, no. I was wrong. Just incompetent burglars."  
As the yelling continues everyone begins to become very uncomfortable, Xander sighs "Yeah, maybe it's definitely time to start looking for a new place."  
Jeremy nods "Dude, that time was like a year ago."  
Xander turns to him "Hey! I've been...well not exactly busy, but that's not the point. Anyway, I need something a little nicer. Buffy, you've been to hell. They had one bedrooms right?"

Everyone turns to Buffy who was still completely engrossed in her history book, Jeremy turns to Elena "Is she possessed?"  
Elena shrugs "I don't know. But this is weird."  
"You're right bout that. Buff?" Xander says in agreement before again trying to grasp the Slayer's attention.  
Riley sits forwards and moves closer to his girlfriend "Hey, Buffy, how's that book? Full of Zippy dates and Zesty names?"  
"I'm fine." Buffy says flatly, clearly not hearing a word he had said.

Riley smiles before leaning over the blonde and placing his hands on her book "Hey!" She says "I'm enjoying the studying."  
Elena turns to Buffy and looks at her closely before turning back to Jeremy "Looks like Buffy, doesn't sound like Buffy."  
Riley nods "They're right. Give it up and watch the movie."

Buffy thinks for a moment before closing the book "I guess it has been a long day with the crusades. I could take a little break from the violence for some—" Buffy looks up at the screen and a grin covers her face "Oh, fighting."

As they watch the show Elena can't help but get a sense of déjà vu, it's then that she realises why this situation seems so similar, it reminded her of the first week after Buffy moved in with her, Jeremy and Jenna. She and Buffy had been watching a martial arts film with Buffy pointing out all the flaws in the choreography.

At that moment Buffy's voice cuts through the air "Oh, give me a break! Uh! This is all wrong. See, first you would get the big guy, like, a flying kick, then you would take out all the little ones—bam, bam. See? Now with the flying kick. From a dead stop. What's powering it? Raw enthusiasm?"

Buffy sighs before her head starts to hurt slightly, the moment her eyes close she gets another flash, the first one's she's had in months:

 _Buffy walks down the stairs to see a dark haired brunette girl sitting on a couch watching a kung fu movie. Buffy looks around the room and can't recognise any aspect of it, however, there is something oddly familiar about the room, she then looks down at the girl whose face is blurred, as though something is blocking Buffy from seeing the girl's identity._

 _Buffy sits down next to the girl and as they walk the film Buffy can't help but get fed up with the fighting choreography "Oh, give me a break! Uh! This is all wrong. See, first you would get the big guy, like, a flying kick, then you would take out all the little ones—bam, bam. See? Now with the flying kick. From a dead stop. What's powering it? Raw enthusiasm?"_

 _Buffy sits back irritated but the other girl bursts out in laughter, struggling to catch her breath._

 _Buffy turns to the faceless woman "What? What did I do?"_

 _The brunette slowly calms down before speaking "Buffy...you're so weird but don't worry it's in a good way."_

 _Buffy can't help but smile before giving the woman a little bow "Thank you, thank you very much." Soon Buffy is laughing too._

 _After a moment the laughter dies out and Buffy looks over at the girl "Thank you..." Buffy tries to say the girl's name but for some reason, she just can't and she goes on "For making me laugh, it's been awhile."_

 _Buffy can feel the sadness reflecting off the other woman before she is pulled into a tight embrace._

Buffy's eyes snap open, and she groans slightly "Buffy?" Riley asks concerned.  
"Another flash?" Xander asks.  
Buffy nods slightly "Yeah. Lot more talking in this one though. And just sitting, much like now."  
"That's the first one you've had in months." Riley says slightly confused as to why the flashes were starting again.  
Buffy stretches slightly "Maybe I'm just tired. Don't worry, I'm sure it's just a fluke."  
Riley and Xander look unconvinced, but their attention is drawn to Jeremy "Flashes?" He asks confused.

Buffy nods "Yeah. Been happening ever sense I found out bout Jenna. Not that often though, just little flashes, a conversation, a Halloween party, I'm sure it's just something to do with the slayer dreams. Powers decided let's have a party in Buffy's head."  
"Your head must hurt like hell. Come here." Riley says as he starts rubbing her shoulder again.  
As Buffy moans enjoying the treatment, Elena just stares in shock.

Not only had Buffy said the exact same thing she had said two years ago but those flashes, Elena was almost a hundred percent sure that they might be memories from Mystic Falls.

The yelling upstairs increases again, causing everyone to shift uneasily. After a moment Buffy glance up at Riley who had commented on her insulting the fights "Anyway, I mean, you know, you can't blame me for being critical. Willow's the same way when we watch a movie about witches, right, Xander?"

"What?" Xander asks, confused "Oh, yeah. She's all, like 'What's that? A Cauldron? Who uses a cauldron anymore?"  
Buffy turns to Elena "I'm guessing Bonnie's the same, right?"  
Elena nods, still slightly dazed "Yeah, she's kinda banned any stereotypical witch movies where the witches have big noises and all that from being watched a hundred miles within her presence."

* * *

"Flashes?" Damon asks Elena confused, as they stand in Buffy's backyard "And that's supposed to mean something to me because...?"  
Elena sighs "Because, Damon, I think these flashes Buffy's been having...I think they might be memories. Think about it, they started after she found out about Jenna, and more since we came here."  
"So what Elena? We just start literally repeating history around her?" He asks getting frustrated.  
"No. Look at the moment Buffy says the flashes are blurred, no faces or anything, but maybe we can trigger some more, just to make her question them more."

Damon runs his hand through his hair as he thinks about it, before turning to Elena "Talk to your witch, find out if she can clear up these flash things, I'll work on planting doubt." He grins "It's what I'm best at."

* * *

"Like this...and this...and this." Giles says as he demonstrates how he had attacked the demon, with a statue in his hands.|  
"Looks pretty heavy." Riley says as he observes.  
"That's oofdar." Willow informs them "Goddess of childbirth. She's got some nice heft to her."  
Buffy turns to Giles "How badly did you hurt him?"

"Yeah, cause I'm sure oofdwhatever is really packing a big punch." Damon says as he continues to look around.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "What are you even here?"  
"What? I'm helping?" He says with a shrug.  
"No. You're bored. And irritating me."  
Dean grins slightly "That's not my intention."

Buffy rolls her eyes before turning back to Giles "Well?''  
"Well, hurt, um—" Giles says slightly embarrassed "Maybe not hurt."

Damon taps Giles on the shoulder "Sorry, British man, seems like your not the eternal badass like super blonde here. And that crazy super strength of yours is rather sexy by the way."  
"Watch it." Riley warns causing Damon to raise his hands in defence "Boundaries. Got it." He says with a grin before turning back to the book shelf, he peaks through the bookcase to see Buffy turn her attention back to Giles, the smile falls from his face as he realises his attempts at getting her to have a flash were failing miserably.

"He ran away, huh?" Buffy asks Giles, grinning slightly.  
"Um...sort of more, uh...turned and swept out majestically, I suppose. He said I didn't concern him."  
"So a mythic triumph over a completely indifferent foe."  
"Well, I'm not dead or unconscious, so I say bravo for me."  
Damon interjects "Which means one less point for the Giles knockout counter."

Giles turns to him "Giles, what?—" He then turns to Buffy "Have you all been keeping track of how many times I get...hurt defending myself and others from a demon."  
Buffy chuckles nervously "We...um...well Giles, you do kinda get knocked out a lot." Buffy then turns to Damon "How did you know about that?" She hisses.  
Damon smirks "I have very good hearing."

Buffy rolls her eyes before turning back to the books, at that point Willow raises one of the books towards Giles "Some good demons in this one. See if your guy's in here."  
Giles walks over and starts examining the books, Xander speaks up "So you bought the Magic shop, and you were attacked before it opened. Who's up for a swingin' chorus of the 'we told you so' symphony?"

"Owning this place does seem kind of dangerous." Riley says as he holds the statue.  
Damon nods "In agreement with doof one and two."

Both guys glare at Damon but everyone's attention is brought to Giles as he speaks "Toth."  
Damon nods "I like that. Thanks, Geeves, doofs you're now toths."

"Put a sock in it dumbass." Buffy tells him before turning to Giles who explains "It's not an insult. Toth is the name of the demon." He looks over at Xander who is holding one of the objects "Be careful with that." He says before turning back to the book "Ancient demon. Very strong. Last survivor of the tothric clan. It also says that for a demon he's unusually sophisticated."  
Damon scoffs under his breath "Great a demon version of Klaus."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow at Giles "Sophisticated. So I should discuss men's fashions with him before I chop his head off?"

"They're referring to the fact that he does not fight barehanded." Giles explains "He uses tools, devices. Oh, he's also supposed to be very focused. And since he mentioned the Slayer, I think we know what the focus is.  
"He mentioned Buffy?" Riley asks worried, immediately placing the statue back down and turning to Giles "Where do we find him, and how hard can I kill him?"  
Damon turns to Buffy "Looks like you've got your own doof in shining armour."  
"Don't make me gag you." She says with a glare.  
Damon merely grins "Kinky."  
"Did I mention I don't like you."  
"Many times."  
Buffy rolls her eyes again "At least your brother knows when to be quiet.", resisting the urge to beat him to a pulp she turns to Giles "Anything, location wise?"

"No, but...I have an idea." Giles stands and slowly walks towards one of the shelves "He had a very specific old factory presence."  
Xander pipes in "Well, I guess we're off to the old factory. I hate that place." Buffy arches an eyebrow at him, Xander smiles "I'm joking. I know what it means. He smelled. Right?"

Damon slowly starts zoning out unable to listen to this anymore without getting bored, however as the gang decides to head down to the dump, Damon excuses himself and goes to find Elena and Bonnie.

* * *

"You were wrong Elena, accept it." Damon says annoyed as he stands with both girls in the Summers' living room.  
Elena crosses her arms and glares up at him defiantly "I wasn't wrong, Damon. She remembered something, Bonnie confirmed it."

Bonnie nods "I did a spell, the magic used on Buffy, it's unstable...weakening. I think that's why Klaus was making extra sure that we were no way near Buffy because people important to her can unravel the spell. We force her mind to open up."  
"Then why didn't it work for me?" Damon asks, "She insulted me, I hit on her. Just like old times, she even threatened to gag me, something which she was very close to doing many times, unfortunately not in the way I would have preferred."

Both girls glare at him "You're a pig." They say in unison.  
The vampire merely shrugs "So why isn't it working?"

Bonnie sighs "Because think about it Damon, Buffy said the flashes started after she found out about Jenna, she had one on Halloween which is the same time that she killed Vicki and Elena found out the truth."  
Elena interjects continuing off where Bonnie finished "Her last one was from the first week that she came to Mystic Falls, it's a simple moment just me and her watching a movie, but...that was the first time we really connected, where we felt like family. Damon, we think the only way for it to work, is for the moments to mean something, not just playful violent banter but something that made the two of you connect, that meant something to you."

* * *

The next morning Damon walks up the stairs at Buffy's and spots her and Riley in her bedroom, he hides quickly and listens.

"Relax." Buffy says as she approaches her boyfriend "Another day, another demon."  
Riley nods, still unsure "Right. It'll be good."  
"Hey..." Buffy says softly as she places her hands on the side of his face before leaning down and kissing him.

Damon groans before appearing in the doorway "Buffy, thought you should know there's a 6-foot doof attached to your face." Buffy rolls her eyes and pulls away from Riley before glaring at Damon "Go away, Damon. Don't you have your own place?"  
"Nope in terms of leaving and yes in terms of house. Now not to interrupt this oh, so 'romantic encounter' but I need to talk to you blondie."  
Buffy glares at him and moves towards the door "No. Now stop watching us like a big freak."  
"Nope, look it will only take a minute."

Buffy sighs "Fine." She huffs, she moves out of her room and follows Damon down the hall and down the stairs, as they enter the kitchen Buffy fold's her arms "What do you want?"  
Damon takes a deep breath "Look, I'm sorry for being a jerk."  
"Major jerk." Buffy corrects "And jackass."

Damon chuckles slightly "Look, honestly, I've had a pretty crap year."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow and looks at him closely "Let me guess a girl."  
"Yeah, very beautiful much like you in that department. But a very long story, a very complicated story. But she's...gone."

Damon says trying to recreate a similar circumstance when Buffy knocks over a glass which Damon quickly catches.  
Buffy chuckles slightly surprised by his speed "Impressive."  
"I like you." He tells her "You know how to laugh."  
Buffy smiles slightly but then a familiar pain settles into her head.

 _Buffy smiles down at a man, his faced blurred but she can tell they are in a kitchen, Buffy leans forwards across the counter, handing him a plate and speaks "So which one of you dated Katherine first and which one dated Mary first?"_

 _The man chuckles at her question "Nicely deducted. Ask *****" Buffy internally frowns, as again she in unable to understand any of the names, but she continues to listen "I'm sure his answer differs from mine."_  
 _Buffy moves around the counter as the man closes the dishwasher, "I would not go back to being a cheerleader if I was you." He tells her._  
 _"Why do you say that?" She asks as she begins folding the napkins._  
 _"Well first of all after watching that video, I can say you are too much of a bad ass to be a cheerleader. Plus I saw you out there, just being around them made you miserable."_

 _"You saw that?"_  
 _"Am I wrong?"_

 _Buffy sighs "When I was in L.A. I loved it, next thing you know I'm getting kicked out of school and me and my mom are packing up and moving to Sunnydale. After everything happened, I wasn't the same person. I tried to do the whole cheerleading thing there as well but, I had just changed too much. Then I got kicked out of that school and came here and just...the idea of being a cheerleader now is ridiculous."_

 _"Well just tell ******** no. Problem solved ta-da. Now did you say that you have been kicked out of two different schools, in less that two years?"_  
 _The man smiles, while Buffy laughs nervously "Unfortunately yes, it seems like I am the kind of person that attracts trouble." Buffy stops laughing and looks at the man seriously "I'm sorry." When he looks at her confused she elaborates "About Katherine and Mary. You lost them, too."_

"You okay?" Damon asks as he looks at her slightly worried.  
Buffy shakes her head "Yeah, fine." She says, he just stares at her, unconvinced. "I'm fine." She says trying to convince him "No harm of the Buff."

Damon chuckles softly "Look I hate apologising but..."  
Buffy interjects "Don't worry bout it. Trust me compared to Spike, you're like the nicest bunny alive."

"Buffy!" Riley says urgently as he enters the kitchen "It's Xander."

* * *

Chicago

"So what can I do for you, Stefan?" Katherine asks as she smiles seductively at Stefan.  
Stefan glares at her before taking a seat in the red leather chair "Don't flirt with me Katherine. I don't have time for you crap."  
Katherine pouts "You're no fun." She says as she takes a seat in her apartment opposite Stefan "So what do you want?"  
Stefan leans against his knees "Mary. I know you know where she is. I need to find her."

Katherine rolls her eyes "And here I thought you were here to see me."

"Don't play with me, Katherine. You know I'm not here to see you. Now you've been running from Klaus for centuries, and with Mary with him now, I'm betting you know exactly where she is."

Katherine grins, becoming very interested "Ooh what's happened to make you wanna track them down so bad that you would come to me for help." Katherine watches Stefan's face closely and comes to a realisation "Your little blonde Slayer. Klaus did something to her, didn't he?"  
"Just tell me where she is Katherine?"  
Katherine rolls her eyes "I have no interest in seeing Mary anytime soon, so why would you think I would help you?"  
"Cause I know your lying." Stefan says simply "You care about no one but yourself...except for Mary."

Katherine looks at Stefan with interest "Whatever your planning on doing, I want in."  
Stefan scoffs "No. Klaus took everything from me, I'm going to fix it. I don't want your help nor do I need it. So just tell me where she is?"

The brunette simply sits there for a few moment before she sighs, "She's here."  
Stefan's eyes widen "Mary's in Chicago?"

Katherine nods "Klaus has been keeping her on a leash but when she manages to get away, we look for a way to break the spell bounding her to the necklace. She may have betrayed me, but I've done the same to her in the past. It's how we work."

* * *

Sunnydale, California

"No, no. He looked exactly like me." Xander tells the group as they all stand around in Giles' living room  
Elena frowns "Sounds like a doppelgänger."  
Giles turns to the slayer's cousin "A doppelgänger? That might actually be possible, we've dealt with something similar before."  
Buffy groans "Can we not relive that, please. Vampire Willow was creepy...and slutty."

Bonnie chuckles, "We've dealt with something similar. There's a spell. Latin, written a thousand years ago, it allows someone to copy everything, their face, voice."  
Buffy nods "Bonnie's right. Is there a way to reverse the spell, it will be easier to tell them apart then?"

Bonnie shakes her head "The spirits that give me my magic don't know the reversal spell, it was lost years ago. But it's not like a glamor, the spell is strong and irreversible without the proper reversal spell."  
"I don't care what it is." Xander interjects "It stole my face. We have to find it, and we have to kill it."

Buffy nods "Don't worry, Xander. Whatever stole your face, it has to deal with the Slayer now."  
"What else could it be, if not a spell?" Buffy asks Giles, who was currently leaning against one of the bookshelves.

Giles rubs his chin as he speaks "Well a demon." He slowly begins to pace the room "What's intriguing me is that there are a number of demons...with the ability to mimic a simple form, but, uh...this sounds like more than that."  
"So that's a point for the spell option?"  
Giles shrugs "Possibly, however on the Hellmouth, there are an infinitive number of possibilities."  
"Hold up." Xander says "Do we really have to figure out what it is? Let's just go kill it."  
Riley nods "Yeah. When the impostor's killed, the body'll probably turn back into whatever it really is, and then we'll know."

Bonnie interjects "Not if it's a doppelgänger or a spell. Something like that, not even death can reverse it."

Buffy who had been in her own little bubble during the conversation finally speaks up "Toth." Everyone turns to her "The demon with the creepy stick thing."  
Xander thinks for a moment "Toth."  
"It's gotta be. He hit Xander with that blast, and somehow it allowed him to take Xander's form. Couldn't that be what the creepy stick thing did?"  
Giles nods "Yes. I suppose."

"Wait, creepy stick what?" Elena asks confused.  
Buffy turns to her "We were attacked by a demon with a creepy stick last night after I dropped you off at the house." The blonde explains before turning back to Giles who continues to speak "Yes. Yes, it makes sense. A shape-shifting device."  
Xander thinks for a moment "It does make sense. It must be toth."  
Buffy stands "I was gonna look for toth anyway. Guess now I start looking for you." She says as she turns to Xander.

"Should I go with you?" He asks "I told Anya to meet me at my new place. I'd feel a whole lot better knowing she's safe from this creep."  
Buffy nods "Go be with her. I mean, if you were out there looking for the double too- Let's just say that I wouldn't wanna run into you and kill the wrong one."

"By yourself?" Elena asks, worried.  
Buffy nods "I'll be fine." She assures her "I've done it before."

* * *

"So you're thinking we split up?" Riley asks Buffy as he looks at one of Giles's maps.  
"Yeah. You check the places where he might try and go and blend in as Xander. I'll check the places where Toth might hang out."  
Bonnie pipes in "I could do a spell, might be able to track him, or might be able to reverse what this stick thingy did."  
Buffy frowns "I don't want you guys putting yourselves at risk."  
"We'll be fine." Elena assures her "Plus I'm the older one, shouldn't I technically be the one saying that to you."  
Buffy chuckles slightly "True."

At that moment in runs Willow, Giles just stares "I swear, this time I know I had that locked."  
Willow doesn't say anything she merely runs over to Buffy "Buffy, Toth looks like Xander."  
"We already know." Riley tells her "We're on our way. Bonnie's gonna do a spell to help."  
Buffy shakes her head confused "Wait a second. How did you know about this?"

"He came to me." Willow answers "I mean, Xander did. And he's in terrible shape. We need to help him."  
"He came to us too." Riley tells her.  
"No. We each had a Xander. I mean, you didn't have a Xander. You had a demon in a Xander suit."

Elena just stares "Yeah, I haven't spent near enough time to understand Willow speak yet."  
"It takes time." Buffy informs her before turning back to Willow "What makes you so sure that yours is the right one?"

* * *

After Buffy refused to let them come with them to Xander's to help, Elena and Bonnie sit in Buffy's living room.  
At that moment Damon enters the room "What's with the moping?" He asks, as he drinks a glass of scotch.  
"It's just weird." Elena tells him "Being around her and not being able to 'be around her' you know?"  
Damon shrugs "Nope. She still hates me. Same old same old."  
"She doesn't hate you Damon, never did. If you ask me, she cares more about you then she should."

Damon raises an eyebrow at that "Really?" He asks intrigued.  
Bonnie rolls her eyes "Ask her yourself when we fix her memories. But even then, she's got a boyfriend, plus your brother, who still thinks of them as together."

* * *

The next day Damon watches from outside as Buffy and her friends help Xander move out of his basement. His interest is peaked as he hears Xander start to talk about things that had happened in the past year "That's where Spike slept. And there, that's where Anya and I drowned the Sepavro Demon. Oh! And right there, that's where I got my heart all ripped out." Damon raises an eyebrow "Moron." He mutters.

He's attention is then drawn to Buffy "Anya. Ohh! I see you've joined the not-sling-wearing crowd."

Damon rolls his eyes at the ex-vengeance demon "Freaking demon version of Caroline."  
Damon continues to watch, but he is only really interested as Xander and Riley are speaking about Buffy "Not that I'm still into Buffy. Not that I ever was." Xander says quickly.

Damon chuckles "Girl has a type, just ain't you."  
Damon watches as Riley smiles "Hey, I'm well aware of how lucky I am—like lottery lucky. Buffy's like nobody else in the world. When I'm with her, it's like—it's like I'm split in two. Half of me is just on fire, going crazy if I'm not touching her." Damon starts seeing red clearly not happy but continues to listen anyway "The other half is so still and peaceful, just perfectly content. Just knows, this is the one." Riley pauses and looks over at Xander seriously "But she doesn't love me."

Damon's eyes widen slightly "Huh. Guess paradise isn't paradise exactly."

* * *

Chicago

Stefan spots Klaus sitting in a clothing store with a dark haired woman who he doesn't recognise. He looks at the woman closely, when he notices her necklace "Mary." He whispers.  
At that moment in the store, Mary stands and looks in his direction, Stefan nods his head and then walks down to the end of the street.  
A few minutes later he hears the click of her heels behind him "Hello, Stefan."


	66. Out of my mind

**_Chicago_**

"What the hell are you doing here?" Mary asks Stefan.  
"You look different." He tells her "Let me guess, your real face?"  
Mary smirks "You like?"  
"No."  
Mary scoffs "It's an improvement over the look I've had for a good 800 years. Now I should warn you Stefan, if Klaus finds out you're here he's not gonna be too happy. How'd you even find me anyway?"  
"Katherine." Stefan says simply "She still cares about you, although I'm guessing if Klaus finds out she's here, well then your only friend is dead."  
Mary glares at him "Don't play with me Stefan. You'll be dead before you can even get near Klaus."  
Stefan smirks "Yeah, how you gonna do that when you're basically Klaus's bitch now? Katherine spilled about the bound to that little chain. I'm guessing you can only do magic when he lets you."  
Mary rolls her eyes and moves past him "Bye, Stefan."

"Wait." Stefan calls as he moves in front of her "Look, I need your help."  
Mary scoffs "Yeah, like that's going to happen."  
"This will benefit both of us."  
Mary folds her arms unconvinced "And how's that?"  
"Because it means that the past 800 years that you've spent planning your revenge against Klaus won't be a waste."  
Mary arches an eyebrow, her interest peaked "Stefan, you're not the diabolical type. Your plan whatever it is, isn't going to work."  
"Which is why I need one of the two most diabolical women I know to help out a little."

"What do you want?" She asks looking back in the direction of the shop to make sure Klaus wasn't near by.  
"I need a vile of the memory potion Klaus used on Buffy."  
Mary's eyes widen "What!? No, I can't get you that. Tell me this is not just about getting your little girlfriend back."  
"So what if it is. Think about it, Mary. If Buffy get's her memory back, then Klaus's prophecy won't come true. Meaning you get what you've always wanted."  
Mary thinks for a moment "And the part where Klaus kills me and Katherine is also apart of that plan, am I right?"  
"Look, I just need a small vile of the potion. Once I have it Bonnie knows a way to find out how to reverse the spell. You know Buffy is the only person that can kill Klaus, and that's what you want most, so help me. Give me the potion and make sure Klaus doesn't realise that me and Damon are trying to get her her memory back."  
Mary shakes her head "It won't work, Klaus is smarter than you. He's smarter than everyone."  
"You managed to deceive him for centuries into believing you were still the loving adopted baby sister. I'm sure this won't be a problem for you."

The two stand there silently for a few moments as Mary contemplates what to do, after several minutes she looks up at him "Klaus took the last of the viles. They're being kept in his safe, Katherine knows where it is, get her to get you in. I can keep Klaus from finding out but if realises that I'm keeping something from him, that'll be it. So don't get caught, and I swear if she doesn't kill him and free me, and that 'prophecy comes true, I won't be the only one that suffers. You're little girlfriend will be the one that drives a stake through you."

"Marianna!" A voice yells, Stefan immediately recognizes the voice, "Go." Mary tells him "Now. And get it done Stefan, I want free of this bastard."  
Stefan nods before running off, just narrowly missing Klaus, who turns the corner just as Stefan disappears.

* * *

 ** _Sunnydale, California_**

Buffy crouches on top of the mausoleum watching out for any vampires. Slowly she stands before jumping down, the moment her feet touch the ground she takes off in a run towards the nearest grave. As she approaches she notices a vampire's arm appear out the ground she quickly bends down and stakes the vampire, before it can get out of it's grave.  
She turns to spot another vampire leap out of the ground, Buffy moves to attack it, she ducks as the vampire swings out a fist, she then swings her fist outwards before sending a sucker punch to his jaw. She jumps up kicking him the chest before punching him in the face again, she throws an upper cut punch to the vampires jaw sending him sprawling backwards before she leaps up and sends a strong kick to his stomach, the vampire falls to the ground but quickly rolls on his back before getting back to his feet.

Suddenly out of no where Riley appears and grabs the vampire tossing him to the ground.  
Buffy's eyes widen "Riley?"  
Riley turns to her in surprise "Buffy. What are you doing here?"  
"My job." She says simply, still completely stunned and confused.  
"Well, I just thought you were in the north sector."  
Buffy notices the vampire stand behind Riley "Watch out!" She yells, she moves forwards however Riley kicks the vampire in the knee before twisting it's arm behind it's back and tossing him into the mausoleum.

"Looks like your obsolete." A voice says from above.  
Buffy looks up just as Riley stakes the vampire only to spot Damon sitting on the roof of the mausoleum "What the hell are you doing here?"  
Damon shrugs "What? It's a free country."  
Buffy notices another vampire rises, she glances up at Damon "I'll deal with you in a minute." She turns to go attack the other vampire, only to have Spike tackle it.  
"Well that was unexpected." Damon says as he watches Spike fight the vampire "Sense when is he good?" Damon asks himself.  
Buffy continues to glare at Spike "Spike, what are you doing here?"

Spike glances at her "Same reason as you and your cub scout here, I wager. Wanted a spot of violence before bedtime." He says before continuing to pound on the vampire.  
Suddenly Spike gets punched and goes flying, as he stands Buffy runs forwards and pushes Spike out of the way before staking the vampire.  
Buffy looks up at Damon "Get down you idiot." Buffy then turns her attention to Spike "What?" He asks in defence "I softened him up."  
"You better keep out of my way, Spike." Buffy warns him "I'm not gonna take this much longer."  
Damon appears behind Buffy and looks Spike over "I see you as the knitting kind. Go home and make a sweater."  
Buffy turns to Damon "Shut up."  
Spike glares at Damon "Who the hell are you?!"  
"No of your business, Billy Idol." Damon says with a roll of his eyes.  
"Oi!" Spike yells "He stole my look."  
"Shut up!" Buffy yells "God it's like dealing with children." Buffy turns to Damon "You shh or I'll break you nose, and you..." She says turning to Spike "You shh or I'll stake you. Everybody understand? Good."  
Buffy shakes her head before turning back to Spike "Now I don't care what you do as long as it keeps you out of my way."

"She's right." Riley says as he approaches, clearly not happy that Damon was here "You shouldn't be out here when she's patrolling. Neither of you should. You could get yourself killed." He says the last part to Damon.  
Buffy looks up at Riley, about to argue that he shouldn't be out here either but hesitates, as she does Spike grins "Oh! I saw that. Looks like neither of the three is entirely welcome. You should take them both home, slayer, make sure solider boy stays there." He turns to Riley "I've got knitting needles he can borrow."  
Buffy just continues to glare at Spike "Spike, I just saw you taste your own nose blood. You know what? I'm too grossed out to hear anything you have to say. Go home."

Buffy turns and grabs Damon's arm shoving him forwards "Move it idiot, I don't wanna be responsible for one Elena's idiot friends getting killed.  
Buffy turns to Riley "I got to get this one home, this place seems dead. Unless you wanna go back and kill Spike just for the fun of it."  
Riley thinks for a moment before both of them shrug knowing he's not worth it.

Buffy waves goodbye to her boyfriend before she continues to move Damon forward, as she walks him back to his house "Looks like you perfect boy toy doesn't like to listen to the man in the relationship."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and pulls Damon to a stop "Do you want me to gage you?"  
Damon grins "Oh yes please." He says leering at her.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Elena's gonna be pissed" Buffy brings up her fist and punches Damon in the face "You're a pig, Damon."  
Damon chuckles as he wipes the blood from his mouth "You hit hard but that's pretty obvious."  
"Were you born this big of a pain in the ass, or was it a gradual thing?"  
"Depends who you ask." He says with a shrug.  
Buffy sighs "Why were you out here Damon?"  
"That's my business and for you to dot dot dot..."  
Buffy shakes her head and grabs Damon shoving him up against the nearest wall, she then twists his arm painfully "Damon, what were you doing out here?"

When he doesn't answer she twists his arm further, Damon groans in pain "Well if you would let me go, I would gladly explain."  
Buffy shoves him away from her "Look Damon I don't have time to babysit you, so if this is some sort of thrill ride get over it."  
Damon shakes his head "I come out here to think." He says simply "Used to do it in Mystic Falls, just didn't realise the drastic difference in the number of vampires here."  
Buffy stares at him unconvinced and crosses her arms "And you were hiding on the top of a mausoleum because..."  
Damon sighs "Fine. I was bored. Plus I like to watch you fight, it's..."  
"If you hit on me again, I will remove your favourite appendage."  
Damon chuckles and raises his hands in self defence "I won't do it again. Promise."  
Buffy rubs her temples slowly "Thank you."

:

 _Buffy kicks the figure in the back of his knees so he falls. She pins his hands behind his back and then lifts him shoving him against the wall "What the hell do you want?"  
_ _"_ _Well if you would let me go, I would glady explain." The man tells her, but Buffy ignores him, pulling on his arm, threatening to pull it from place, the man grunts in pain "Geez, super blonde, I'm just looking for..._

:

Buffy blinks slightly shaking her head trying to get out of the flash. She looks over at Damon before shoving him forward again "Go home." She tells him giving him a stern look.  
Damon sighs "Yes Ma'm." He says giving her a small salute before walking off.  
Buffy sighs in relief before heading towards her house, not having any idea that Damon had in fact followed her, making sure she got back safe.

* * *

Elena sighs as she hangs up the phone "What's wrong?" Bonnie asks as she walks into the room.  
"Caroline is helping Tyler he's still struggling with being a werewolf, they're gonna see if they can find a pack to help him. She says she'll try and help when she can."  
Bonnie sighs disappointed but picks up her bag "Come on we got class."  
Elena grins "Ah the first day at UC Sunnydale."  
"You nervous?" Bonnie asks.  
Elena shakes her head "No. It's weird I thought I would be but...last year felt off and I guess actually going to school with Buffy now, it's how it was supposed to be."  
"Yeah, minus Buffy's memory loss and all the Klaus stuff."  
Elena laughs "That too."

* * *

As the two walk onto the campus they notice Buffy and Willow speaking in the hall.  
"You know inspirational music, a montage, me sharpening my pencils, me reading, writing, falling asleep on a big pile of books with my glasses all crooked—" Buffy blabs "Cause in my montage, I have glasses—but real life is slow, and it's starting to hurt my occipital lobe."  
Willow pouts and taps Buffy's head "Oh. Poor Buffy's brain."  
"Hey." Elena says as they approach.  
Buffy turns to her cousin and smiles "Hey Elena, Bonnie."  
Willow turns to Bonnie and grins "hello, fellow witch."  
Bonnie chuckles slightly "Ditto."  
Buffy turns to Elena "You know Elena, your friend Damon is a weirdo. He was hanging around in the graveyard yesterday."  
Elena's eyes widen "Yeah, Damon's an ass, but I'm close friends with Stefan. So they're a package deal."  
Buffy smiles but then spots the time "Damn, I gotta head to training right now. You guys wanna come?"  
Elena sighs disappointed "Can't have a lecture then have to spend the day working at the hospital."  
Buffy nods sadly "Sorry. Well I'll come by later, drop you off some food." Buffy and Willow give the girls a wave before heading off.

* * *

Buffy and Willow walk into the magic box and begin looking around, Buffy notices Jeremy there, she raises an eyebrow "Don't you have school?"  
Jeremy really shakes his head "Nope. Plus I wanna see it."  
Buffy looks at him confused "It?" She looks up at Giles "What's he taking about?"  
Giles sighs "Bloody children, impatient."  
Jeremy shrugs "Sorry."  
"It's fine." Giles tells him before looking over at Buffy "Shall we then?"  
"We shall then." She says with a nod "Come on Jer." She says to her younger cousin. Jeremy grins excitedly, before quickly standing and following them into the back room.

As they enter the room Buffy doesn't have the opportunity to look around as she is suddenly tackled to the ground by Riley.  
Buffy pulls herself off him "Ow! Riley!"  
"Just keeping you in your toes."  
"Or off them." Jeremy points out.  
Buffy nods in agreement with her cousin "What got into—" Buffy's words are cut off as she looks around the gym, which had been turned from a small back room to a fully equipped training room.  
Buffy smiles "Oh, my god." She breaths "Look at this place."  
"This is badass." Jeremy says as he moves towards the wall of knifes, Xander shakes his head "Little Summers' are not allowed. She'll kill us."  
Buffy nods hearing what he said "Jeremy don't touch anything."  
Jeremy pouts "Fine." He mumbles.

Buffy chuckles before turning to Giles "Thank you. Thank you so much."  
"It's just a start." Giles tells her sheepishly "We need a proper space to train, so—"  
"I love it." She assures him.  
"So come on." Riley says to the slayer, clearly excited "Let's test this puppy out. Think you can take me?"  
Buffy doesn't say anything she merely moves through the room, Riley's words blurred into the background "This must've been so much work."  
Jeremy nods in agreement as he looks around, the place was a lot better than the basement back in Mystic Falls that Jenna had let Buffy turn into a 'gym'.  
He pauses as he spots the weird scarecrow in the corner of the room "What's with the scarecrow?" He asks Xander, who grins.  
"It's a dummy." He says before turning to Buffy "I made the dummy—the thing that you hit that doesn't hit back—that, uh, I made."  
Jeremy chuckles "Dude."  
"Shh." Buffy tells him before turning to Xander "It's great. It's all great."  
"Well, you've earned it. Truly." Giles tells her.  
Buffy smiles "Thank you guys so much, you're like my fairy godmother and santa claus...and 'Q' all wrapped up into one."  
Jeremy smiles but he notices no one else was understanding the reference "You guys seriously don't get that." Jeremy turns to Giles "Come on man, you're British. Don't the british and bond come as a package."

* * *

Damon kicks down the door at Spike's crypt, only to have the bleached blonde vampire who was currently watching Dawson's Creek jump. Damon raises an eyebrow "Seriously? I don't how she compares us."  
"Who the hell are you?!" Spike asks.  
Damon steps into the crypt giving Spike a better look at his face "Oh great another one of the slayers little pets. Guessing she doesn't know you're one of them huh—"  
Damon cuts the vampire off by slamming him up against the wall and pressing his fingers into Spike's chest near his heart "Listen up, Captain Peroxide, you and I are gonna have a little chat."  
Spike groans in pain as Damon continue to press his fingers further into his chest, towards his heart "Oh! Bloody hell! Fine!"

Damon grins before tossing Spike to the ground, however Spike gets up quickly and sends a punch to Damon's face, he goes to kick Damon but Damon is faster and dodges out of the way, grabbing Spike's leg and tossing him into a wall.  
Spike groans "God I hate your kind."  
"Backacha pal." Damon says as he takes a seat in Spike's chair before glancing at the TV "Damn love triangles are every where these days."  
Spike glares at the other vampire before standing "Look here mate, why don't you want the slayer to know your little secret?"  
"Well that's for me to know and you to not know. Now listen here, you are not gonna tell Buffy anything, do you understand?"  
Spike scoffs and stands up to the other vampire "Oh really and what you gonna do about it?"  
Damon merely smirks "Look you may be an impotent little half breed but trust me when I say you're better off not getting on my bad side. Cause trust me I will have no problem ripping you god damn head off. So stay away from Buffy."

* * *

Buffy walks into the hospital with Riley and starts looking around for Elena, as she turns a corner Buffy crashes into a young man. Buffy looks up a sees the rather attractive young doctor "Oh, sorry."  
The young doctor smiles "No problem. You seem a little lost. Are you looking for something?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah, my cousin. Her name's Elena Gilbert, she's a med student at UC Sunnydale."  
The doctor smiles "Thought I saw a new face today in that group, I know where she is, I can show you." He offers.  
Buffy smiles "That would be very much appreciated."

The doctor starts to lead them down the hall "I'm Ben by the way, I'm an intern here."  
"Nice to meet you, I'm Buffy. Buffy Summers."  
"Riley Finn." The ex soldier says as he shakes Ben's hand.  
Ben smiles "It's nice to meet you both."

Ben leads them down the hall and as they round the corner there stands the girl in question, talking to one of the doctors.  
Elena turns her head and spots Buffy "Buffy." The girl says happily before excusing herself and making her way over to the blonde and giving her a hug.  
"Hey Elena." Buffy says as she hugs her back, after a moment she pulls away and turns to Ben "Ben, this is Elena."  
Elena turns to the intern "Yeah, nice to meet you."  
Elena gives Riley a smile as well before thanking Buffy as she hands her a cup of coffee.  
Buffy turns to Ben again "Thanks for helping me find my cousin."  
Ben smiles at the blonde "It's no problem."  
Ben gives them all a wave before heading off, Buffy, Elena and Riley then head down the hall towards the cafeteria.

As Riley goes to get something to drink Elena and Buffy sit down at one of the tables "You liking it here then?"  
Elena smiles "Yeah. Actually kinda reminds me of the hospital my dad worked at when I was a kid."  
Buffy shrugs "Still not a big fan of hospitals. But you spend enough time in one you get used to it."  
Elena chuckles and the two continue to talk until they notice a young doctor with Riley, the doctor seems to look extremely worried.

* * *

"I know I'm repeating myself here, but I don't know what else to say to convince you. I have never, in all my years of medicine, let a patient...with tachycardia this severe leave a hospital." The young female doctor tells Riley as him Buffy and Elena stand in one of the clinic rooms.  
Riley looks up at the doctor as he continues to button up his shirt "You said you couldn't keep me."  
"Legally, no. I can't force you to do a thing, but with that pulse believe me, I'd get on my knees and beg you if I thought I could change your mind."  
Buffy looks over at Elena a worried look on her face, Elena sighs sadly, unsure of what to do.  
"You can't." Riley tells the doctor "I'm goin' home."  
The doctor gestures to Buffy "And your friend here can't convince you to stay. Miss Gilbert I'm sure will just tell you the same thing I am telling you—"  
Riley raises his hand silencing her "I'm going."  
"All right then. But you're leaving against my recommendation." The doctor then turns to Elena "Miss Gilbert, I'll expect you back for the demonstration in 15 minutes is that understood?"  
Elena nods "Yes Doctor Nolan."

The doctor nods at the three of the them before leaving the room.  
The moment the doctor is gone Riley stands but Buffy moves in front of him "What's going on? What are you doing? What if you have a heart attack?"  
Elena nods in agreement "She's right Riley, your blood pressure alone, plus your adrenaline levels this is serious."  
Riley smiles at both girls reassuringly "Listen to me. Calm down the both of you."  
"Me, calm down?" Buffy asks "I'm not the one with the pulse of 150."  
"My heart's different than yours, Buffy. It works differently now, but it's okay."  
Elena pipes in "Riley you're human, you could have a heart attack and if you keep going at the pace you are now it's even more likely."  
"I'm a human who was used as a lab rat for months." He says simple.  
Elena turns to Buffy "Lab rat?" She mouths  
"The initiative pumped drugs into him." Buffy explains before turning back to her boyfriend "Riley..."

Suddenly the door opens and a doctor appears "Miss Gilbert." He says as he spots the brunette "Your lunch break is over you should be preparing for the demonstration with Dr Nolan."  
"That's right." Riley says quickly, hoping to end their discussion "Elena you gotta get to class. We should get out of here."  
Buffy looks over at Elena who mouths a sorry at her before following the doctor out of the room, and as Riley heads for the door Buffy glares at him, slightly more worried than angry.

* * *

Later that day Willow is lying on Buffy's bed as Buffy paces around the room venting out her frustrations "I don't get what he's thinking why isn't he worried?"  
Damon who was currently leaning against the door frame looks over at the blonde "Maybe cause he's a moron."  
Buffy turns around stunned that she hadn't heard him "What are you doing here? This is a private conversation, Damon."  
Damon grins "And I'm a private person" he says before moving into the room and sitting down on one of the chairs looking up at Buffy.  
Buffy groans in annoyance knowing that she wasn't going to be getting rid of him anytime soon.  
"Please continue." Damon says with a smile and a small wave.  
Buffy rolls her eyes but just continues to pace before glancing at Willow "What do I do Wil?"  
"Maybe he thinks his body can handle it." The red headed witch offers "He is in really good shape."  
"Nobody's body can handle a heart attack." Buffy argues.  
"I know, I'm sorry, Buffy. I'm trying too hard to make it okay."  
"I just keep coming back to the initiative."  
Damon raises an eyebrow "Isn't that the government monster catchers thing."  
Willow nods "Yeah, they used Riley as a human lab rat and pumped him full of a lot of drugs to make his a better soldier."  
Damon chuckles slightly, causing Buffy to glare at him "One word Damon and I will throw you out of here, head first."  
"Fine." He says simply "I will not speak unless it is important, I will just quietly observe."

Buffy sighs and takes a seat next to the bed "I know I have to do something. I just don't know what."  
Damon interjects "You know maybe if the doof—"  
"Damon!"  
"It's important." He assures her, Buffy tilts her head in disbelief as Damon goes on "I was just gonna say maybe if the doof wasn't such a government tool this wouldn't be happening."  
Willow sits up as she thinks about what Damon had said "Government tool." She whispers "Call the initiative." She says coming up with the idea "If they know what's wrong with him, they have to help."  
Buffy who had been glaring at Damon turns to her best friend "Yeah, but call them how? First of all, they don't exist anymore, and secondly, they never claimed to exist in the first place." Buffy stands again "It's so unfair. It's like big brother can spy on you all the time, and the second I have something to say no one will listen."  
Damon rolls his eyes "They're like vampires and demons they're are always there, always listening, they know your next move before you do. So here's an idea maybe this government creepy folk are always listening as well."  
Buffy's face changes suddenly and she grabs her bag "I gotta go, I'll see you guys later." Buffy moves to the door but freezes and grabs Damon's arm "Hey!" Damon exclaims.  
"I don't trust that you won't start going through my stuff." She says as she drags him out of the room.

Damon pouts "Oh come on."  
Buffy heads down the stairs pulling him with her before opening the front door and shoving him out "Go home, Damon." She say before closing the door and heading out the back door to Riley's.

* * *

"So the boyfriend's sick huh?" Damon says as him Bonnie and Elena sit in his new living room in his new apartment with Stefan "Saves me the job of killing him myself if he has a heart attack."  
"Damon!" Elena exclaims.  
"Just kidding." He assures her, he pauses "Actually not really, but still."  
"You're an ass." Bonnie tells him simply before trying to change the subject "How's it going on triggering Buffy's memory?"  
Damon turns to the witch "Oh operation get the Buffster's bongos back? Oh extremely well." He says sarcastically "She now remembers everything and is ready to run off into the sunset with all of us."  
Elena rolls her eyes "Be serious Damon."  
"A few flashes here and there but not important enough to cause a burst through with the wave of memory."  
Elena thinks for a moment "Well do you think there are any important moments between the two of you that might trigger a bigger memory."  
Damon thinks for a moment:

 _Damon chuckles and stands "I brought you these." He says holding out two necklaces. "Thought you and your cousin would want them back."  
"Figured those be gone." Buffy says stunned._

 _Damon shakes his head and places Elena's necklace on the table but keeps a hold of Buffy's "Thanks." Buffy says as she tries to take it back but Damon pulls it out of her reach "Damon, please give it back. I've already had one person going through my memories today, it's a painful experience, so I swear—"  
Damon cuts her off "No. Look I just have to say something."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "And you need my necklace because?"  
Damon sighs "Look this may not make sense to you. But right now I just need to get this out. Because what I'm about to say is...probably the most selfish thing I've ever said in my life."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Damon, don't...don't do this."_

 _Damon steps closer to her "No. I just have to say it once. You just need to hear it. I love you, Buffy. And it's because I love you that...I can't be selfish with you. Why you can't know this. I don't deserve you...but my brother does." Damon steps closer again and places a soft kiss to her forehead as he pulls away he looks down at her sadly "God I wish you didn't have to forget this...but you do." As a tear falls Damon places the necklace around her neck and quickly heads out the window._

 _:_

 _Buffy sighs "Look, I shouldn't have punched and sent you sprawling along the floor."_ _  
_ _"Apology accepted." Damon says with a smile before looking at her seriously "Let me be clear about something. If it comes down to you and the witch again, I will gladly let Bonnie die, I will let Elena die if it comes to that. I will always choose you."_ _  
_ _Buffy watches him for a few moments before sighing "Goodnight, Damon."_ _  
_ _"Goodnight." He says before watching her leave the room._

 _:_

 _Damon's breathing begins to get weaker "I know you love Stefan. And it will always be Stefan. But I love you. You should know that." Buffy sniffles slightly and lets the tears fall "I do."_ _  
_ _"You should have met me in 1864." Damon tells her "You would have liked me."_ _  
_ _Buffy looks up at him "The way you are now, your jackass self, is exactly how I like you." Buffy hesitates but slowly leans in and places a small kiss to his lips._ _  
_ _"Thank you." He whispers as she pulls away._ _  
_ _"No biggy." Buffy tells him._

 _:_

"Damon? Damon!" Elena yells again trying get the vampire's attention.  
Damon shakes his head and turns to the girls "Nothin' that comes to mind. What about you bon bon how's the spell going?" Damon asks running his hands through his hair as he tries to get the memories out of his head.  
Elena and Bonnie share a look before Bonnie turns back to Damon "I have everything I need to do the spell to find out the cure for Buffy's memory but the only thing I'm missing is..."  
"The mystical memory gue thing, got it." Damon sighs "I'll call Stef, see where we are on that." Damon starts to head for the door before turning back to Elena and Bonnie "Chop Chop girls I doubt the blonde vampire dick is gonna stay quiet for long so we need Buffy's memory back like yesterday."  
"We're working on it Damon." Elena says annoyed before her and Bonnie turn to the books currently splayed on the table.

At that moment Elena's phone rings, "It's Buffy." She tells them both before answering the phone "Hey Buffy—Riley no I haven't seen him—Buffy what's going on?...Okay we will be there. Good luck"  
Bonnie looks over at Elena "What is it?"  
"Riley's missing, it's bad if he doesn't get help now, he's gonna die."  
"Oh god." Bonnie breaths "What do you need me to do?"  
"We should go help them look. They are at the magic box. We will meet them there."  
Bonnie nods and quickly moves to get her things.  
Elena turns to face Damon "Damon could you—" Elena stops herself as she notices the front door shut with a bang "help."

Damon closes the door behind him and takes a deep breath "God I need a drink." He says as he tries to get the image of Buffy kissing him a year ago out of his head.  
Damon grabs his phone and dial's his brother's number intent on making sure they were gonna get that cure.

* * *

 ** _Chicago_**

"Will you hurry up." Katherine moans as her and Stefan sneak into Klaus' vault.  
Stefan glares at her annoyed "We can't just bust through the door Katherine. And I haven't exactly picked a lock in a couple decades."  
Katherine rolls her eyes, crossing her arms as she looks down at the vampire "This is pointless."  
Stefan ignores her and continues to try and pick the lock however suddenly his phone begins to ring.  
"I'll get it." Katherine says, with a grin on her face, as she grabs the phone from his jacket.  
"Hey!" Stefan exclaims as he turns to her, he tries to grab the phone but she places a hand on his chest and forces him up against the wall "Shh, I'm on the phone."  
She smirks as she answers "Hello?"  
"Katherine?" Damon groans "Where's my brother?"  
Katherine smiles "Damon. Nice to hear from you too. Stefan? He's currently...detained."  
Damon rolls his eyes "I don't have time for this Katherine, give the phone to Stefan."  
The vampire rolls her eyes "Fine, buzz kill and here I thought I was being polite." She sighs before tossing the phone to Stefan "Hurry up. We don't know how long it will be till Klaus get's back."

Stefan catches the phone and quickly walks around the corner "Damon, now's really not a good time."  
"Yeah tell me about it. Buffy is making this whole helping her thing very...very difficult."  
"What do you mean? Are the flashes not working?"  
"Nada." Damon tells him "We managed to get a few here and there but nothing concrete. Plus the fact that she may be getting a bit suspicious doesn't help."  
Stefan arches an eyebrow at that "Suspicious. Damon, what did you do?"  
"Why did you assume it was me?" Damon pauses "Alright fine, she caught me watching her yesterday while she was patrolling."  
"Damon!" Stefan says angrily "You're supposed to pretend to be normal. Normal people don't hang around in cemeteries, especially when they know it's on the Hellmouth."  
"Yeah, yeah, whatever it's all my fault. Got it, I'll deal with it. Look we need that cure, sooner rather than later, cause trust me brother, she's gonna find out about you and me being not so normal sooner or later and I'd rather she not try and stab me with something wooden and sharp when she eventually finds out."  
Stefan sighs, rubbing his head in frustration "I found Mary, she agreed to help, sent me to Katherine. We're getting the vile now."  
"Just hurry it along brother, now I've got to go watch the slayer's boyfriend on his deathbed. Bye now."  
Stefan eye's widen again "Wait what—"

Before Stefan can get an answer Damon hangs up "You done now?" Katherine asks as she appears "Can we get back to breaking and entering now?"  
Stefan huffs and just storms past her heading back towards Klaus's.

* * *

 **Sunnydale, California**

"He's not at the library. He's gone somewhere where he doesn't want to be found." Buffy informs the group as they sit in the magic box.  
"So, basically, he's gone awol." Anya clarifies.  
Buffy nods "Basically exactly."  
Elena turns to her cousin "Are you sure there is no where else he could go?"  
"I went everywhere I could think of. But, if I don't get him to the doctor's..."  
"Buffy don't worry we will find him." Willow assures the blonde.  
"How?" Buffy asks as she waves her arms around "Riley is in real danger here and we have no leads." Buffy sighs "Guess we're starting from scratch. Xander, Anya, could you check the docks?"  
Xander gives the slayer a smile "Aye, aye."  
Willow turns to Buffy "Tara and I can scope out the burner-out school. Riley hid there once. Bonnie do you wanna come, three witches is better than two."  
Bonnie nods "Anything I can do to help."

"Thank you." Buffy says to her cousin's friend before turning back to Willow who was still muttering "Maybe he feels it's homey or something."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Homey. You know what else he might find homey in a dank unpleasant, evil sort of way? The initiative caves, but I don't know them too well."  
Elena looks at her confused "Initiative caves?"  
Buffy glances at her cousin "This is part of the year of crazy freshman antics, I haven't explained everything yet."  
Elena nods "Okay. That's for another day then. So what do we do? If he is in these caves how are we supposed to find him?"  
"We do have an associate who knows those caves like the back of his melanin-deprived hand." Giles points out as he takes another sip of tea.  
Buffy huffs, clearly unhappy with this solution "I so don't want to deal with Spike right now. The guy is really starting to bug me in that special...I want to shove something wooden through his heart kind of way."  
"He does seem extra twitchy lately." Willow points out "Maybe the whole not killing is gettin' to him."

As Elena listens all she can think about is the fact that this sounds a lot like Damon, as over the past few months he had been struggling, in between losing Stefan and Buffy, it almost made him turn off his humanity again.

* * *

"Buffy! Buffy wait up!" Elena calls as she jogs after Buffy, as the blonde starts to make her way to the cemetery.  
Buffy pauses and spins around to face her cousin "Elena? What are you doing? I have to go find Riley. I don't have time for this."  
Buffy is about to turn back around but is startled into stopping when Elena speaks up "Let me help you."  
Buffy turns to her again with her eyebrow arched "What?"  
Elena sighs "I wanna help. Please Buffy you can't search those caves by yourself plus if you're gonna be with Spike it's best to have someone who will have your back as well."  
Buffy sighs "Elena as sweet as that is. No. Look go home, I've lost enough family already, I don't want to lose anymore."  
Buffy reaches into her pocket and tosses Elena her keys "Take my car and go home. Lock the doors. Be safe."  
Before Elena could argue Buffy runs off towards the cemetery.

* * *

Elena drives through town when she spots Buffy helping a weak Riley through the forest "Buffy!" Elena yells through the window as she pulls the car over.  
"Elena?!" Buffy calls confused "What the hell are you doing here, I thought I told you to go home."  
"Yell later." Elena tells her as she goes to help Riley "Let's just get him to a hospital."  
As they pile Riley into the backseat Buffy turns on Elena "This is Sunnydale, Elena. You can't just run around a do whatever you want."  
Elena arches an eyebrow "You do realise that I'm older than you right?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes and climbs into the drivers seat "Seriously?"  
Elena sighs and climbs into the car "Well at least I don't drive like a crazy person."  
"I do not." Buffy huffs before speeding the car off.

* * *

Elena opens the door to the hospital room and gasps in shock as all the men are lying on the ground unconscious.  
"What happened?" She asks as Buffy and Riley bend down to check on the guys.  
"Graham?" Riley shakes his friend trying to wake him.  
When Graham stirs Riley helps him sit up "How many fingers I got up?" He asks.  
"Seventeen. Hostile 17 and a blonde girl." Graham mutters.  
Elena turns to Buffy "Hostile 17 wasn't that—"  
Buffy nods and finishes the sentence "Spike. The blonde would be Harmony. Together again."

As Elena looks around the room she notices something "Where's the doctor?"  
"Spike must've taken him." Buffy realises before she turns to Graham "What would Spike want with—the chip. He's gonna force the doctor to remove the chip from his brain."  
Elena's eyes widen "Buffy what happens if Spike get's that chip out?"  
"Nothing good. Let's just say—" Buffy cuts herself off as she notices Riley clutch his chest "Riley?"  
Riley sits up "I'm okay. I'm okay." He assures them.  
Graham sighs and takes a step towards Buffy "We're running out of time. If we don't find the medic soon, he's not gonna make it."  
Buffy's eyes widen and she slowly starts to panic "Okay. Okay. Brain surgery. He's gonna need a medical facility. He's gonna need equipment."  
Elena eyes widen "The University. He's not going to risk it here, but there are lecture halls where we can watch live surgery. All the equipment he could need is there."  
Buffy nods "We'll try there that's our best bet. Graham check vet hospitals just in case we're wrong."

Buffy and Elena watch as Graham and Riley speak before the agent leaves. Buffy walks over to Riley "You are not going to die." She says determined.|  
"I bet you say that to all the boys."  
"No but there is one peroxided pest whose number's up." She says as she leads her cousin and boyfriend out the room "When I get my hands on spike, I'm gonna rip his head off. I'm gonna—"

* * *

"Elena stay in the car." Buffy orders as her and Riley step out of the car.  
"What?!" Elena exclaims "No Buffy you can't go in there alone."  
"She's not." Riley says as he struggles to walk.  
Elena rolls her eyes and turns to her cousin "Buffy, Riley can barely stand, if Spike has gotten the chip out, you're gonna need help. I'm trained to fight. Let me help you."  
Buffy hesitates before huffing "This is not a good idea." She takes a deep breath before turning to her cousin "If you get yourself killed. I'm telling."  
Elena smiles before running to her cousin's side.

"So what's the plan?" Elena asks as the three enter the university.  
Buffy shrugs "Well, I'm gonna kill Spike and Harmony, just get the doctor, we're gonna need him."  
Elena nods "Doctor got it."  
Buffy then reaches into her bag and pulls out a stake "Take this. I don't want you fighting but I don't want to take any chances by leaving you unarmed either." Buffy then tosses her a bottle of holy water "Use this if either of them come at you. It won't kill them, but it will hurt like hell and send them screaming like little girls."

The three of them climb down the stares and walk into the room only to spot Spike and Harmony with the doctor.  
Spike turns to Buffy "Slayer!" He growls before jumping off the bed.  
Harmony and Spike move to stand opposite Elena, Buffy and Riley, as they face off both vampires reveal their true forms.  
"Suit up, Harm." Spike tells his partner.

Buffy notices the doctor moving towards the exit but pushes him to the ground "Stay here. We're gonna need you."  
Spike continues to grin at the blonde "Buffy. I swear I was just thinking of you. I wanted to tell you the great news. My head's all clear now. No more bug-zapper in my noggin."  
Buffy tilts her head "Means I get to kill you."  
"You get to try."

The five stare at each other before Harmony accidentally sends an arrow from the crossbow into Riley's leg.  
Riley falls and Harmony tries to attack him but Elena pushes him away before kicking Harmony in the gut.  
"Who the hell are you?" She grunts.  
Elena sighs "You kidnapped me a few weeks ago. God you are a dimwit." She says before taking a punch from Harmony but not before sending another kick at the blonde.

Spike watches for a second before turning to Buffy "I like your new girl. She's spicy. Won't be as tasty as you though."  
Buffy glares at him before punching him the face and sending up upper cut to his jaw, causing him to stumble back onto the hospital bed.

Elena dodges another blow from Harmony before the blonde manages to grab her and tosses her across the room.  
Harmony approaches the brunette who winces as she stands but grabs the metal rod next to her and swings it slamming Harmony across the jaw with it.

Spike leaps onto the bed and growls as he looks down at Buffy "At long last."  
Buffy looks behind him to see Harmony get another hit at Elena "Elena!" Buffy yells only to have Spike take advantage of her distraction and leap at her.  
The two fall to the ground and Spike climbs on top of the blonde and dives for her neck.  
Buffy's eyes widen, she grunts as she tries to get him to release her arms.  
Suddenly though Spike howls and sits up grasping his head in pain.  
Buffy stares shocked before punching him in the face and tossing him off of her.

Elena grunts in pain as Harmony kicks her in the stomach, Elena manages to block the next blow and punches Harmony in the gut, releasing the two stakes kept in the device Alaric gave to her when they were training in Mystic Falls.  
Harmony groans in pain "You bitch!" She exclaims as she clutches her bleeding stomach.  
Elena moves away from the vampire and pauses as she notices Riley, grasp his chest and scream in agony.

Buffy notices as well and pulls herself off the ground "Riley!" She screams as he crashes into a table causing it to fall on top of him, as he falls to the ground.  
"Riley." Buffy says as she crawls over to him.  
Elena crouches next to her cousin and quickly checks for a pulse "He's alive but barely."  
Buffy's eyes widen and she searches the room for the doctor "Oh, god. Doctor! Doctor, we need you now!"  
Elena looks up to see Spike and Harmony making their escape, but she quickly moves to help Riley.

* * *

After speaking to Riley Buffy heads outside to check on Elena who was currently sitting outside.  
"What you did. Was incredible stupid." Buffy says as she moves in front of her cousin.  
Elena sighs "Look—"  
"Elena, you could have been killed." Buffy sighs frustrated "Elena I have lost too many people in my life already. You can't just show up, give me family again and then put yourself in danger like this it's—"  
Before Buffy can finish Elena hugs her tightly "I'm sorry. But it's the same for me Buffy. I don't want to lose anyone else. Especially not you or Jeremy. So if you think I'm not gonna help my younger cousin, you're dead wrong."  
Buffy chuckles slightly before pulling away "Still, I'm built for this, you...are not." She says gesturing to the growing bruise on Elena's cheek "But...thank you. I couldn't have saved him without you."

Elena smiles for a second only to groan at what Buffy says next "But if you do it again, I will lock you in the house for eternity."  
"Like you could." Elena joked "I'm the older one remember."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "You just love rubbing that in don't you?"  
"Yep."  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement before taking her cousin's arm "Come on let's get home. Your lip is bleeding, we got to get some ice on that."  
Elena frowns and touches her lip only to instantly regret it "Ow."  
Buffy laughs "Told you so."

* * *

After finding out what had happened with Buffy and Spike from Elena, Damon was furious, he storms into the cemetery intent on ending Spike however just as he is about to slam to door open he pauses.  
"Buffy." He hears Spike mumble.  
Damon frowns "What the—" Damon slowly pushes the door open and spots Spike in bed next to Harmony.  
Spike mumbles in his sleep again, curiosity causes Damon to approach Spike, Damon closes his eyes and goes into Spike's head to see what he was dreaming about.

Damon watches as Spike rips his shirt off while Buffy glares at him clutching the stake in her hand.  
"Just kill me." Spike says angrily as he tosses his shirt on the ground, causing Damon to roll his eyes "Melodramatic much."  
Buffy approaches Spike and raises the stake however she freezes.  
Spike who had tensed up when she raised the stake stares at her for several moments before grabbing her shoulders and kissing her.  
Damon's eyes widen "That's just wrong."  
Damon watches horrified as Spike continues to kiss Buffy before she finally pushes him away, her hand covering her mouth as she stares at him with wide eyes.  
Damon takes a relieved breath but then his eyes widen as he watches Buffy's expression soften before she kisses Spike.  
"Okay I'm done." Damon says before pulling himself out of the dream.  
"I'm scarred for life." He mutters to himself before speeding out of the room.

* * *

 ** _Chicago_**

Stefan and Katherine walks into Klaus' living room, Katherine pauses at the Renaissance painting the middle of the room, she carefully lifts the painting off the wall to reveal the safe.  
"This is it." Katherine says as she turns to Stefan "You sure you want the old Buffy back?" She flirts "I'm sure you and I could have so much fun together."  
Stefan rolls his eyes "Goodbye Katherine."  
Katherine rolls her eyes "Fine. But just make sure blondie kills the big bad wolf. Me and Mary don't fancy being on the run forever."  
"Katherine, what the combination?" Stefan asks as he turns to face her only to realise she's gone "Dammit!" He exclaims.

Stefan paces the room running his hand through his hair as he tries to think about what it could be.  
He starts searching the room, when he finds a notebook, Stefan opens it curiously and spots Klaus notes.

They all had to do with Buffy, there were thousands of drawings of her in the book and the same date written over and over "May 22nd?" Stefan reads, confused as to what was the importance of that date and what it had to do with Buffy.  
Stefan continues to think for a second before he approaches the safe, slowly he enters in the numbers 2-2-0-5, to his surprise there is a click and he is able to pull the safe open.  
Stefan smiles, relieved. He quickly pulls out the elixir and makes sure all evidence of his presence is gone before he speeds out of the house.


	67. No Place Like Home - Part 1

**1000 Years Ago**

Marianna approaches Tatia and her child "Tatia." Marianna says sweetly.  
The young woman places her son down before turning to the young witch "Marianna. What a surprise?" She says as she smiles at the young woman.  
Marianna looks around the room before turning back to the beautiful woman "I saw you with Elijah last night."  
Tatia blushes slightly "I was discrete."  
Marianna chuckles slightly and sits down next to the other woman "I'm his younger sister, I am prone to spying." Marianna smiles "I'm happy for you both. It's about time Elijah had some happiness in his life. And I have never seen him as happy as he is like when he is with you."  
Tatia smiles "Thank you Marianna." Tatia places a hand on Marianna's shoulder.  
Marianna's eyes widen as she feels the power coming off the other girl, she takes a deep breath before turning to the other woman "You're welcome. Welcome to the family Tatia." She says before quickly leaving the room.

Marianna quickly heads over to Esther's hut and quickly enters the room.  
The older witch looks up at her adopted daughter "Marianna what is it? What's wrong?"  
Mariana turns to her "I was with Tatia. Esther, she touched me and I felt so much power. I think Tatia is the slayer."

* * *

 **Present Day**

Stefan was driving through Sunnydale on the way back from Chicago and was heading to the address Damon had given him. As he drives something catches his eye, he freezes as he realises it's Buffy fighting a very large vampire.  
Stefan quickly pulls over the car and runs over, as he arrives Buffy pulls out a stake and turns to the larger vampire "...and I'll jam this poky wood stick through your heart." She says before driving the stake into the vampire's heart, turning him to dust. Buffy, who still hadn't noticed Stefan sighs as she places the stake back in her jacket "Well I think that sets the world speed record for closure."

"Buffy." Stefan says trying to draw her attention.  
Buffy's head shoots up and she gets into a fighting stance, Stefan raises his hands in defence "Whoa, it's just me."  
Buffy sighs "God. Seriously, don't sneak up on people like that. You make noise when you walk, you stump...or yodel."  
Stefan smiles at the familiar phrase "I'm sorry. I will stomp or yodel next time, promise."  
Buffy chuckles "Good." She breaths "But really you shouldn't be out in this town after dark."  
Stefan shrugs "I only just go back into town, I figured I would have been back earlier but—"  
Buffy nods in agreement "Let me guess, California traffic is a hell of a lot different from that in Virginia."  
"You could say that." He laughs, "Let me give you a ride home." He offers.  
Buffy hesitates "I don't know, don't you just wanna go home and well...crash?"  
Stefan chuckles again, he had missed talking to her so much "Yeah, but I'm a night person. Come on." He holds out his hand towards her, praying that she would take it.  
Buffy looks at the hand skeptically before glancing up at him, after a moment she shrugs "I'm beat anyway. 5 vamps in one night can make a girl sleepy." She takes his hand "Thank you." She says as she taps his hand, clearly a friendly gesture before she lets go of his hand.

Stefan frowns slightly, he's heart had almost skipped a beat when she had taken his hand, but she had released it almost as quickly as she had taken it. He sighs and is about to lead her to the car but freezes as he spots something on the ground behind her.  
"Buffy, is this yours?" He asks as he moves around her and picks it up.  
Buffy looks at the glowing yellow ball in Stefan's hands confused "No. It's not." She answers as she takes the ball from him.  
Slowly the two start to walk towards his car, as they do Stefan glances at her "What is it?"  
"Let you know as soon as I find out." She says as she continues to stare at the ball before climbing into the car.

* * *

After dropping Buffy off at her house, Stefan reluctantly drives to the apartment him and Damon were 'renting', Stefan sighs knowing when Damon had said he had rented them an apartment he had actually compelled someone.  
As Stefan parks the car outside the building; he climbs out and makes his way up the stairs to the door.  
Just as he is about to knock on the door Damon opens the door and grins "hello, brother."  
Stefan rolls his eyes and makes his way inside, "Well look whose Mister Grouchy." Damon mutters before closing the door and walking into the living room where he's brother had disappeared to.

Damon moves to sit opposite his brother and looks at him seriously "Did you get it?"  
Stefan doesn't answer at first, he merely pulls out a purple vile from his pocket and places it on the table in front of Damon. Slowly Stefan looks up at his brother "I got it. This is what Klaus used to take her memories away."  
Damon grins "Looks like you and I won't be meeting the point-y end of blondie's stake anytime soon...unless she's pissed about all the crap in Mystic Falls still."

* * *

 **Chicago**

 _"Resurget ex favilla, liberare animum et iterum sumendi eam formam. Ruina carne."_ Klaus says as he hold his bloody hand over Mary's amulet, as the black smoke rises Klaus takes his seat and waits.  
The moment Mary appears she groans "You do realise I'm not your own personal genie right?"  
Klaus merely grins at her "Are you sure about that, Marianna? Because it seems as though you grant my every wish."  
"Can I go back to my prison now?" She asks rolling her eyes at his previous comment.  
Klaus clicks his fingers at the young woman "Not yet my dear. You know what to do."  
Mary hesitates trying to think of a way to keep Klaus from knowing the truth, slowly she closes her eyes.  
Suddenly a ball of light appears in the middle of the room, Klaus grins as the light transforms and reveals Buffy.

 _Buffy grunts as the large vampire tosses her into the metal fence, as he goes to hit her she ducks, "I've always wanted to kill a slayer." He growls as he looks down at her.  
_ _Buffy looks up at him and shrugs "I've always wanted piano lessons." She says before standing and punching him in the gut, she sends a fist upwards hitting him in the jaw, causing him to stumble "So really, who's surprised we have all this unexpressed rage?"  
_ _Buffy kicks the vampire causing him to growl at her angrily before he blocks her next bow and sends a swift jab to her face. Buffy falls backwards going through the fence, as she tries to regain her balance the vampire throws his arm out, the blonde quickly raises her hands upwards and catches his fist, "But honestly, I think I'm expressing mine better." Buffy brings her leg up kicking him in the groin before swinging her arm out and backhanding him, she then shoves him away causing him to crash into the metal fence.  
_ _"_ _Tell you what." She says as she approaches him and grabs his arm, twisting it behind his back before shoving him face first against the fence "You find yourself a good anger-management class..."  
_ _He cuts Buffy off by turning around and swinging his arm out but she merely ducks and punches him in the face again before continuing "And I'll jam this poky wood stick through your heart." She says as she pulls the stake out from her jacket.  
_ _Buffy then stakes the vampire turning him to dust._

Mary quickly ends the vision to make sure Klaus avoid's seeing Stefan and opens her eyes "Can I go know, or do you want anything else?" She asks spitefully.  
Klaus was merely sits there, a smile on his face "She is quite remarkable."  
Mary raises an eyebrow "You haven't come to feel for have you brother?" She taunts "I thought only the weak let themselves open to feelings."  
Klaus glares at her "Of course not." He denies "Just an observation."  
Mark chuckles "Oh I'm sure." She says sarcastically.  
"I'm done with you now." Klaus says angrily before speeding over to her and snapping her neck. He watches as her body crumbles to the ground before turning  
back into mist and going back into the amulet.

* * *

 **Sunnydale, California**

 _Buffy stands on top of the hill in the snow, she looks over to see Angel, as she approaches him something changes, the snow disappears and suddenly she is not on top of a hill but by a lake.  
_ _Buffy looks around shocked and confused however she freezes as she hears a rustling sound behind her, she quickly turns only to spot a male figure "Angel?" Buffy calls confused.  
_ _The man turns Buffy realises that it's not Angel, his stature is not as big but she is unable to tell who the man is "I should have died that night." The man says to her "Just like I had chosen."  
_ _Buffy just stares confused "Wait, what? What is happening, who are you?"  
_ _The man just continues as though he is following a script and unable to break from it "Every single person that's been hurt...every single life that's been lost, it's because of me. I'm weak and I let people get hurt. It's my fault."  
_ _Buffy's eyes widen and before she can stop the words they force themselves out of her moth "You're weak. Everybody is. Everybody fails. Everybody feels guilt for things that they have no control over, that come because of the choices they make. My first watcher wouldn't have died if it was not for me, Jenny, Kendra are dead because of my choices. Because I was weak. But we have to live with that and try to make amends." Buffy freezes and shakes her head "Whoa, what the hell? Am I in some weird sort of play universe type thing or something?" She asks herself before turning back to the man who had continued to speak.  
_ _"_ _It's hurts me, Buffy." He tells her sadly "It hurts me, knowing what I've done, and that pain—that pain is with me all the time."_

 _As he speaks Buffy as though against her own will starts to walk closer towards him "And everyday, I think if I just—if I just give myself over to the blood I can make the pain stop. It would be easy and everyday I fight that. I'm so terrified that one I'm not gonna want to fight that anymore, Buffy."  
_ _"_ _Okay, why am I walking?" She asks herself as she stares at her moving feet "Stop, stop moving!"  
_ _Suddenly her feet come to a stop, she sighs "Thank you." However she freezes as she realises she is now standing in very close proximity to the mysterious man.  
_ _Buffy looks up into the man's eyes and as she does she losses her control and let's herself be consumed in what is happening "Fighting is hard and it's painful and it's everyday. It's what we have to do. And we can do it together."  
_ _The man shakes his head refusing to acknowledge this "No, I don't deserve to live."  
_ _Buffy steps closer and grabs his arm "You are not staying here. I won't let you."  
_ _The man shoves her off and she falls to the ground, he then walks over to her and grabs her arm "Look at me, I'm a monster! Do I really deserve to live? The world would be better off without me."_

 _Buffy looks up at him, tears falling down her cheeks "What about me?" She asks, her voice breaking "I love you so much." Buffy then shoves him away "And I hate it!" She yells "I tried to ignore it, it's why I wouldn't say it, cause of what happened last time. I kept you at arms distance trying to keep you out. But it didn't help. I hate that it's so hard...and that you can hurt me so much, but you also helped me heal, I was broken when I meet you and somehow no matter what I did to try and keep you out, you wormed your way into my heart."  
_ _Slowly Buffy stands and looks at him sadly "But if you're too much of a coward to keep fighting then take this—" Buffy looks down and realises that she was holding a ring, and before she has a chance to examine it she hands the man the ring "...and throw it in the quarry and burn. If I can't convince you that you belong in this world then I don't know what can. But don't expect me to watch or to mourn for you."_

 _Buffy looks at him once more as tears fall down her face, she then turns away and starts to leave. Buffy stops as she hears him speak "Buffy."  
_ _Buffy turns to face him, and she watches as he slips his ring back on before walking over to her and kissing her._

:

Buffy shoots up in her bed gasping, she looks down at the bed and finds it empty. The blonde sighs and runs her fingers through her hair, she runs them down her face before pausing at her lips. She frowns slightly, the dream had seemed so real, and the kiss...it had seemed so familiar.  
The blonde shakes her head before slowly pulling herself out of the bed and getting ready.

She walks down the hall and knocks on Elena's door "Come on sleepy." She calls "Get up, it's Giles' bigger than big day. It's his grand opening."  
Buffy hears a muffled moan behind the door "No. I'm sleeping just bring me back a flying broomstick or something."  
Buffy chuckles before pushing the door open and walking into the room and opening the curtains causing Elena to moan again "Move it." Buffy says before heading out and down to Jeremy's room to do the exact same thing to him.

* * *

"So what do we need to do?" Stefan asks Bonnie as him, Damon and her sit in the living room.  
Damon notices something "Where are the siblings that always get kidnapped?" He asks.  
Bonnie rolls her eyes "Elena and Jeremy are spending the day with Buffy. They're at the Magi Box."  
"Magic box?" Stefan asks.  
"You've missed a lot brother." Damon tells him simply before turning back to the witch "So can we get this mission back on track. This town is cute and all but I want to get the hell out of here."  
Bonnie sighs "It's not just gonna take a day Damon. This spell is complicated and stronger than anything I have ever done. I'm not as powerful as Mary, sacrificial magic has no limits. I do."  
Damon shrugs "And I care about your limits because...?"  
"Damon." Stefan hisses before turning and sitting across from Bonnie.  
"What do you need, Bonnie?" Stefan asks politely.

Bonnie turns to the kinder brother out of the two of them "I need to break down the components used to make the elixir. If I get one wrong ingredient then it could end up erasing Buffy's memory for good. She'll never remember. I need to do a spell that will separate the potion back into it's original components."  
"Doesn't sound that difficult." Damon points out.  
Bonnie turns to him and glares "This is dark magic, Damon. Darker than anything I have ever dealt with. This is potion was formed by dark magic, using light magic to pull it apart is extremely difficult and dangerous. The amount of ingredients used for dark potions, which can cause death is surprisingly high. So unless you want to do it yourself I suggest you shut up."  
Bonnie then turns back to Stefan and ignores Damon "If I can even get it separated I still need to find a way to counter each of the ingredients and the effect they have." Bonnie sighs "This isn't gonna be something I can do in a night, Stefan. I'm sorry but Buffy isn't getting her memory back until this is done, and I don't how long that will be, it could be weeks, months or longer."  
Stefan and Damon stare with wide eyes "So what do we do?" Stefan asks.  
Bonnie sighs "I don't how long it's gonna take me to figure this out. So for now we will just have to keep trying to trigger her memory."  
Damon scoffs "Yeah, cause that's worked out so well so far. Here's an idea you're a witch do what a witch does and fix this."  
"Were you not listening to me Damon!?" Bonnie exclaims "I don't know if I can! And even if I can I don't know how long it will take!"  
Damon glares at her "Well then I suggest you get started." He says before storming out of the apartment.

* * *

Buffy, Elena and Jeremy enter the Magic Box, as they push the door open the bell goes off. The three of them frown before stepping though the door.  
As they do they freeze at the sight before them, as there in the middle of the room stood Giles, dressed in a wizard's Halloween costume, with the tall pointy hat and cloak.  
"Dude." Jeremy sighs, almost sounding disappointed.  
"Shh." Elena hisses at her brother.  
Buffy doesn't say anything she merely stares at Giles, who was still smiling, slowly the smile falls and Giles pulls off the hat and takes off the cloak.  
Elena offers the man a polite smile "Mr. Giles this place is amazing. You must be very proud."  
Jeremy nods as he looks around "Yeah, it'd awesome. I mean, check out all the magic junk."  
"Our new slogan." He says with sigh.  
Buffy and Elena both glare at Jeremy "Sorry." The boy whispers before backing away from his family members who were both giving him looks that could kill. He quickly disappears to look around while Buffy and Elena approach the shop owner/watcher.

"Still not to worry." Giles says "I have good feelings about this place. Magic's a small niche market, but...well, think about it. Sunnydale, monsters, supply and demand. They'll be lining up round the block in no time."  
Buffy nods "Yeah. You'll be making money hand over fist in no time." Buffy pauses "Which I guess is a good thing."  
Buffy looks at Elena for confirmation but the brunette shrugs "I'm your cousin, how am I supposed to know?"  
Buffy nods "Got it. Don't ask people that grew up around Summers' women."  
Buffy smiles before staring into blank space "You all right?" Giles asks "You seem a little distracted."  
Buffy sighs "I had dream last night, kinda reminded of the night that Angel tried to kill himself."  
"What?" Elena asks confused.  
Buffy turns to her "Oh, yeah you don't know. During my senior year of high school Angel went to the top of a hill and was gonna let himself burn in the sunlight.  
He had killed a lot of people and was feeling like he deserved to die."

Elena's eyes widen as she realises that sounds a lot like the time that Stefan had done just that at the quarry and Buffy had stopped him. Elena thinks for a second and comes to a realisation that Klaus replaced the memory of Buffy saving Stefan with a similar situation revolving Angel.  
"But the thing is..." Buffy goes on, now speaking to Giles "...it felt so much like the flashes I've been having. And they are getting more persistent and I have no idea what the deal is."  
"The visions are becoming more frequent?" Giles asks the blonde.  
Buffy nods "Yeah. And it's getting worse Giles, it's affecting my dreams now, what happens if during a fight I have one of these episodes?"  
Giles nods and cleans his glasses "That would certainly be cause for concern."

At that moment the bells goes off, everyone turns to face the door and spots an overextatic Willow entering the shop with Riley "Giles, where's your hat and cloak?" The witch asks, grinning like a child on Christmas morning.  
Riley comes up behind her and turns to Giles "Yeah, the hype was out of control."  
Jeremy appears again and waves to Willow as everyone heads over to Buffy.

"Actually, I have a little scooby-centric deal to deal with first. One, which is not about my flashes." Buffy says as she pulls the yellow orb out of her bag "I put this before the group. What the hell is it?"  
Elena and Jeremy stare at the ball "It's pretty." Elena says.  
Jeremy pipes in "Looks like those glow balls those crackheads bring to rave parties-" Jeremy pauses as he notices both Elena and Buffy glaring at him.  
"How do you know that Jeremy?" Elena asks as she crosses her arms.  
Jeremy sighs "Dammit."  
"Well talk about this later." Elena says sternly before turning back to the group.  
"I found it on patrol." Buffy says, however she pauses "Actually technically Stefan found it."  
"Stefan?" Riley asks, a worried tone in his voice, he had seen how both of the Salvatore Brother's looked at Buffy and he didn't like it one bit.  
Buffy nods "Yeah, he got back into town last night. He was sweet gave me a ride home."

Elena and Jeremy glance at each other and smile slightly before glancing at Riley who had a creese on his forehead forming. Riley shakes his head and tries to focus "May be more where that came from. I say we go back out again tonight."  
Buffy turns to him and hesitates honestly not wanting him to come "Um...sure."  
Jeremy turns to Buffy "I thought you said it's be easier if you didn't have to look out for anybody."  
"Well I wasn't talking about Riley." Buffy says willing Jeremy to shut up.  
"Don't worry about it." Riley says, his pride slightly bruised.  
Jeremy not getting it continues "I could have sworn you did cause you were saying that he looked even cuter when he was weak and stuff. There was all this girl stuff but you said you'd better go solo and that he'd get hurt."  
Suddenly Elena hits Jeremy's arm "Ahh! Why!" Jeremy exclaims as he clutches his arm.  
"Because you're a moron sometimes." Elena huffs before offering Buffy an apologetic smile.

As Riley goes into the backroom Buffy turns to Giles "About my flashes."  
"We will look into it." He assures her before Buffy hands Willow the orb and grabs Elena and Jeremy, before exiting the store.

* * *

"What the hell is a matter with you?" Stefan hisses as he walks over to Damon, who was currently sitting in the backyard with a glass of bourbon.  
"What are you moaning about now?" Damon asks as he glances over at his brother.  
Stefan glares at his brother "Bonnie is trying to help Damon."  
"And she's doing a brilliant job." He says sarcastically before taking a drink.  
"Look I get it, I'm not happy about it either but you know what—"  
Damon stands suddenly and glares at his brother "No you don't get it Stefan." Damon tries to storm off but Stefan approaches him again.  
"What are you talking about Damon?"  
Damon glares at his brother "I blame you. If you hadn't run off to be the big hero again and try and save me she wouldn't be like this."  
Stefan scoffs "You're blaming me for this? This is Klaus. Klaus did this to her."  
"Yeah, he did but the only reason he was able to is because she was saving your ass from becoming the ripper. Bet she would regret giving up everything if she knew that you were running around the west coast leaving bodies."  
Stefan glares at him brother before punching him in the face.  
Damon's laughs slightly "You know you should have let me die." He says "Did you know that I kissed Buffy that night. Real romantic, I mean true it was her giving me a sad goodbye kiss cause she thought I was gonna die but—"  
Damon is cut off when Stefan growls and punches him again, Damon growls and goes in for an attack.  
The brothers fight it out until Stefan shoves Damon "You blame me fine. But you blame yourself more. That's why you're being a dick. You were the one all of us were trying to save, and you hate yourself because if you hadn't been sick I wouldn't have needed to go to Klaus in the first place and then none of this would have happened."

At that moment Elena walks over "Hey." She says "I'm interrupting something aren't I?" She says noticing the looks on the brother's face.  
Stefan shakes his head "No. We're done here. What's up?"  
Elena hesitates "Um...Buffy's flashes they've started to affect her dreams, talking away the memory Klaus gave her and revealing reality."  
Damon turns to the brunette "How do you know?"  
"She had a dream last night." Elena then looks at Stefan cautiously "The night you tried to kill yourself at the quarry it was about that." Stefan's eyes widen as she goes on "Turns out Klaus altered the memory, the same situation just a different person and place."  
Damon stares at her for a few moment before groaning "Tell me it was not captain forehead."  
Elena nods "The same memory just instead of you Stefan it was Angel. But in her dream Angel disappeared and the original memory was shown."  
"We're getting closer." Stefan realises.  
Suddenly Elena's phone goes she sighs "I have to go. I've got a shift at the hospital but when I see Buffy at lunch I'll see what else I can find out."

* * *

"Hey, it's Buffy, isn't it?" Ben asks as he spots Buffy on her way to see Elena for lunch at the hospital.  
Buffy turns to Ben who was currently helping wheel a man into the north wing. "Uh..." She stutters not remembering his name.  
"Ben." He reminds her "But call me man-nurse. Everybody else does."  
Suddenly the man lying on the bed sits up and struggles "I don't belong here, I have important instructions. Fascists!"  
Ben and the other nurses try to strap the man down as he struggles "Now you're hurting the nice intern. Whose here to help you." Ben turns to one of nurses "I need nine cc's of Phenobarbital..."  
Buffy walks over and slams the man back on his bed easily, the man in now unable to move, Ben looks at Buffy stunned "...or not." He then turns back to the nurse "Let's strap him. For your own good, I promise." He says to the man.  
Ben turns back to Buffy "Not to be rampantly sexist, but you've got some serious muscles for a girl."  
Buffy freezes "I..."  
Ben smiles at her "Radioactive-spider bite?"  
Buffy smiles "How'd you guess?"  
"I'm a doctor. Well, almost."

Suddenly the patient grabs Buffy's hand "Flashes won't stop. They never stop. You'll lose your mind." Buffy's eyes widen "They're coming at you. Don't think you're above it, missy. They get to your family! You're mind is two worlds!"  
Buffy looks at him confused and slightly panicked now "Two worlds? My family? What do you mean?"  
Before he can answer her Ben has him taken away "Get him to Exam one. Now would be nice."  
Ben turns to Buffy "I'm really sorry about that. You here to see your cousin?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah. Just figured out something that we need to discuss."

* * *

After having Lunch with Elena Buffy head's into the magic box.  
"Giles." Buffy says as she interrupts his conversation with Anya "I have an idea of what is giving me these flashes."  
Giles' eyes widen "Buffy, it's been over a year since they started how is this possible?"  
"There was a guy at the hospital he saw things. He said things."  
"Such as?" Giles asks.  
"My mind is in two worlds and they'll get to my family. I finally have a family again, I don't want to lose them."  
Giles takes off his glasses "Who will?"  
"I don't know...yet. But whatever touched this guy, it made him see through what the rest of us are seeing. He knew someone is doing this to me, to hurt me and my family."  
Giles sighs as he places his now clean glasses back on his face "I do believe this is supernatural Buffy. But this is still the ramblings of a madman, it's not much to go on."  
"But it's a start." Buffy tells them all "Look, this getting worse, I need to find out who is doing this to me and how before I have a flash during a fight, and it ends up being me on the point-y of a stake or worse I can't protect the people I love."  
"Then what?" Willow asks.  
"Then I hunt them, find them and kill them." She says scaring them all slightly.

* * *

"We have a problem." Elena says as she runs into Stefan and Damon's apartment.  
Damon glances up at the brunette "We've got enough problems of our own. You deal with this one." He says before turning back to his book.  
Elena rolls her eyes and turns to Stefan "It's Buffy."  
Both brothers immediately turn to look at her, she now had their full attention "What is it?" Stefan asks.  
"Buffy came to the hospital to see me for lunch, and ran into Ben..."  
"Whose Ben?" Stefan asks.  
"He's one of the interns at the hospital, but that doesn't matter. Look they were moving some crazy guy and he grabbed Buffy. Told her that the flashes wouldn't stop. That her mind was in two worlds and that they would get to her family."  
Damon sighs "This is not good. I'm sensing there is a bit more bad news for you to bare."  
Elena nods and takes a deep breath before telling them "Buffy is now obsessed with finding out who is doing this to her. She wants to find out who is giving her the flashes."  
Stefan shakes his head slightly confused "But no one is giving her the flashes. It's her mind trying to unlock itself."  
"But she doesn't know that. Buffy thinks someone is trying to make her weaker, lose her focus, so they can hurt her and her family."  
Damon sighs in frustration and runs his hand over his forehead "What are we gonna do?"  
Elena shrugs "I don't know."


	68. No Place Like Home - Part 2

Buffy continues to stare at book in front of her, not noticing the busy store around her and all the costumers.  
A few minutes Xander approaches the blonde "Did you ever think in a million years you'd miss the high-school library?"  
Buffy turns to him "Someone did something to me, to try and make me lose my mind. It's what the flashes are. They are trying to make me weak, so I can't protect the people I care about."  
Xander looks at her startled "That's a new kind of nasty. Any suspects?"  
"Well, I've got the list narrowed down to just under infinity."

Anya turns to Buffy as she wraps up one of the items "You know, Buffy, there used to be this French sorcerer back in the 16th...I don't know what name..."  
Buffy who now had her attention focused on Anya turns to Giles as he speaks up "Cloutier?" He asks the ex-demon.  
Anya grins "So cute in his little knickers. But he had this one spell demons just hated called _"tirer la couverture".  
_ "Rotate many foodstuffs?" Buffy asks confused.  
Willow turns to her best friend "Pull the curtain back." She explains.  
"A spell to see spells." Anya informs the blonde "A trance to see spells, actually, but you get the idea. Try that."  
Buffy frowns in confusion "What do you mean, 'see' spells?"  
Giles quickly turns to them "Well, all spells or even potions leave a trace signature. It's just not perceptible to the human eye. In this case it may be a dark cloud surrounding you, or a creature holding onto your head."  
Buffy groans "Yew. Big with the eff factor Giles."  
Buffy shakes the thought away and closes the books in her hands "Okay, so I'll do what monsieur silk knickers did. I'll go home, get trance-y and see what's doing this to me."  
Willow turns to her friend, a worried frown on her face "I don't know, Buffy. Trances?"

Giles nods and quickly runs away from the costumers and back to the girls "Yes, the sorcerer Cloutier was legendary. His skills at achieving higher states of consciousness were..." As Giles is again distracted by costumers Buffy finishes his sentence.  
"Better than mine? I knew he'd say that. But I've been practicing concentration. I'm close."  
"Are you ready?" He asks her.  
Buffy sighs "Giles this thing, whatever it is is threatening my family. I'll get ready. What do I need?"

* * *

"Okay, sure Buffy. I'll be home soon. Be careful." Elena says before hanging up the phone. Elena groans in frustration before turning back to Damon and Stefan "Okay we now have another problem. Buffy's gonna do a spell, it will reveal what is doing this to her."  
Stefan arches an eyebrow "What spell?"  
"She said something about a guy names Cloutier..."  
Stefan nods "Cloutier he's was a sorcerer in the 16th century he was extremely skilled with it came to achieving a higher state of consciousness."  
Damon looks over at his brother "Wow, Stefan you really are the vampire bookworm now aren't you."  
Stefan rolls his eyes at his brother and turns back to Elena "Did she say what the spell was?"  
"My bet _tirer la couverture."_ Damon says surprising the others, he shrugs "What I'm not a complete idiot. I can read."  
"What does the spell do exactly?" Stefan asks.

At that moment Bonnie enters the room and explains "It's a spell to see spells."  
Everyone turns to face the witch "And you didn't tell us this before, because...?" Damon asks, taping his foot impatiently.  
Bonnie sighs "Because this spell is extremely powerful and the person doing it needs to be able to access that higher level of consciousness."  
Elena pipes in "Buffy believes she can do it."  
Bonnie thinks for a moment "I can try to do the spell. It will take me to where she is, maybe I can stop her."  
Elena frowns "Are we sure we want to stop her?"  
Damon turns to her "What are you talking about? God what is it with you and Stefan being all I want Buffy back, then no let's leave her in peace, then I want her back again."  
Elena sighs "I just mean that maybe this spell could end up giving her her memories back. That's what we want right?"  
Bonnie turns to her friend "Elena, this spell won't reveal everything to her. It may only reveal to her that it was a potion or it could end up just showing her the monster that did this to her. Which is just going to confuse her even more than she already is."

Bonnie turns to the brothers "I need you to go get me these ingredients." She says as she quickly pulls out a notepad and writes down a list "But don't go to magic box. If Buffy is doing this spell she would have gotten the ingredients from there. We don't want them knowing that we're trying to stop her."  
Damon nods "Okay well Stef, you go on the shopping job. I'll do what I do best and distract."

* * *

After Riley leaves her house Buffy sighs before she lights the candles and slowly starts to pour the red powder in a circle around herself. Once she is done Buffy lowers herself and sits crossed legged in the middle of the circle. She closes her eyes and tries to concentrate, only to have her concentration broken when someone knocks on her door.  
Buffy groans "I'm busy." She says before closing her eyes again.  
"I'm bored." Damon says through the door.  
Buffy's eyes slam open "Damon?"  
"Yep." He grins "So what are you doing?"  
Buffy sighs "My boyfriend. Go away."  
Damon chuckles "Funny. But you see I know you're lying for two reasons: 1-there are no cries of disappointment coming from your room and 2- I just saw you're little boytoy leaving. Seemed like he's pride was bruised. Did you finally admit he's nothing but a little puppy dog that needs saving?"  
Buffy stands up and pulls the door open "What the hell are you doing here?"  
"Like I said I was bored."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Well I'm busy."

Damon peeks behind her and spots the circle and the incense "Ooh you doing magic, fun. You're the whole package aren't you."  
Buffy rolls her eyes again and grabs Damon's arm, causing Damon to groan in pain "Ow geez blondie."  
"Shut it." She says as she pulls him down the stairs and shoves him out the front door "Go away, Damon."  
Damon pouts and tries to get back inside "Oh come on can't I watch?"  
"No!" Buffy exclaims "Just go!" She exclaims before slamming the door in his face.

Damon listening from outside as she storms upstairs and slams her door.  
"Dammit!" He exclaims before grabbing his phone to let the others know that Buffy was about to do the spell.

* * *

Buffy huffs as she storms back into her room, she slowly calms herself before going back to sitting in the circle. She shakes herself off before closing her eyes, and she tries to let everything fade away.

Buff sits there not realising that hours had actually passed, when her eyes suddenly open wide. _"Buffy."_ She hears a whisper, slowly the blonde stands and makes her way to the door.  
As she does she suddenly sees boxes surrounding her, she looks down the hall to see Photo's disappearing off the wall.  
Buffy shakes her head and suddenly all the photo's are back.  
Buffy frowns in confusion before slowly heading down the stairs, as she does she looks at the photo's on the wall, the photos were fading in and out, the one of her Xander and Willow at graduation continued to turn into nothing but a blank frame.

As she steps into the living room she hears something behind her _"You were not meant to be here, so in order to get our paths back straight, I need to do a few things."  
_ Buffy spins around to face the voice only to see no one. She looks down and sees a purple vile of liquid in her hands, suddenly in seems to fade in and out of existence.  
Buffy's head suddenly starts to pound painfully, she grabs at her head only to have the flashes start, only this time the faces are clear.

:

 _As they watch the film Buffy can't help but get fed up with the fighting choreography "Oh, give me a break! Uh! This is all wrong see, first you would get the big guy, with a flying kick, then you would take out all the little ones – BAM, BAM." Buffy then exclaims at the TV "See? Now with the flying kick. From a dead stop. What's powering it? Raw enthusiasm?" Buffy sits back irritated with the film while Elena who is shocked at Buffy's response to the film bursts out laughing so hard that she has trouble breathing. Buffy turns towards her cousin with a glare "What? What did I do?" Elena finally calms down and looks at the blonde_

 _"Buffy, you're are so weird, but don't worry it's in a good way." Buffy smiles at her cousin then does a little bow "Thank you, thank you very much" and then she too is laughing. It's at that point that Buffy realises she has not laughed this much in almost a month. "Thank you Elena." Elena looks at Buffy slightly confused at to why Buffy is thanking her, seeing Elena's confused expression Buffy decides to clarify "For making me laugh, it's been awhile." Elena sees a display of sad emotions cross the blonde's face so instead of saying anything else she pulls her cousin into a hug._

:

 _"You ok?" He asks her, Buffy still breathing heavily from the fall stares at him in shock, where did he come from._ _  
_ _"Wait, were you the one following me?" she asks him, preparing herself for a fight just in case._ _  
_ _He shakes his head "No, I, uh, I just – I saw you fall."_ _  
_ _Buffy is unconvinced "Yeah-huh, and what you just happen to be chilling in a cemetery?"_ _  
_ _"I'm visiting. I have family here." Buffy now feels like a jerk._ _  
_ _She panics "Oh, god I'm sorry. It's just there was the fog and the crow and it just went bad, very bad. God, I sound like a crazy person." Buffy chuckles as he smiles at her and takes a breath "I'm Buffy."_ _  
_ _"I'm Stefan."_

:

Buffy wobbles slightly "What the hell is going on?" She then gasps in pain and falls to the ground as the flashes continue.

:

 _"I—I'm sorry for barging in. The door was..." she turns to look at the door which was now closed. Not good Buffy thought. "open."_ _  
_ _The rather handsome guy finally speaks as she turns to face him "You must be Buffy. I'm Damon, Stefan's brother."_ _  
_ _"Oh, Hi umm, sorry, He did not tell me he had a brother."_ _  
_ _"Well, Stefan's not one to brag. Please, come. I'm sure Stefan will be along any second." He places a hand on her shoulder and guides her into the living room._ _  
_ _"Damn." Buffy says as she looks around the large extravagant room, "This is your living room? My old house could fit in here, like twice."_ _  
_ _Damon smiles as he looks around the room "Living room, parlor, Sotheby' auction. It's a little kitschy for my taste. I see why my brother's so smitten." Buffy turns to look at Damon as he continues "It's about time. For a while there, I never though he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."_

 _:_

 _Buffy typed in 'Joseph Salvatore + Animal attack' into the search engine, a moment later there was a match, once she clicked the file a video popped up.  
"This is Michael Fell reporting to you from the Salvatore Boarding House, where a brutal animal attack has ended in tragedy. Ok, they're bringing out the bodies. See if you can get in on the nephew?"_

 _Suddenly the video zoomed in, to focus on a young man in the background. Buffy enhances the image the best she could, and at that moment she had her proof. The way Stefan always disappeared when there was blood in the room, how he could leave and appear in a room without her enhanced senses picking it up straight away. Elena telling her Stefan had cut his hand on the glass, and then there being no sigh of injury. All the mysterious animal attacks. And now with everything that the old man had told her and the video from 1953. Buffy was sure of one thing. Stefan was not human. Buffy's breathing picks up. This could not be happening again. She needs answers and there was only one place she was going to get them._

 _:_

 _Hello Stefan." Buffy says still holding the crossbow. Stefan stares in shock "What are you?"_ _  
_ _"You know."_ _  
_ _"No. I don't. You see you're different from the others, which means you're a different breed so technically I could be wrong about what you are."_ _  
_ _"You wouldn't be here if you thought you were wrong."_ _  
_ _"It's not possible, there is no description of what you are in any book, it's all about the traditional demonic ones." Stefan tries to step towards her but she shots at his head again, it misses "That was a warning. Truthfully, I don't miss."_ _  
_ _"Everything you know...about the supernatural and everything you believe about it. Is about to change. Are you sure you want that?"_ _  
_ _"Tell me." Buffy says with raw determination in her voice._ _  
_ _"I'm a vampire. I'm just not like the ones that reside on the Hellmouth."_

:

 _Buffy punches Damon in the face, flips over him and kicks the back of his knees so he falls. She pins his hands behind his back then lifts him shoving him against the wall. "What the hell do you want?"_ _  
_ _"Well if you would let me go, I would gladly explain." Buffy ignores him pulling on his arm threatening to pull it from place, Damon grunts in pain "Geez super blonde, I'm just looking for Stefan." Buffy releases him and he laughs "Damn you've got fire, I like that. Are you sure you wanna date my brother, I think your too much fire for his innocent little self."_ _  
_ _Buffy rolls her eyes "Cut to the chase Damon. Or I start removing body parts. Who knows maybe I'll rip out your rib cage and wear it as a hat." Buffy hisses at the Vampire._ _  
_ _Damon smirks "Where's Stefan?"_ _  
_ _Buffy glares at him "He went to look for Vicki."_ _  
_ _"Don't look at me with those judgy little eyes, girl's gonna thank me for what I did to her."_ _  
_ _"Did you thank Katherine?"_ _  
_ _Damon moves closer to her getting to close for Buffy's comfort so she pushes him away causing him to fall off the porch. As he stands back up he smiles "Got the whole life story, huh?"_ _  
_ _"I got enough."_ _  
_ _"I doubt that."_ _  
_ _"Well I got what I needed to know about your kind. So I think I'm good."_ _  
_ _"Hmm. What about you? Did you finally spill all your little secrets." He points at her necklace "And I'm not just talking about the crazy super strength. Which is rather sexy by the way."_ _  
_ _Buffy rolls her eyes "Damon I suggest you stay away from me and my family otherwise this conversation is going to get a lot more violent. And end with me cutting off your head."_ _  
_ _Damon smirks again then starts to turn away "Tell my brother I'm looking for him." Damon walked off and Buffy quickly turns and heads back into the house._

:

 _Damon quickly picks up a piece of wood and chucks it at Buffy, she catches it but is not fast enough to stop Damon who quickly runs over and digs another piece of wood in her back. "Ahh!" Buffy yells as Damon pushes the wood in, before putting her in a choke hold. Buffy tries to move but when she tries Damon focuses the piece of wood closer to her lung._ _  
_ _Damon glares at Stefan "I can do one better." He bites into his wrist and forces his blood down Buffy throat "Give me the book, Stefan. We both know that she can't heal if I keep this wood here. She will bleed to death once it hits her lung. It will take longer than a normal human, but I could also just snap her neck. And you and I will have an immortal girlfriend."_ _  
_ _"Let her go first." Stefan says._ _  
_ _Damon finally moves his wrist away. Buffy coughs before glaring at Damon "I'm going to kill you, you son of a bitch."_ _  
_ _Damon ignores her "Drop it." He orders Stefan._ _  
_ _Stefan shakes his head "I'm not going to give this to you until she is standing next to me."_ _  
_ _Damon shifts the wood again causing Buffy to groan in pain "Problem is, I not longer trust that you'll give it back."_

:

Buffy gasps again as another wave of pain hits her,

 _:_

 _"Buffy, what's going on in here?" Jeremy asks as he walks into the room.  
Buffy turns to her cousin "It's fine. Jer, just go back to bed. Now."  
"No, it's not ok, Buffy. He wants to be a vampire." Damon catches Buffy off guard and throws her into the opposite wall while he runs over to Jeremy and snaps his neck. "No!" Elena screams as she runs into the room._

 _Buffy gets up and runs over and tackles Damon to the ground she then slames him against the opposite wall and punches him in the face, she slams his head onto her knee then runs at the window. The two of them go crashing through the window and onto the ground below. Buffy stands and kicks Damon in the ribs._

:

 _"What did you change? You said that the spell changed my fate. What exactly did you change?"_ _  
_ _Mary rolls her eyes "I took away the thing that bound you to the Hellmouth. The only thing that could possibly keep you there."_ _  
_ _Buffy thinks for a moment when a thought comes to her "My mother." She whispers "You killed her."_ _  
_ _Mary shakes her head "No. I just altered fate. She was going to die, I just speed up the process. So you would be forced to move away from the Hellmouth."_ _  
_ _Suddenly Buffy runs at her "I'm going to kill you." Mary however teleports away and Buffy lands on the ground. "No!" She screams "Come back here!"_

:

 _Buffy walks over to the wooden coat rack by the door and snaps it in two before quickly running back to Elijah, she forces it down but Elijah grabs the end of it and rips it from Buffy's grasp before standing. Elijah goes to hit her but she backflips away, she sends a roundhouse kick to his face and attempts to flip over his head. However, mid air he catches her and tosses her onto the ground "You cannot beat me child." Buffy flips herself back up "Well, you know what they say, fail once...alright I don't actually know what they say. Or who they are."  
Buffy swings the chain again and when Elijah goes to hit her she catches his fist with the chain, she then twists the chain so Elijah is forced to turn away from her. Buffy then kicks him in the centre of his back sending him flying across the room._

 _"Stop!" Elena says as she appears at the top of the stairs.  
Buffy momentarily distracted losses sight on Elijah who comes up behind her ripping the chain from her grasp and holds it tightly around her throat.  
"Elena, run." Buffy manages to get out before she is silenced by Elijah.  
"I'll go with you." Elena tells him. "Just please don't hurt our friends. They just wanted to help Buffy and Me out. Leave Buffy and them and I'll go with you."  
"What game are you playing with me?"_

 _Suddenly Elena pulls out a vervain grenade and unhooks it. Buffy manages to push herself away from Elijah quickly enough to miss the blast. Elijah screams in agony but quickly heals, he starts up the stairs only to have Stefan appear and start shooting stakes at him. When he runs out, he tackles Elijah and the two go crashing down the stairs towards Buffy. Elijah kicks Stefan away before turning to Buffy, she swings her arm out but he catches it "I have indulge this too long." He said before snapping her arm "Buffy!" Stefan yells as she screams.  
Elijah then takes her by the throat and throws her upwards causing her to crash throw the ceiling. Buffy groans in pain as she lands on the upstairs level but as she moves the floor beneath her gives out and she comes crashing down through the floor and lands on the ground by Elena._

:

 _After a few moments Klaus approaches her "Hello, love." He says as the fire ring around her disappears, Klaus watches her for a moment "A slayer chained to the earth. Quite poetic is you ask me."  
Buffy stands "I didn't ask you." Klaus simply smiles at her, but as he approaches her she kicks him in the stomach, "Know one thing Klaus, I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying to kill you."  
Klaus simple shrugs off her kick and moves a strand of hair behind her ear "Everyone needs a hobby, and trust me once it is time, you will have eternity, I'm sure you'll come to like me after a few hundred years."  
"I doubt that."  
Klaus smiles at her once more before moving around her, he moves the hair off her neck before lowering his teeth into her flesh, Buffy's eyes widen as the pain hits her, however just as she begins to feel faint Klaus removes himself, she starts to fall but he catches her, before she could do anything he places his now bloody wrist to her mouth and forced the blood down her throat._

:

 _Slowly Buffy heads back to Klaus "You ready, love?"_ _  
_ _Buffy doesn't answer; she merely grabs the vile off him and downs it, before collapsing as darkness consumes her._

:

Buffy gasps again, due to the pain, but as it slowly starts to fade her heavy breathing calms, she starts shaking her head in confusion "What the hell?"  
Although she had seen the flashes they had left her so confused, Buffy shakes her head before standing, realising she needed answers and soon.  
At that moment the phone starts ringing "What?"  
 _"_ _Buffy?"_ Giles asks _"I'm glad I've caught you. We may have underestimated what we're dealing with."  
_ "Go on."  
 _"_ _Um...we've uncovered more than expected about this-this orb. It's called the Dagon Sphere and it has a history going back many centuries."  
_ Buffy arches a brow in interest "What's it do?"  
 _"_ _It's a protect device. Used to ward off ancient primordial evil."  
_ Buffy thinks back to the man who had handed her the vile in the flash "Any word on what this evil looks like?  
 _"_ _Unfortunately, no. This is where accounts get...this is where accounts get vague. All we've managed to uncover so far is...the Dagon Sphere was created to repel that-which-cannot-be-named."_

Buffy's eyes widen as she sees the images of Stefan and Damon's faces as they show their true form "I'm gonna go back to the factory." She tells Giles "Whoever planted this doohickey's got answers."  
 _"_ _You've heard me say this before, but do be careful. Anything that goes unnamed is usually an object of deep worship or great fear. Maybe both. Have you completed the trance? Seen what is giving you these visions?"  
_ "That's what weird when I did it it just increased the amount of flashes, not exactly a painless experience."  
 _"_ _Dear lord, did it not reveal to you who was doing this then?"  
_ Buffy hesitates "No. I don't think it worked properly."  
Buffy hangs up the phone and goes to the door grabbing her jacket.

* * *

After dealing with Spike who had been standing outside her house, in an extremely creepy and weird way, Buffy heads back down to the place where she had found the Dagon's Sphere.  
Buffy rips the chain off the fence causing it to clutter to the ground. She breaks into the building and slowly makes her way through the halls.

As she turns the next corner she freezes, the metal door had been crushed and was currently lying crumbled on the ground.  
Buffy makes her way though the room inspecting every aspect of it, her eyes widen as she spots a young man currently bound to a chair, bloody spilling from his face.  
"Hey." She says as she runs over and quickly moves to undo the ropes "It was you who planted the Dagon Sphere, right?" She asks, as she rips through the ropes "I got it."  
Buffy circles around to face him, so she can undo his feet "Don't worry. I'm stronger than I look. I've had experience with stuff like this before. Best of all..." Buffy stands and turns to face the woman who had been trying to sneak up on her and wraps a hand around her neck "...I'm not stupid."  
The woman merely grins before removing Buffy's hand and backhanding her sending her flying 10 feet through the air and into the wall, leaving a massive dent.  
Buffy winces slightly as she tries to stand and looks over at the woman stunned.  
The woman smiles at her "You sure about that last part?"

* * *

"I got the rest of the ingredients." Stefan says as he quickly runs into the apartment where Bonnie was currently lighting the candles.  
Bonnie turns to him "What took you so long? It's been hours."  
Stefan sighs "This stuff is rare especially the powder, and the fact that I couldn't go to the only magic box in town doesn't help."  
Damon turns to Bonnie "Well let's get going. It's been hours since I left Buffy's, hopefully she hasn't been able to get to the higher level of whatever yet."  
"So what do we do?" Elena asks.  
"Nothing." Bonnie tells them as she starts creating a circle around herself with the powder before sitting down "We just wait, hopefully I can get to this place before Buffy and I will do the spell to block her but if you want something to do. Pray."  
Damon, Elena and Stefan glance at each other before turning back to Bonnie.  
The witch looks at them nervously "Let's do this." She says before closing her eyes.

* * *

Buffy grabs the monk off his chair and starts to run towards the window.  
The other woman's eyes widen "Hey! Hand's off my holy man!" She screams as she starts to chase after them.  
Buffy keeps going, limping slightly due to the fight with the other woman, but as they approach the window Buffy dives out keeping ahold of the monk.  
As they land on the ground, Buffy takes most of the brute force of the fall before getting up and pulling him along as the building behind them falls apart.  
"Stop. Please." The man begs, his voice weak and fading.  
"No." Buffy groans in pain as she speaks "We have to keep going." She says as she pulls him along.

However the man is too weak and he falls to the ground by the fence.  
"My journey is done, I think." He says.  
Buffy tries to pull him up "Don't get metaphor-y on me. We're going."  
The man grabs her refusing to stand "You have to...The Key. You must protect the Key."  
Buffy nods "Fine. We can protect the Key together, ok? Just far, far from here."  
"Many more die...if you don't keep it safe."  
Buffy frowns in energy "How? What is it?"  
"The Key is energy. It's a portal. It opens the door. "  
Buffy shakes her head, still confused "The Dagon Sphere?"  
"No. For centuries it had no form at all. My brethren...it's only keepers. Then the abomination found us. We had to hide the Key. We placed it inside a vessel. A supernatural creature that appears across time was able to contain the energy. A doppelganger."  
Buffy shakes her head "A doppelganger? Where is the doppelganger?"  
"She is with you." He tells her "Your memories were changed, we took advantage knew you would come back here, she would follow. She came here so you could protect her."  
"My memories?" Buffy asks "What do you mean they were changed?"  
The man looks up at her weakly "A creature of darkness changed them. He had to set things right. And now you have to protect the key."  
Buffy stares in shock but tries to focus "I will but how do I find her."  
"She found you." He says before placing two fingers to her forehead

:

 _A little while later Buffy is going through the books on the curse, as well as anything she can find on Mary. As she does, Elena turns to Vanessa "Have you done any research on doppelgangers?"_ _  
_ _Buffy looks up "Yeah, that's a good question. Little bit more curious now, due to little old me being in a legend which is over 600 years old."_ _  
_ _Vanessa turns to the cousins "Well, the word means a lot of different things to different cultures. But typically a doppelganger is a living, breathing double of oneself."_ _  
_ _"Did Isobel have anything that'd explained the link between Elena and Katherine?"_

:

 _Buffy glares at Katherine before grabbing the necklace and tossing it to Elena. Buffy then turns to Katherine "You can go now."  
Elena nods in agreement "She needs to get out of here before Jenna gets home."  
Katherine frowns at the two cousins "Is that all the two of you have to say to me?"  
Buffy shrugs "Well the other thing I have to say to you, doesn't have much to do with words. More, my fist connecting with your face. Especially if you continue to irritate me."  
Katherine glares at Buffy, but you can see the hint of fear in her eyes "Your violent tendencies are making me like you less and less."  
Buffy shrugs "And yet, I can't find it in myself to care. Oh, well. What a shame."  
"This doesn't change the way I feel about you." Elena tells Katherine when the vampire glances at her.  
Katherine merely shrugs "I don't much like you, either, if we're going to be open. And frankly, I'd be happy to see you dead, and your little cousin either dead or as Klaus' bitch. But if we're going to try to take on Klaus, we kinda need you to be alive and we kinda need the super freak. So I'm not a threat to either of you."_

 _At that moment Buffy reveals a small wooden knife and plunges it into Katherine's side. Katherine screams in pain "What the hell?!"  
Buffy shrugs "Don't talk to me or my cousin like that again, or else it won't be your stomach I put this in next."_

:

 _Elena stands and walks past Klaus, she then moves to stand at the stone alter, as Klaus approaches Elena, Buffy stands "Elena!" Buffy calls but all she hears is Klaus "Thank you, Elena." He says._ _  
_ _Elena just glares at him hatefully "Got to hell."_ _  
_ _Buffy screams as Klaus grabs onto Elena and bites her "No! No!" Buffy screams as Klaus drains Elena's blood, once he is done Buffy watches in horror as Elena's body falls, Buffy simple stares and falls to her knees as tears roll down her cheeks._

:

Buffy eyes widen as he pulls his fingers away from her forehead "Elena." She says in realisation.  
The man nods "She is the Key. But she is also the doppelganger. She will be in danger."  
Buffy shakes her head "What did you do to me?"  
"I showed you a glimpse of what was, but I don't have the power to fix it."  
"You put that thing in my cousin?" She hisses.  
"We knew the slayer would protect." Suddenly the man starts coughing, the blood filling his lungs "You cannot abandon. You saved her before, you must do it again."  
Buffy shakes her head "What—I don't—I can't."  
"She is an innocent in this. She needs to be protected."  
The man takes one more breath before his heart stops.

* * *

Buffy storms upstairs to her room and slams the door. She clutches her eyes shut and grasps her head as she sees images of different types of vampires, Elena begin attached.  
Buffy's eyes widen "Stefan and Damon." She hisses before grabbing her crossbow and her stake before running back out of the house.

* * *

Damon, Elena and Stefan watch as Bonnie sits there for just under an hour, not moving. Suddenly Bonnie's gasps and her eyes shoot open.  
Elena quickly runs to her friends side and tries to help her "Bonnie! Bonnie! It's okay."  
Slow Bonnie's breathing calms and she looks over at the brothers.  
"Did you do it? Did you stop Buffy?" Stefan asks.  
Bonnie shakes her head "No. She wasn't there. I couldn't stop her."  
At that second a crossbow flies through the air and into Stefan's hand pinning him to the wall, a second later another crossbow appears and pins Damon to the wall by his leg.  
The girls gasp and turns to see the front door wide open and an angry Buffy standing in the doorway holding a crossbow, Buffy then glances at the vampires "Couldn't stop me from what?"


	69. Family - Part 1

Buffy kicks down the door at Damon and Stefan's apartment and immediately she raises the crossbow and shoots at both Damon and Stefan pinning them to the wall on the opposite side of the room.  
Both brothers groan in pain before turning to see who had attacked them, the both freeze as they spot the blonde.  
Buffy merely glares at them "Couldn't stop me from what?" She asks as she steps into the room.  
Elena stands and tries to explain "Buffy, I can explain—"  
"No need." Buffy says, not even glancing at her cousin "Vampires are manipulative Elena, and my guess is that this type is just as bad."

Buffy approaches Stefan and Damon and raises the stake "So which one of you want's to say your last words first. You know I'm not a big fan of vampires who play human to get close to me."  
"Buffy, please..." Stefan tries but Buffy merely twists the arrow pinning him to the wall causing him to groan.  
"Sorry, did that hurt?" She asks smirking slightly "Look I don't care what happened between us that year. From what I've seen you are both killers, you're dangerous and you always seem to put me and my cousins in danger."  
Bonnie turns to Buffy "What exactly do you remember?"  
Buffy glances at the witch "I don't remember exactly, but I've seen things, they don't feel like my memories but they do at the same time."  
"What do you remember?" Stefan asks her.  
Buffy turns and glares at Damon "I remember meeting you both. It all takes an interesting turn after that though. You killing my cousin, who somehow survived a broken neck." She hisses causing Damon to wince.  
"Not one of my best moments." He admits only to have Buffy punch him in the face.

"Buffy!" Elena exclaims, but the blonde ignores her and continues to glare at Damon "I remember you shoving blood down my throat after stabbing me in the back and threatening to turn me."  
Bonnie tries to explain "Buffy the spell you did, it didn't fix you. It only showed the darker memories."  
Buffy turns to her "What like a vampire named Klaus killing Elena and drinking from me?"  
Buffy then turns back to the boys "Bonnie take Elena back to my place now. This isn't going to be pretty."  
Before anyone can say anything Buffy runs at both the brothers causing the three of them to go crashing through the window and land two stories bellow.

Buffy stands quickly as both brothers groan before ripping the arrows out of them. Damon looks over at his brother "I told you this would happen."  
"Are you really bringing that up now?!" Stefan asks astonished.  
Before Damon can say anything Buffy approaches him "Buffy, you don't wanna do this."  
Buffy smirks before sending a spinning kick to his chest sending him flying backwards.  
As Damon crashes to the floor he groans "God dammit. Girl had to have super strength."

Stefan watches as his brother is kicked across the backyard before turning back to Buffy who now approaching him "I'm not gonna fight you." He says as he raises his hands in defence.  
Buffy arches an eyebrow before punching him in the face, "That's your choice." Stefan stumbles back due to the force and before he knows it the blonde attacks him again, she swings her leg out kicking him across the face before punching him in the gut.

When she tries to punch him in the face again he blocks the blow but misses her bring her knee up to his stomach, he groans in pain, only to have Buffy do a jumping spinning kick sending him sprawling to the ground.  
As Buffy approaches Stefan again Damon speeds up behind her and grabs a hold of her, pinning her arms down "Come Buffster, let's not go all murderous."  
"Says the murderous vampire." She hisses as she struggles to get out of his grasp.  
"Buffy please." Stefan begs as he runs over and stands in front of her.  
Buffy merely glares at her ex boyfriend before bringing both her legs up and thrusting them into his stomach, Stefan stumbles slightly while Buffy headbutts Damon causing him to lose his grip on her.

The blonde quickly wraps her arms around his neck before bringing her legs back up and wrapping her legs around Stefan's neck. She twits causing all three of them to drop to the ground.  
Buffy quickly flips herself back up as does Damon "Okay you're getting on my nerves now." Damon says.  
"I thought you liked foreplay." She says before jabbing him in the face.  
Damon groans before blocking her next blow "Normally yeah."  
Before spins around and swings her leg around but Damon catches her leg and tosses her away.  
"Buffy, there is more going on then you know." He says trying to convince her.

Buffy gets into a crouch and glares up at Damon before she runs at him, she jumps up and wraps her legs around his neck, she then flips herself backwards so he lands on his back on the ground and she lands on top of him.  
"Although I can't argue with this position." He comments only to receive a punch to the face.

Buffy climbs off him and walks over to her stake which was right next to Stefan, she grabs Stefan's neck and brings his face to her knee slamming it down painfully, before she kicks him across the face sending him down to the ground.  
Buffy moves over him and raises the stake.

"Buffy! Stop!" Elena screams as her and Bonnie run outside.  
Buffy's hand freezes, as the stake is a mere inch away from Stefan's heart, Buffy glances at her cousin "Please, Buffy. I can explain everything. Just don't kill them."

Buffy looks back at Damon and Stefan who were both lying on the ground, Buffy sighs before pushing herself away from Stefan and glaring at both the brothers "One wrong move. And I will kill you. No second chances." She warns them before turning to her cousin "I suggest we get with this explanation now."

* * *

As the five of them sit in the living room Buffy continues to watch both brothers like a hawk but keeps her focus on her cousin "Tell me."  
Elena sighs and looks over at Stefan. He slowly approaches, not able to look at Buffy and see the look of hate in her eyes "Where do you want to start?"  
"What do you know about my flashes?"  
Stefan finally looks at her as he explains "An original vampire named Klaus, he um...he took your memories from your last two years of high school. He then replaced them with false memories."  
Buffy frowns in confusion "Why?"  
Damon is the one that speaks this time "Because he was a crazy ass lunatic whose obsessed with you. He thinks you're destined to be together as the new evil twosome or some crap like that."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Original vampire...obsessed with me...evil twosome. Is this gonna get weirder?"

Elena nods "Yeah. I'm a Petrova douppleganger and there is a witch named Marianna Von Swartzchild. She was the adoptive sister of Klaus and he forced her to do a spell so she would look like you. That was 800 years ago."  
Buffy gulps "That's just...ew. Wait, is that the bitch that killed my mom?"  
Elena nods.  
Buffy feels anger rise "Okay so she's dead." Buffy shakes her head and tries to focus on the main problem of the moment "Okay um...you said he changed everything from those two years right?" Elena nods "When I did the spell I saw a lot of things..." Buffy subtly nods at Damon and Stefan as she goes on "...but one of the weird things is I kept seeing moving boxes and photos of my last two years in Sunnydale fade in and out of existence. Explain that."  
Elena sighs "After your mom died, you were sent to live with us in Mystic Falls."

Buffy's eyes widen and she stutters slightly as she speaks "Are—are you saying that I've lost two years of living on the other side of the country?"  
Stefan nods "Yes, the potion Klaus gave you replaced all your memories so you would believe you had never left Sunnydale, Mary or Marianna she did a spell to mess with fate, you were never meant to live Sunnydale, so Klaus tried to fix it by sending you back."  
Buffy nods and stands slightly running her hands through her hair as she paces "This is a lot to process." Buffy freezes and turns to Elena "Wait before the flashes were clear I had some, there was a man in them. We seemed...close. Like close, close. Was I involved with someone?"

Everyone in the room freezes "What?" Buffy asks, confused to why everyone had suddenly gone silent.  
Elena is the one out of the five that finally speaks "Buffy, you remember that dream you had, the one that you said felt just like a flash?"  
The blonde slayer nods "Yeah, the one about the guy trying to kill himself, he was waiting for the su—" Buffy freezes and stares at Elena with wide eyes "No. You don't mean."  
Elena doesn't say anything she just glances over at Stefan.  
Buffy notices and her eyes widen so much they look at though they pop out of her head "Oh hell no. This is not happening again.

Before anyone can say anything Buffy picks up her crossbow and turns to Bonnie and Elena "We're leaving now!"  
Before both girls can argue Buffy glares at them causing them to gulp before they run to her car.

Stefan moves towards Buffy and grabs her shoulder, "Buffy, there's more..." the blonde immediately shoves him back "Don't touch me. I don't wanna know. About you me and whatever the deal is with you..." She says gesturing to Damon.  
Buffy then looks at them both sternly "Let me make myself clear, the girl that I was is gone. The girl that was in Mystic Falls she is not here anymore. So I won't hesitate to kill either of you if you put anyone I care about in danger."  
Buffy then turns her back on them and storms out.

As the door slams behind her Damon glances over at his brother "Well, that went well." He says sarcastically before placing a hand on his brother's shoulder "Hate to say it...actually forget that, I love to say it—but I told you so."

* * *

Once they had gotten home Buffy waited till Bonnie and Elena had fallen asleep before she called Giles over.  
Buffy looks over at Giles once she had explained everything Elena and Bonnie as well as the Salvatores had told her.  
"And you believe them?" He asks.  
Buffy shrugs "It makes sense. I mean I know it's beyond crazy but once my flashes cleared up...it just makes sense it explains why I started having the flashes during the summer after senior year, cause that would have been right after I took this potion thing."  
Giles sighs as he cleans his glasses "And this new species of vampire?"

"From what I can tell, stronger, faster. Elena told me they have souls so a lot of them choose to be good but like our kind they can switch their humanity off and then they act more like our everyday bumpy kind."  
Giles nods as he listens to all of this knew information "And Damon and Stefan, they walk in the sun? How is that possible? Angel destroyed the gem of Amara."  
"I talked to Elena when we got back. She told me a bit more. Apparently a witch made them daylight rings. They are not invincible but they can go out in the sun."  
Giles takes a deep breath "Are they dangerous?"  
"I think so. From what I saw in the visions Damon more than Stefan but—Elena told me that they used to help me save people. And that they've been trying to protect both me and her from this guy Klaus."  
"The original hybrid vampire?" He clarifies.  
Buffy nods "That's what Elena told me. Apparently there was this whole sacrifice thing where he killed Elena, drank from me and became part vampire part werewolf. I'm not really sure, I was still kind of in shock. First the crazy strong lady, the key and then all this."

Giles nods in understanding and looks at his slayer sympathetically "Speaking of the Key."  
Buffy nods, she stands and walks over to the doorway and looks up the stairway towards Elena's room "We have to protect her."  
"This woman, this..." As Giles speaks Buffy turns back and walks back over to her seat "...whatever she was. She knows you now. Should we be thinking about maybe sending Elena back to Mystic Falls."  
Buffy shakes her head "Her parents are dead, our aunt Jenna is dead. And I am not leaving her alone with the boys as her only protection."  
"I'm sorry." Giles says as he sees the grief in her eyes as she talks about the family members she had lost.

Buffy looks up at Giles "You know what's weird? I remember getting a phone call about Jenna and crying for a week. But that's not what happened. I would have been in Mystic Falls. But I can still feel what it was like when I got the call, I remember Willow and Xander comforting me and now...god."  
Buffy stops for a second "Me and Jeremy are the only family she has Giles. And they sent her back to me. Made sure we would find each other again. I need to protect her. Even after all the lies I want to protect her."  
Giles nods and rubs his chin slowly as he thinks of the possible outcomes of this "Do we tell the others?"

Buffy thinks for a moment "Not yet. We can tell them about everything else but about this... The less people that know the easier it will be to make sure that that woman doesn't find out. It's safer for everyone if they don't know. I'll tell Elena once we know more about what these monks put inside of her."  
Giles nods in agreement and stands "Yes. We have to find out who this woman is and what she needs Elena for." Giles pauses "If she comes after you..."  
"She'll come. She'll come for us." Buffy says simply "And so will he."

* * *

Damon is cleaning up the glass on the floor while Stefan continues to pace the living room. Damon groans "You know you could help, you see unlike you I care about how this place looks." Damon stands "That girl owns me new windows."  
Damon turns to his brother "What's your damage?" He asks.  
Stefan finally stops pacing and turns to his older brother "She tried to kill us. She remembers but she tried to kill us."  
"Oh don't over react she already said she doesn't remember just the flashes are clear and all that crap. Plus it's clear that she only remember the bad. Like me stabbing her. Details details."  
"Can you take this serious Damon?!" Stefan hisses "She doesn't trust us. She is just looking for an excuse to kill us. If Elena hadn't been there, Buffy would have killed us both."  
Damon sighs holding back any emotion "Look, she doesn't remember the good. Give her time, let Elena talk to her."  
Stefan nods and takes a seat before glances at his brother "Klaus is gonna come for her, once he knows the vile is gone he'll come for her."  
Damon nods "We have to protect her. She'll hate it and likely try to kill us for it, but until she knows everything we have to protect her."

* * *

"God how much stuff do you guys have?" Xander asks as he lugs another box out of the car.  
Jeremy scoffs "Those boxes are Elena's." Jeremy then raises two bags "These are mine."  
Xander shakes his head "What is it with girls and clothes?"  
"You're asking the wrong man." Jeremy says before throwing his bag over his shoulder and heading towards the house.

Anya moans as she grabs another bag from the car "But we just helped that witch girl move her stuff into the dorms a few days ago. I thought the packing was over. Buffy has super strength can't we just load her up."  
Buffy who had heard the comment coughs as she appears from the house, Anya turns and forces a smile on her face "And it was fun!" She says faking happiness.  
"People help each other out, Anya. It's one of our strange customs." Giles tells her.  
Buffy arches an eyebrow at Giles as he was currently going through one of the books "Giles, you're doing the smallest amount of helping that can actually be called helping."  
Giles tries to argue his case "Well, I saw myself in more of a patriarchal sort of role. You know. Lots of pointing and scowling." Giles then points at Riley and Xander and Jeremy who were all trying to tackle each other "You three, stop that!"  
"They started it I tried to end it. Didn't work." Jeremy says.  
"He called me a bad name." Xander argues "I think it was bad. It might've been latin."  
Giles shakes his head "Stop it, or you're going to break something."  
Buffy smiles "Or I'm going to break something." Immediately all three men break away from each other.  
Buffy shoves boxes into all three mens' arms before looking around for Elena. She frowns as she is unable to see her "Elena!"  
Buffy turns to Giles slightly panicked but then she hears Elena run over "I'm here."

Elena reaches to grab another box and struggles due to the weight, she then looks over at Buffy nervously "You know maybe Stefan and Damon could help, I mean—"  
"No." Buffy says cutting her off "I don't want them here, Elena." Buffy sighs and rubs her forehead "I don't trust them, Elena. I get that a lot happened in those two years but...that doesn't matter now. I can't have them around my home and my family."  
"Buffy—"  
"No. Look Elena, I don't know them. All I know is that they are dangerous. There are enough dangerous things in this town, I don't need two of them around my family."  
Elena sighs and is about to argue again but instead just adjusts the box in her arms, she pauses however as she notices Buffy wince slightly as she reaches for one of the bags "Starting to feel that fight?" Riley asks.  
"Nothing like getting your ass kicked to make your ass hurt."

Elena looks at her cousin worried "I'm sure next time you'll come out on top."  
Xander nods in agreement "Cos you'll have backup, baby. She's messing with all of us."  
Giles nods "Yes. We'll find her weaknesses and then..."  
"Yeah." Tara says "You learn her source and we'll introduce her to insect reflection."  
Everyone turns to face the witch, completely confused.  
Tara looks down at the ground nervously um...that was funny if you studied Taglarin mythic rites. And are a complete dork." Tara sighs before quickly heading into the house.

As she does Willow appears, she quickly checks to make sure Tara is out of sight before turning to the group "Ok. Guys, now remember, you have to be at the Bronze by eight."  
Elena turns to Buffy looking for answers but the blonde shrugs, coming up blank "Ahh, bronze."  
"Tomorrow night!" Willow reminds them "Tara's birthday!"  
"Right!" Elena says.

As the group continue to move things into the house Stefan and Damon watch from across the street.  
"She needs to get her memory back before Klaus shows up." Stefan says as he watches the blonde vampire slayer.  
Damon merely smirks "Well why don't we go help along that process." Damon starts crossing the street, causing Stefan's eyes to widen "Damon!" He hisses.

"Ms Summers." Damon says as he approaches the group.  
Buffy turns to him "Everyone in the house now!" She hisses as she glares at Damon.  
"Buffy, what's the issue?" Xander asks confused.  
Anya nods "Yes. What is the issue with the strapping strong young men."  
"They're not men." Buffy says simply.  
Xander's eyes widen "Into the house we go." He says before all of them make their way inside, Xander having to drag both Elena and Riley inside.

Once the others are inside Buffy turns on the brothers "I warned you to stay the hell away from my people."  
Stefan turns to the blonde trying to convince her that they weren't going to harm anyone "Buffy, we are here to help you. Not to hurt you."  
Buffy glares at him "I don't want nor need your help."  
"Yet you'll except the bleached haired billy idol wannabee's?" Damon asks.  
Buffy turns on him "Spike's not a threat and his useful. Unlike the two of you." Buffy sighs "Look Elena's says you guys are good, and that you've helped me in the past but I don't buy it. Elena may want you both to help us, but I don't."  
"Well then you're an idiot." Damon tells her "You don't know Klaus, we do."  
Buffy scoffs "I have more important things to worry about then Klaus."  
Damon smirks "What like the other super chick in town?"  
Buffy's eyes widen slightly before she realises that Elena must have told them "Oh she is so dead."

Stefan sighs trying to keep a fight breaking out between the two "Buffy, please let us try and earn your trust. We did it before, we can do it again."  
Buffy stares at the two of them skeptically, she didn't trust them but with everything that was happening with the key and with this Klaus guy she knew she needed information.

She forces herself to says something she really didn't want to "You wanna help? Fine." She hisses "Tonight. Bring me everything you have on Klaus. I'll see how useful you two are." Buffy looks at the two of them seriously "Let's just be clear on something...you really wanna be useful to me, cause the alternative is not gonna be pretty."

* * *

Buffy slams the door behind her after speaking to Damon and Stefan.  
Everyone turns to face Buffy "What's going on Buffy?" Xander asks.  
Buffy sighs she looks in between Elena and Giles who both nod at her, before turning back to her friends "We need to talk."


	70. Family - Part 2

"Well they were slightly freaked out." Elena tells Damon and Stefan.  
Damon turns to face the brunette "Where does Buffy think you are right now?"  
"The hospital." She answers before continuing "They were freaked out. I mean all the stuff with the originals and mystic falls..."  
"What else did Buffy tell them?" Stefan asks curiously.  
"Other than explaining her flashes—nothing." Elena notices the look on Stefan's face "I'm sorry."  
Stefan shakes his head "Doesn't matter. What matters is Buffy getting her memory back before Klaus finds out that we found her...and that you're alive."  
Damon who was currently sat on the chair in the corner reading nods as he glances up from his book to look at the doppelganger "Yep. Cause that's not gonna be good. Klaus thinks your dead. Best it stay that way. Really don't want Buffy blaming me if you end up dead again."  
Elena glares at him "You're an ass."  
Damon merely nods "Pretty much." He says before turning back to his book.  
Elena then turns to Stefan "What did she say to the two of you anyway?"  
"Other than the fact that she hates us." Damon mutters.

Stefan shakes his head "She doesn't trust us. We didn't expect her too. But she's offered to let us have a chance at helping. She wants to know everything we know about Klaus."  
Elena nods "Makes sense. I mean the gang are busy trying to figure out who that woman was that Buffy fought, she doesn't have time to look into an enemy she's never meet. She doesn't realise how dangerous he is."  
Damon slams his book shut and leans forward in his chair "Which is exactly why bon bon needs to get going with that little reversal spell thing-y."  
Elena sighs in frustration "I told you Damon, Bonnie's trying but this spell—it's bigger than anything she's ever done. She doesn't want to tap into that type of magic. She's trying to find another way."

As Elena's phone starts buzzing she turns away from the brothers and realises that she has class "Look I gotta go. I have class."  
Elena starts to head for the door before glancing back at the brothers "Don't push her. Bonnie's to figure this out, but Buffy needs to be able to trust you. Both of you. Don't screw it up."

* * *

 **UCLA SUNNYDALE**

Bonnie takes a deep breath as she lights the candles in a circle surrounding her. She places the potion in front of herself before grabbing the grimoire to her left.  
The young witch looks at the potion before placing her hands over the books, as she does the book magically begins flipping through the pages before finally stopping.  
Bonnie glances down at the page before opening the lid of the potion vile.  
 _"_ _Te spirits redeat ad quod quid est."_ She chants, as she does the flames on the candles rise _"Invoco tenebris copias, revela mihi veram."  
_ Suddenly the windows slam open and a strong burst of wind circles the room, making Bonnie's hair swing around her head wildly, the flames from the candles shoot up again and the room begins to shake slightly.  
Bonnie opens her eyes and levitates the vile of potion in the air _"Indica! Indica!"  
_ Before Bonnie can continue a large violent burst of pain goes through her head "Ah!" She screams.

As she does she loses her concentration and the vile falls back to the ground, the candles blow out and the room stops shaking.  
Bonnie groans in pain slightly before she looks down at the book to see blood, her eyes widen and she brings her hand to her nose, as she pulls her hand away she sees it now covered in blood.  
Bonnie sighs before slamming the book shut "A power of a hundred dead witches and I'm not strong enough."  
Bonnie stands she quickly cleans the blood from her face before grabbing her bag and heading to the magic box.

* * *

Buffy opens the door to the house and notices Riley coming down the stares, a small smile covers her face "Honey, I'm home."  
Riley grins down at her "Did you have a good day at work?" He asks as he comes to stand in front of her.  
As Riley takes her hands in his own she smiles up at him "It's a rat race."  
Riley smiles "I squared away they rest of Elena's stuff. Wouldn't even know she didn't live her two months ago."  
Buffy sighs happily "Oh, you're a god. You're like the God of Boyfriends."  
Riley decides to tease her slightly "Nah, I just like it when you owe me favours."  
Buffy grins at the smirk on Riley's face and decides to play along "Well, this earns you a big favour. There could be outfits."  
"Ooh. Be still, my heart."  
As Riley leans down to kiss her, her phone starts ringing, Buffy sighs "Hold that thought." She tells him before answering her phone "Hello?"

Buffy frowns "Elena? Yeah—wait what? Since when?...You can't it's not safe...Well I don't trust hospital people, they're creepy. You really shouldn't hang out with them longer than you have to." Buffy pauses as she listens to Elena "Elena! No!...I don't care that you are older. It's dangerous."  
Buffy pulls the phone away from her ear as the line goes flat "She hung up on me. She drives me crazy."  
Buffy moves to open the door but Riley places his hand on it holding it shut "That's kinda the word I was searching for. What are you doing?"  
Buffy sighs "What? She shouldn't be staying there so long." Buffy huffs before moving into the living room and flopping down on the couch.

Riley looks at her skeptically "A lot of med students do extra credit work at the hospitals. Gotta nip that in the bud."  
Buffy turns to her boyfriend "She can't be running out and staying out in this town whenever she'd like."  
"It's more than that."  
"What do you mean?" She asks as he comes to sit next to her.  
"You tell me."  
Buffy moves to face him "We all have to be careful. This demon chick is exciting and new. I don't know what I'm up against. Plus having Damon and Stefan around is not exactly forming overwhelming sense of not worry in me."  
Riley nods "Damon and Stefan." He mutters "This isn't about the two years they told you about is it?"  
Buffy's eyes widen "No. Look I get that I at some point in that time trained Elena and that she can hold her own. But there's just so much we don't know right now."

"What else did the brothers tell you?" Riley asks curiously "I mean this Klaus guy doesn't know where Elena is but there must be something else from those two years. Something that could help us. I mean obviously you were close."  
Buffy freezes she can see the worry in Riley's eyes, she hadn't told him everything, mainly the details that her and Stefan had apparently been together for almost two years. She merely shakes her head "What happened between me and them doesn't matter. Look, I don't want them involved. The fewer people that are involved, the safer I will feel."  
Riley looks away from her, and turns his focus on the ground "Every time I think I'm getting closer to you..." Abruptly he stands "I gotta take off." He tells her.  
Buffy quickly stands shocked "Wait! What?"  
Riley just heads for the door "I'll call you later."  
"Riley." He pauses and turns to her "I want you to help. I'm not..."  
"Yeah. I know you got a lot on your mind. If you decide you wanna let me in on any of it, you let me know. I'll come running."

* * *

Bonnie had headed straight to the magic box hoping to do some research on a way to do the spell, however when she found the rest of the gang there she decided now probably wasn't the best time.  
Buffy didn't know that they were looking to get her memories back, and considering Buffy's reaction to some of the things they had told her, Bonnie knew that the blonde may not have the best reaction.  
So here she was helping the others research this creature that was coming after Buffy.

* * *

Buffy was currently exercising in the back room when Stefan and Damon enter from the back door.  
Buffy turns away from the punching bag to face the brothers, she immediately rolls her eyes "What do you want?"  
Stefan frowns "You told us you wanted to know what we knew about Klaus."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Oh." She shakes her head before turning back to the punching bag "I just didn't mean here."  
"Where the zoo?" Damon asks sarcastically.  
Buffy rolls her eyes at the eldest brother "No. I just—"  
"Buffy look out!" Stefan yells as he sees the demon run at her.  
Buffy immediately hears the growling and turns to block the blow, however her eyes widen as she doesn't see the demon.  
Buffy feels the demon wrap it's hand around her throat before shoving her to the ground.  
Buffy struggles before looking at the brothers "Can you see it!" She yells as the demon continue to claw at her.

Damon's eyes widen "She's can't see it. Dammit!" Him and Stefan quickly run over and grab the demon tossing it to the ground.  
Stefan and Damon help Buffy stand "Giles! There's something in here!" Buffy yells before being hit in the back of the head.  
"Buffy!" Damon and Stefan exclaim, both turn on the demon, as they attack that one the one from before runs at Buffy wrapping its arms around her.  
Buffy head butts the demon before elbowing it in the face and throwing it over her shoulder to the ground.  
Buffy glances back at the brothers before running back into the shop where the others were currently being attacked.

"It's over there!" Xander yells from the ground.  
Everyone looks around confused Buffy sighs "Damon, Stefan! Get your asses in here now!"  
"Stefan's occupied." Damon says as he runs in.  
Buffy turns to him "Can you see it?"  
Damon moves past her and looks around only to have Tara enter and spot the demon behind Buffy "Buffy, behind you!"  
Before Buffy can do anything the Demon grabs her and throws her onto the table.  
Bonnie who was standing with Willow realises something and turns to Tara "You can see it." Tara glances to the witch and nods.  
Bonnie sighs and quickly runs over "The spell? What spell did you use?"

Damon quickly runs over and grabs the demon from behind "Someone fix whatever this is and nowish would be good." He says mostly to Bonnie.  
As Bonnie helps Tara to undo the spell Buffy punches the demon in the face but as she goes in for another hit the demon ducks and she ends up punching Damon in the face.  
"Ow!" He exclaims "What the hell?"  
"Sorry." Buffy says only to have the demon kick her in the gut before pushing Damon away and running at Tara and Bonnie  
Just as the demon runs at the two witches Bonnie raises her hand sending the demon crashing into the book shelfs.

"Tara!" Her father exclaims as him and the rest of her family enter the room.  
The demon growls and stands pushing himself away from the now broken bookshelf before running towards Tara's father.  
Buffy swings her leg out and trips the demon, as he lands on the staircase, Buffy quickly flips her self up and presses her heel into the back of his neck before pushing it against the stair. A loud cracking noise comes from the demon before he stops struggling.

Tara's father who had fallen to the floor stares at the demon in horror "What in God's name is that?"  
Suddenly Spike is shoved to the ground "Bloody hell." He groans before glaring up at Stefan as he exits the back room.  
Buffy arches an eyebrow "What the hell is he doing here?"

Stefan shrugs "Guess he was hoping to catch the show." Stefan grabs Spike and lifts him off the ground.  
Spike immediately punches the other vampire in the face "I hate your kind."  
Stefan growls but before he can do anything Buffy interrupts "Someone say something before I make you."  
Spike sighs and turns to the blonde "Lei-Ach demon. Fun little buggers. Big with the marrow-sucking."  
Tara's father continues to star in fear "I don't understand."  
Buffy turns to Bonnie before glancing at Tara.  
Bonnie nods confirming Buffy's theory.

Tara looks at them all sadly "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She stutters before turning to Willow "I was trying to hide. I didn't want you to see what I am."  
Damon raises his hand "Okay I'm confused here."  
"Ditto." Buffy says before turning back to Tara "What do you mean, what you are?"  
"Demon." Tara's father informs them "The women in our family have demon in them. Her mother had it. That's where the magic comes from. We came to take her home before...well, before things like this started happening."  
Giles removes his glasses and moves closer to Tara as he comes to a realisation "You cast a spell on us to keep us from seeing your demon side. That's why we couldn't see our attackers."  
"Nearly got us killed." Buffy points out.  
"I'll go." Tara says "I'm very sorry."  
Tara's father nods "The camper's outside."  
Willow begins to panic "Wait! Go? She just did a spell that went wrong. It was just a mistake."  
"It's not the point and it's not your concern. She belongs with us. We know how to control her...problem."  
Buffy watches as the Willow and Tara speak, she sighs at the heart broken look on her face.  
"The girl belongs with her family. I hope that's clear to the rest of you."  
Buffy turns on him "It is. You want her, Mr Maclay? You can go ahead and take her."  
Damon frowns and turns to Stefan "Told you she was different."  
Stefan rolls his eyes "Shut up, Damon."

Both brothers have their attention brought back to the slayer as she continues "You just gotta go through me."  
"What?" Tara's father asks shocked.  
"You heard me. You wanna take Tara out of here against her will, you gotta come through me."  
Bonnie nods in agreement and moves to stand next to Buffy "Same."  
The man scoffs "Is this a joke? I'm not gonna be threatened by two little girls."  
Damon chuckles "Dude you're talking too a witch with the power of a hundred dead witches and one of the most ruthless, yet crazy slayers in history. Trust me been there done that. She might castrate you."  
Giles turns on Tara's father as well "And you're not just dealing with two little girls."  
Xander nods in agreement "You're dealing with all of us."  
"Except me." Spike says.  
"Except Spike."  
"I don't care what happens."  
Buffy glances back at the brothers "We are here to help you." Stefan assures her.  
Buffy turns back to Tara's father a small smile threatening to break from her lips "Those two in the back, let's just say they might be hungry."  
Damon smirks as Tara's father gulps slightly before glaring at Buffy "This is insane. You people have no right to interfere with Tara's affairs. We are her blood kin! Who the hell are you?"  
"We're family."

* * *

A few hours later after the party and making sure that Elena was home safe Buffy stands outside Damon and Stefan apartment, she stares at the door hesitantly before knocking.  
"I see you discovered how to knock." Damon says as he answers the door.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Well considering how quickly you got your door fixed didn't want to break another."  
Damon smiles before opening the door so she can step inside.  
Buffy looks around the apartment as she does, the place was actually stunning, clearly the two of them had money.

Buffy stops in the living room, she looks around at the large range of books on the shelfs and the leather couch and chairs, she can't help but whistle "You know didn't realise this place was actually really nice last time I was here."  
"Well you were trying to kill us." Damon shrugs "But what else is new."  
Buffy moves to sit down "Guessing I did that a lot."  
"Actually no." Stefan says as he enters the room "When you found out, you shot me and beat Damon to a pulp but you didn't try to kill us."

The two brothers sit opposite the blonde. She sighs "Look I'm grateful for what you did today. You both saved my life but...I don't trust you. I can't." Buffy pauses and takes a deep breath "But I do need your help. With Klaus. I don't know anything about him and I can't look into it because of what is happening with this crazy strong crazy woman. I want you to tell me everything you know about Klaus...nothing else. I don't want to know what happened in those two years unless it's related to Klaus."  
Stefan hesitates "Buffy—"  
"No." She says sternly "Look, maybe one day I'll get my memories back but I have too much happening to worry about it. It's just easier if for now we keep this professional."  
Damon looks at the blonde carefully, he clearly was not liking this "Where do you want to start?"  
"At the beginning."


	71. Fool For Love

A/N: Hey Everyone I'm so sorry that it's been so long but I've been working a lot unfortunately even though I'm on summer holidays from Uni I still have to work so that I can eat. :(  
I promise I'm gonna try and continue to post at least once a week, and anyone who reads my other stories don't worry I am going to start posting again for those.  
Anyway here is the next chapter I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

 **Chicago**

Klaus moves across his living room; he reaches for his safe, carefully lifts the painting off the wall to reveal the metal safe.  
Slowly he enters the combination, as he pulls the safe open his eyes widen in shock "No!" He yells as he rips the safe out of the wall and shakes it "No!"  
He slams the safe on the ground and grabs Marianna's amulet, he quickly bites into his wrist and draws blood over the amulet " _Resurget ex favilla, liberare animum et iterum sumendi eam formam. Ruina carne._ "  
Klaus watches as the black fog rises from the amulet before finally in it's place stands Mary.  
Mary rolls her eyes "God, what do you want now—"  
Before Mary can finish her sentence Klaus slams her up against the wall, lifting her off the ground by her throat.  
"Klaus—" Mary coughs "What are you—you need me—"  
Klaus just continues to glare at her "Where is it?!"  
"Where is what?!" She screams.  
"Her memories! They are gone. I know you are responsible, now tell me where they are!"  
Mary grunts in pain as Klaus shoves her head against the wall "I don't know!" She screams "I don't know, Klaus. I promise you, I don't know!"  
"I don't believe you!" He says before again slamming her head against the wall, this time leaving a dent.  
Mary groans in pain as she feels blood start to seep from the back of her skull. "Klaus please. I don't know."  
Klaus merely glares at her before tossing her to the ground he then raises the amulet before walking over to her and placing his foot on her throat "I've known you a long time Marianna. And I know when you're lying to me. Now tell me the truth who took it?"  
Mary glares up at him before spitting out the blood in her mouth and laughing at him "I'm not telling you anything you sick son of a bitch."  
Klaus merely smirks and raises the amulet again "Not even if I crush this? We both know that with this gone, you have no way of coming back if I kill you."  
"Being dead would be sweet heaven after all this time with you." She hisses "Go on Klaus kill me. We both know that you need me a hell of a lot more then I need you."  
Klaus growls and presses his foot further against her throat causing her to cough as she gasps for air.  
Finally he lets go of her "You're going to tell me what I want to know."  
Mary scoffs before standing "And why would I do that? You have nothing that I want. You have no leverage."  
Klaus merely smirks "Don't be so sure of that. Bring her!"

Suddenly one of Klaus' minions storms into the room, holding a female figure. He tosses the figure on the ground before leaving the room.  
"May?" Katherine says she looks up from her place on the ground and spots her best friend.  
Mary's eyes widen "Kat." She turns to face Klaus "You touch her and I swear..."  
"Oh I'll do one better." He says with a smirk before running at Katherine and biting into her neck.  
"Ahh!" Katherine screams. As Klaus detaches himself from her she looks over at Mary, a look of pure horror and fear covering her features "May."  
Mary shakes her head "No."  
Klaus smirks and wipes the blood from his mouth before turning to Mary "So what do you say Marianna. You tell me what I want to know...or better yet you show me what I want to know and I'll heal your BBF and let her have a head start."

* * *

 **Sunnydale, California**

"You know, it's probably none of my business, but I gotta ask." Buffy says as she kicks the vampire to the ground.  
He growls and stands, he throws out his fist but she merely ducks the blow and comes up behind him before kicking him in the back sending him right back down to the ground.  
The vampire rolls across the floor before standing just as Buffy approaches him "Did you smell this bad when you were alive?" She asks before doing a spinning kick, causing him to stumble back and bash his head against a gravestone.  
Buffy continues to approach him, as she mocks him "Cos if it's a postmortem thing, then boy, is my face red. But, just so you know..." Buffy blocks his blow and backhands him sending him crashing into the gravestone "...the field of personal grooming has come a long way since you became a vampire."  
Buffy raises her stake and flips over the gravestone landing right in front of him, she is about to bring the stake down however he grabs her wrists and twists her arm causing her to stab herself in the stomach with her own stake.

:

Stefan walks through the graveyard, he had been watching Buffy. He knew that it really wasn't the best idea especially if he wanted her to trust him, and the whole stalking thing was probably not the best way of achieving that.  
Suddenly he freezes as he smells blood. Buffy's blood. He runs closer and spots Buffy bleeding heavily with a stake in her stomach, his eyes widen and he quickly runs over and grabs the vampire approaching her and snaps his neck.  
"Buffy!" He exclaims as he sees her yank out the stake before collapsing, Stefan quickly catches her "Buffy." He breaths before lifting her up and running towards his apartment.

* * *

"What the hell happened?!" Damon asks as he spots Stefan bringing in the slayer, who was currently covered in blood.  
"A vampire stabbed her with her own stake." Stefan says before heading into his room, Damon in tow.  
Stefan quickly places her on the bed and moves to get bandages.  
Damon arches an eyebrow at his brother "You do realise we have a magical cure to all stab wounds in our blood right?" As he moves to bite his wrist Stefan grabs his wrist "No. Look Buffy...even this version of her would kill us if we gave her our blood. She would rather die than risk becoming one of us."  
Damon rolls his eyes "Just save her life already then before she bleeds out." He says as he yanks his wrists out of Stefan's grasp.

Stefan quickly runs out of the room to get some things to help Buffy, as he does Damon approaches her, he looks down at her, his expression softening. Slowly he runs a finger over her cheek and moves the hair out of her face "I can't lose you."  
Damon hears Stefan heading back and quickly backs away from the blonde and moves back to his original position.

* * *

"Ow." Buffy moans as she sits up. She groans in pain and winces, slowly she lifts up her shirt and her eyes widen as she sees the large bandage covering majority of her stomach "So not a bad dream. Damn."  
Buffy sighs and is about to get out of bed however she freezes as she finally realises that she wasn't in her own room. The room was stunning with mahogany furniture and shelfs covered in books, Buffy frowns as there was something so familiar about the room.  
The blonde stands wincing slightly as she does, she walks over to the bookshelf only for a familiar pain in her head to appear.

 _Buffy leans against Stefan wearing only his shirt and her underwear, while Stefan sits shirtless with a smile on his face. Buffy smiles as she looks around the room "I've never been in your room before." Buffy leans her head against Stefan's chest. Stefan strokes her hair and kisses the top of her head before answering "Well, hasn't changed much over the years."  
"Do you leave everything here when you come and go?"  
"It's the only place that—that has remained constant. This room holds every memory that I ever thought was important enough to hold on to."  
Buffy smiles "A lot of memories."  
"Yeah. Are you thirsty or anything?"  
Buffy nods "Little bit. I would ask you but—"  
Stefan laughs slightly "Let me get you something to drink, ok?"  
"Ok." Buffy responds before turning her head and kissing Stefan once more before he leaves the room._

 _Buffy jumps out of the bed and inspects the room looking at all the books and everything Stefan has kept over the years. While smelling one of the candles on the table something catches Buffy's eyes. Buffy picks up on old looking photo only to see herself and Elena. Except the photo is not of Buffy and Elena as Buffy looks at the bottom where two names were written and the year. 'Mary and Katherine 1864'_

"You really shouldn't be out of bed." A voice tells Buffy immediately shaking herself out of her vision, she turns and freezes as she spots the person who had spoken "Stefan."  
Stefan smiles at her before giving her a worried look "You're injury is bad. You should rest."  
Buffy shakes her head "I'm okay. I just can't believe I passed out. I'm a wuss."  
Stefan chuckles and steps closer to her "You're not a wuss. I've known you a long time Buffy, and trust me you could still beat Damon to a pulp with that wound. Better yet you have."

Buffy smiles slightly, but quickly realises that she was in fact smiling, she immediately brings her guard back up and the smile drops from her face "No major organs got kebabbed right?" She asks as she backs away from him, after realising that they were in fact standing very close.  
She moves to the other side of the room and listens to him as he explains "Nothing too bad. But nothing overly good either. I would have given you some blood but—" Seeing the look of horror on her face he quickly works to re-assure her "I didn't. Don't worry."  
Buffy takes a relieved breath and looks at him gratefully "Thank you. For not giving me the gross heal-y blood...and thank you for saving me. Again. God do I feel like a damsel in distress right now."  
Stefan chuckles at the comment "You couldn't be a damsel even if you tried."

Stefan watches Buffy as she wonders around the room, a fond smile on his face, finally though he tries to ask about what had happened "What happened last night, Buffy?"  
The blonde who had been staring at a photo of herself and Stefan together freezes and looks down at the floor, shamefully "There was one. Just one vampire. The regular kind. Not your kind but the poofy kind. He just beat me."  
Stefan approaches her again as she winces and carefully helps her over to the bed, as she sits down Stefan crouches in front of her and checks on her bandages as he speaks "You can't get them all."  
Buffy scoffs "I'm in the best physical shape of my life. It shouldn't happen."

"Buffy!" Elena exclaims as she runs into the room.  
Stefan quickly backs away from Buffy and immediately feels the absence of not having her within reach.  
Buffy turns to her cousin "I'm fine."  
Elena shakes her head "You—you—you were stabbed. You are not allowed to get stabbed."  
Buffy takes Elena's hand and tries to re-assure her "I'm fine. Stefan said no major organs got kebabbed."  
Elena sighs and moves to hug her cousin "You're not allowed to die on me. We've lost enough all ready. I can't lose you too." Elena pulls away "I called Riley."  
"Elena!" Buffy exclaims "What the hell?!"  
"You're not patrolling tonight. Riley agreed with me. He's doing the patrol tonight."  
Buffy tries to argue "But—"  
"He's taking the gang. Just a sweep."

* * *

After the sun had fallen Damon heads out to the graveyard, he heads towards the area that Stefan had told him about. Damon freezes as he smells blood. He continues to walk and the smell gets stronger. Finally he pauses at a small mausoleum, he crouches down on the ground and places his hand on the grass, which was currently covered in dried blood "Buffy." He breaths as he recognises the scent. His anger increases and he storms through the graveyard until he hears a group of vampires laughing.

"They ought to put this in a museum." Damon hears a vampire say.  
Damon immediately moves towards one of the old mausoleums and kicks down the door "Well, well look I didn't get invited to the party."  
The vampires all turn and growl at him "Your kind aren't welcome him."  
Damon shrugs "Well I don't much like it here either. Now which one of you almost killed the slayer?"  
One of the vampires stands, he is completely dressed head to toe in old 80's clothes and smells disgusting "God your kind are no better than dirt. You ever heard of this thing called a shower?" Damon asks.  
The vampire growls and runs at Damon but Damon merely moves out of the way and suddenly appears behind him and rips out his heart.  
As the vampire's body crumbles before turning to dust Damon turns to the others "So whose next."

:

Riley and the scoobies who had been patrolling all freeze as Damon appears coming out of one of the mausoleums.  
Damon smirks at Riley and waves, his hand completely covered in blood "Vamps are dead. Sorry boy looks like you don't get to be a knight in shining armour. You can always go back to being a house husband. Here's an idea take up knitting, I need a new scarf, would really appreciate it."  
Damon gives him a smile before speeding off, leaving a confused scooby gang and a furious Riley in his wake.

* * *

 **The Next Night**

"Ow!" Spike exclaims as Buffy shoves him up against the concrete pillar face first, he frowns "Wait. Now ow. Are you feelin' all right, slayer? This stuff usually hurts."  
Buffy glares at him and turns him around to face her before slamming him back up against the pillar "Don't even start, Spike."  
"What do you want?" He asks her still smirking at her in a suggestive way.  
Buffy's face remains blank "Slayers. You killed two of them."  
The smirk on Spike's face falls "I did."  
"You're gonna show me how."

* * *

Stefan and Damon knock on Buffy's door and wait patiently.  
Finally the door opens however instead of the bubbly blonde there stood Elena "Hey guys." She says "What are you doing here?"  
Stefan smiles at his friend "Buffy? We're here to check on her."  
Elena sighs, hesitating slightly "She's not here."  
The two brothers frown before entering the house, Elena rolls her eyes "Well come on in." She says sarcastically before closing the door and moving into the living room where both brothers were now stood staring at her.  
"Where is she?"  
Elena folds her arms "I can't tell you that."  
"And why not? The girl was stabbed less than 48 hours ago so you not telling us is incredible stupid." Damon points out.  
Stefan sighs and turns to Elena trying to reason with her "Elena, look we're just worried, Buffy is still not at her full strength and—"  
"She's not in any danger." She tells them. Elena hesitates "Look after you three talked last week she's been less with the whole kill Stefan and Damon thing, she know nows that you guys want to help her...but she's still Buffy, and deep down she knows that you would have tried to stop her."  
Damon frowns in confusion "Stop her from what Elena?"  
Elena sighs "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. Buffy is my cousin and I trust her judgement plus it's not like Spike can even touch her without-"  
"She's with Spike?" Stefan asks astonished.  
Elena's eyes widen "No."  
"Where are they Elena?" Damon asks her more sternly.  
"Look..." Elena panics trying to reason with them "After what happened to her, it freaked her out okay. She wanted to know more about slayers but her only source was..."  
"Spike." Stefan hisses "She wants to know how he killed two slayers."

* * *

"Every slayer has a death wish. Even you." Spike says as he sits crouched on the ground in front of Buffy, slowly he stands and looks at her closely "The only reason you've lasted as long as you have is you've got ties to the world, your cousins, the scoobies, hell even those douchebag brothers, they all tie you here, but you're just puttin' off the inevitable. Sooner or later, you're gonna want it. And the second..." Spike steps closer to her and claps his hands together so that they are just inches away from her face "...the second that happens, you know I'll be there. I'll slip in. Have myself a real good day." Spike backs away from her finally as she glares at him in disgust "Here endith the lesson. I just wonder if you'll like it as much as she did."  
"Get out of my sight Spike, now." She hisses. There had been so much death in her life already and what disturbed her the most was that apart of what Spike was saying was true and that was something she desperately didn't want to believe.  
Spike smiks "Oh, did I scare ya? You're the slayer. Do somethin' about it. Hit me. Come on. One good swing. You know you want to."  
"I mean it."  
"So do I. Give it me Good, Buffy. Do it." Suddenly he moves closer to her and leans in but she backs away in disgust "What the hell are you doing?"

Suddenly he grabs her "Come. I can feel it slayer. You know you wanna dance."  
Buffy looks up at him "Say it's true. Say I do want to." She then shoves him to the ground and glares down at him "It wouldn't be you, Spike. It would never be you." She tosses the money at him "You're beneath me." She says before merely turning her back on him and walking away.

Buffy walks through the street and heads towards her house. Finally as she reaches the street right around the corner a searing pain goes through her head "Oh not now!" She hisses before groaning in pain and falling to the ground.  
She clutches her head grasping the hair on her head so tightly it seemed as though she was going to yank it all free from the root.

 _Buffy closes the door behind her as she enters the house, she walks over to the staircase and calls for her mother "Mom? Mom I'm back, hey do you think we can order pizza tonight, I'm kinda beat?" Buffy frowns as she doesn't hear a response from her mother "Mom."  
_ _Buffy turns away from the staircase and spots her mother lying on the couch, she breaths a silent sigh of relief before making her way over to her mother a cheerful grin on her face "Mom, what you doing?"  
_ _Buffy watches her mother for several minutes until she looks closely "Mom? Mom? Mommy?"_

 _:_

 _Greta waves her hand, as she does several fire's build around them causing Elena to gasp, Buffy looks around the large clearing but her eyes stop on something in the middle "Jenna?"_ _  
_ _"Oh, my god." Elena breaths as she spots her, the two girls run over and crouch at their aunts side, "Jenna!" Buffy says urgently as she shakes her, she then checks for a pulse, her eyes widen "Elena there's no pulse."_ _  
_ _Elena stares in disbelief before turning to Greta "He killed her? Why? We did everything that he asked."_ _  
_ _Suddenly Jenna gasps and sits up, "She's not dead. She's in transition." Greta tells them._

 _:_

 _Buffy shakes her head and pulls harder at the chains causing them to make her wrists and hands bleed but she ignores the pain and continues to pull, "No, Jenna." Both cousins cry.  
Their aunt turns to look at them both "It's all right, Elena, Buffy. I know what I have to do."  
Suddenly Jenna runs towards Greta and bites down into her throat, however almost a heartbeat later Klaus appears {his face slightly blurry which was confusing for Buffy as since she had done the spell everyone except Klaus was now completely visible} behind Jenna and stabs her in the back, he then drops her to the ground._

 _Both cousins fall to the ground and cry as they watch. Buffy glances over at Elena and nods "Jenna, turn it off." Elena tells her.  
"Then you won't be scared." Buffy finishes.  
Both cousins, then watch as Klaus drives a stake through Jenna's heart "No! Jenna!" both girls scream, Buffy pulls at the chains again and again trying to get to her but collapses and lets tears overcome her._

 _:_

Buffy gasps as the pain finally relinquishes, however as it does her heart breaks as she remembers the pain of seeing her mother and aunt die, the pain is fresh and feels like it had only just occurred, Buffy gasps again this time sobbing as she does.  
Damon who had split up with Stefan in hopes that if they went separately they could find Buffy quicker spots the blonde on the ground.  
He quickly runs over "Buffy?" He says softly "Hey. Come on." Carefully he lifts her up into his arms surprised that she had not flinched away but unbeknownst to him the slayer was too filled with grief to even have noticed him.  
Damon walks over to the back door and sits Buffy down on the porch before sitting next to her "What's wrong?"  
Buffy hesitates before shaking her head and finally acknowledging his existence turns to him"I don't want to talk about it."  
Damon nods in understanding he merely sits there keeping the young slayer company making it clear he wasn't going to leave her.

* * *

The next day Buffy was on her way to the magic box to keep researching the crazy woman she had fought a few weeks ago. Suddenly however she crashes into someone.  
Buffy winces "I am so sorry." She says hastily "I was walking too fast, and not looking where I was going really got to learn to do that."  
The man she had crashed into smiles at her "It's no problem. I wasn't exactly looking either."  
Buffy chuckles "Well I will take at least 75% of the blame." Buffy finally looks up at the man, he was attractive for sure, but there was something about him that just seemed so familiar.  
"Have we meet?" Buffy asks "I'm getting a really strong of déjà-vu."  
"I don't believe so." The man says "I believe I would remember someone quiet like you."  
Buffy smiles and curses herself for being such an doof, finally she holds out her hand "I'm being rude. I'm Buffy."  
The man smiles and takes her hand and kisses it softly. "It's a pleasure to meet you Buffy. I'm Nik."


	72. Shadow

**Sunnydale, California**

Buffy arches an eyebrow as her and Elena walk towards the hospital "So Jeremy can see Ghosts?"  
Elena nods, frowning slightly "Yeah. It's one of the reasons him and Bonnie broke up for a while last year. We were doing a spell to try and help Stefan and it accidentally turned all the ghosts corporal for a day. Turns our Jeremy had been getting... re-acquainted with his dead ex girlfriend Anna."  
Buffy whistles "Wow. That's complicated and kinda gross."  
Elena nods in agreement as the two turn the corner towards the hospital.  
Buffy chuckles for a moment "Our family is so weird."  
Elena laughs in agreement "Totally."  
Once the two are closer to the hospital Elena turns to Buffy "Buffy, you've been asking a lot of questions about Mystic Falls for the past few days but... there's one subject you keep scouting around." Buffy halts in her steps and turns to Elena as she continues "Why don't you wanna know about you and Stefan?"

The blonde vampire slayer looks away from her cousin, the truth was ever since re-living the death of her mom and aunt Jenna, Buffy had become more curious about certain aspects of her old life. But her life with Stefan, was something Buffy wasn't ready to face yet, after everything she had been through with Angel some of which may or may not have even happened, and now all the troubles she was having with Riley...knowing the truth now terrified her, it had from the moment she found out that they had been together and something inside Buffy told her that the memories were going to cause her nothing but pain.  
Finally the blonde glances back at her cousin "It's doesn't matter, Elena. I'm with Riley now. What happened in the past with me and Stefan, that's over now."  
Buffy, hoping to end this conversation gestures to the hospital in front of them "Looks like we're at your stop."  
Elena sighs, she knew there was something Buffy wasn't fussing up to but she also knew her cousin well enough to know once Buffy set her mind to something nothing was going to change it. She forces a smile on her face and hugs her cousin tightly "I'll see you at lunch. Good luck with research."  
Buffy smiles as she pulls away from the hug "Thanks. Good luck with medical stuff."  
Elena chuckles before making her way inside the building.  
Buffy waves at her cousin and waits till she is sure that Elena is safe inside before she turns and starts to head to the magic box.

* * *

Buffy takes her time walking towards the magic box enjoying in some time alone, it seemed like ever since Elena and Jeremy had shown up she had barely gotten a second alone, she wasn't complaining it was nice having family around but when that family also comes in a package with you ex-vampire boyfriend, who you can't remember dating and his vampire brother who is apparently either in love or obsessed with you, it really cuts down on a girl's down time. So Buffy took every spare moment she could.  
As she was enjoying her peaceful alone time she freezes as ends up slamming into someone. "Dammit not again." Buffy mutters before moving to apologies only to freeze as she sees a familiar face "Nik."  
Klaus smiles down at Buffy "Buffy, it's a pleasure to see you again...or to crash into you again." He says with a slight chuckle.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Hey I'm five foot 3 you're like 6 foot, I'm small and dainty, technically you should be the one apologising to me. You're bigger hence this equals your fault as you can see more." Buffy pauses "My logic doesn't make much sense but humour me?"

Klaus chuckles again, smiling brightly at the beautiful slayer "Of course." Klaus watches the blonde carefully noticing how her smile was forced and didn't quiet reach her eyes "Are you alright?"  
Buffy offers him a small smile "Fine." Buffy glances down at her watch "Look I gotta go, it was nice seeing you again."  
Buffy starts to walk off but Klaus grabs her hand "Perhaps we could make that next time planned?"  
Buffy arches an eyebrow at the man, had he just asked her out, she panics slightly before shaking her head "Sorry I have a boyfriend and I really got to go. I kinda promised my cousin Elena I would stop skipping class. I'll see you later...goodbye"  
Klaus' eye widen at what she had said, "Elena." He hisses, he turns towards the hospital where Buffy had clearly been walking away from and slowly makes his way inside.

* * *

Instead of going to the magic box like she had originally planned Buffy somehow makes her way towards the graveyard, she sits down on the ground and takes a deep breath as memories continue to plague her. Since she had remembered what had happened to her mom and her aunt, it seemed as though every time she closed her eyes all she could see was her mother's body lying on the couch, pale and lifeless or Jenna crying out in pain as a stake is shoved into her chest before her body desiccates.  
Suddenly a hand touches her shoulder Buffy quickly stands and turns to face the threat only to sigh in relief as she sees Riley "Riley."  
"Sorry." He takes her hands and looks at her sweetly "I heard. About what you remembered. I thought maybe you'd need..."  
Buffy's expression softens and she wraps her arms around his frame in a sweet hug "I do. I do. And I'm glad. I just...I didn't...I didn't want to talk about it...I don't know how to deal with it yet...plus we don't know what else I'm gonna remember, I just...until we knew what it was..."  
Riley shakes his head, completely understanding where she was coming from, but it did hurt him slightly that he had to hear about it elsewhere "I understand. How are you doing?"  
"Honestly sucky, it feels like it just happened. I told Elena I was fine but—" Buffy's phone starts ringing causing her to sigh, she quickly answers it "Hello?...Yes this is Buffy Summers...Jeremy did what?...Yeah I'll be there soon. Thank you."  
"I'm sorry." Buffy says as she turns to Riley after hanging up her phone "Jeremy got into a fight a work. I gotta go."

* * *

Damon was walking around in his apartment when there is a knock at the door, sighing he moves to answer it, as he opens it there stands Elena "What now?" He groans.  
"We need to have a little chat." She tells him "It's about Buffy."  
Damon watches her closely before huffing "Katherine."  
Katherine grins before pouting slightly "Damn you're getting better at telling the difference now. Looks like I wasted an hour straightening my hair."  
Damon moves to slam the door shut but Katherine swings her hand out, keeping the door open "Mary sent me." She says giving him a narrowed look.  
Damon looks at her skeptically so she rolls her eyes "Klaus knows that you and Damon know where Buffy is."  
His eyes immediately widen and he lets her into the room "Talk. Now."

* * *

"Miss Gilbert, what about you, do you know the answer?" Doctor Nolan asks as he speaks with the med students.  
Elena's eyes widen she glances down at her book before looking back up at her teacher and gulping "Um...a malignant brain tumour that's...it's a fast growing cancer that spreads to other areas of the brain and spine. Most malignant tumour are actually secondary cancers."  
The doctor nods in approval, surprised that she knew the answer "And that means what, Miss Gilbert?"  
Elena bites her lip as she thinks, taping her finger repeatedly on her book "It means...that they started in another part of the body and eventually spread to the brain. Whereas with primary brain tumours they start in the brain."  
The doctor smiles impressed "Very good, Miss Gilbert." At that moment the doctor's pager goes off "If you'll excuse me I'm being called for a consult."

The doctor exits the room and the rest of the med students head out of the room, most of the them heading to the cafeteria. Elena glances at her watch, she still had an hour till Buffy was going to meet her for lunch, Elena sighs and makes her way down the hall away from the others. She turns the corner at the end of the hall and gasps in shock and fear as there standing before her stood Klaus, glaring at her.  
"There's my girl."  
"Klaus." She breaths terrified making him smile slightly, she quickly turns to run but he appears in front of her, blocking her way "You're supposed to be dead. What are we going to do about that?"

* * *

"You're an idiot." Buffy tells Jeremy as they head towards the magic box.  
Jeremy rolls his eyes at his cousin "The guy had it coming."  
Buffy shakes her head "You punched your boss! He fired you because you punched him! What the hell Jeremy! You finished high school yet you still act like a child."  
Jeremy tries to argue his case but Buffy raises her hand cutting him off "Oh no. You're in so much trouble. So as punishment you can spend the rest of your week helping us learn about that demon woman."  
Jeremy's eyes widen "Research? You have got to be kidding me."  
"Nope." Buffy says as she shoves Jeremy through the door at the magic box "Welcome to adult land, Jeremy. It sucks. Enjoy."  
Jeremy groans but after a narrowed gaze from Buffy he makes his way to the table where the others were all looking very panicked.

Buffy arches an eyebrow at her friends "What's wrong, what happened?"  
Xander turns to Buffy with wide eyes "Nothing." He says almost too quickly "Anya broke a...bippity boppity boo. A thing. Don't worry about it."  
Anya stares at Xander a look of shock and betrayal crossing her face "I did not! I didn't break..."  
"Anya!" Giles yells cutting her off "Buffy doesn't need to hear about your...clumsiness right now."  
Anya huffs "My clumsiness. I mean, that is so...like me. Slippery, slippery butterfingers."  
Buffy immediately turns to Giles "What happened?"  
"Nothing to concern you..."  
"Giles!" Buffy interrupts, giving him a worried look. Giles sighs before placing his glasses back on and looking at Buffy seriously "The demon woman was here, the one who attacked you."  
Buffy's eyes widen and she immediately starts examining everyone for injuries.  
"It's not biggie." Willow assures her.  
Jeremy stares un-convinced "The demon woman who beat Buffy''s ass—"  
"Hey!" Buffy yells.  
Jeremy quickly rephrases his sentence "The demon woman that Buffy fought...how can that have been no 'biggie' seems like a real biggie to me."  
"She just got an amulet." Willow informs them "And a bloodstone."  
"That can create a monster." Anya interferes.  
Willow nods "Ok. Biggie."

Buffy continues to looks at them all panicked "My god. Are you guys ok? I mean, no one got hurt, right?"  
"No. Thankfully, no." Giles assures her "No violence to speak of."  
Buffy looks at them all, rather confused now "Ok, so that's...good. How did she get away with this bad mojo stuff?"  
Everyone goes silent until finally in a hushed tone Anya speaks "Giles sold it to her."  
"You what? Dude." Jeremy says with a shake of his head.  
"I didn't know it was her!" Giles exclaims, looking extremely guilty "I mean, how could I? If it's any consolation, I may have overcharged her."  
Buffy leans back in her seat keeping the worry and panic from rising but continues to listen as Tara tries to explain "Anya figured out what the demon lady's up to."  
Anya nods "Yeah, a few thousand years ago there was this cult, the Temple of Sobek."  
"Sobek?"  
"Reptile demon. Sobekites were reptile worshippers."  
Xander shrugs "Just once I would like to run into a cult of bunney worshippers."  
Anya immediately turns and glares at her boyfriend "Great. Thank you very much for those nightmares."  
Jeremy turns to his cousin "What am I missing? Is she like a crazy bunny lady of something?"  
"Anya is scared of bunnies." Buffy tells him.  
"For good reason!" Anya yells, before she takes a deep breath "Anyway, their high priest Khul had great mystic powers. He forged an amulet with a transmogrifying crystal."  
Jeremy frowns again. He had never been this confused about the supernatural back in Mystic Falls "I miss Mystic Falls, vampires, werewolfs and witches. Easy. Simple."  
Buffy smiles slightly before turning to Willow; she still didn't get what transmogrifying was.  
Willow sensing her best friend's confusion offers her an explanation "Transmogrifying is changing a living thing into a different kind of thing."  
"We managed to decipher the markings that were on the bloodstone that I sold..." Giles says as he takes off his glasses, re-cleaning them for about the third time"..that she left with. A cobra. She's going to transmogrify a cobra."  
Buffy nods trying to process everything and make it all make sense in her head "Ok, so she's making a monster. What for? What does it do?"  
"That's the part...we're working on it."  
Buffy nods "Well, you keep working on it. I'll go kill it." Buffy stands and turns to Jeremy "Stay here."  
Jeremy tries to argue "Buffy wait, the woman she beat your ass last time. Kinda like what you do to Damon."  
"I'm ready for her now. I wasn't last time."  
Willow looks at the blonde extremely worried for her "But you..."  
"But what? Will, I can't just sit here. I have to do something."

* * *

"You need what?" Damon asks Katherine completely astonished by what she was asking.  
"The necklace that Buffy gave to Elena. Mary need's it.."  
Damon rolls his eyes and flops back down onto the couch "Well I don't have it so bye bye."  
Katherine rolls her eyes at his behaviour "Look Klaus has been looking for a way to make his hybrid's, if he gets to town before I can get it, he'll be able to figure out why it's not working. He doesn't know about the necklace yet, we need to make sure that he doesn't find out."  
Damon merely picks up his glass and takes a drink of his scotch "You and Mary threw us under the bus and told Klaus that we knew where Buffy was. I'm not going to help you. Just be lucky I haven't killed you." Damon shrugs "Plus if it's Mary that's discovered all this why are you doing all her dirty work?"  
Katherine glares at him, she honestly couldn't stand Damon sometimes and a part of her was very tempted to just rip his head off "Look Mary is trapped inside that amulet. She can't get out unless Klaus let's her. But she said that necklace is the last thing keeping Klaus from finding out the truth. It's the only way to contact the witch who made the original spell."  
Damon looks at the vampire skeptically before shrugging "Well, I don't know what to tell you I don't know where dear old Elena is." Damon stands and leads Katherine to the door "Tell you what, next time I see her I'll let you know."  
Damon smiles before pushing Katherine out of the door "Thanks Katherine, have a nice day."  
Katherine narrows her gave at him "Damon." She warns.  
Damon merely grins at her "Bye, bye." He says before slamming the door in her face.

Damon waits a few minutes before grabbing his phone "Brother." Damon says as Stefan answers the phone.  
 _"_ _What do you want, Damon?"  
_ "You need to find Elena. Klaus knows that we know about Buffy, he'll be on his way to town. Best he not find out that the should be dead doppelgänger is actually alive and kicking."  
" _What?!"_ Stefan exclaims _"How did he—Mary."_ He hisses as he realises it must have been her.  
"Right brother. That's not it. Apparently Klaus is having a little trouble making his hybrids. Performance issues and all that but apparently the necklace Elena has could help him. Get her to get rid of it."  
" _How did you know all this Damon?"  
_ "Got a tip from an old enemy. Look I'll get Buffy. Let her know what's happening just find little miss likes to be kidnapped. Make sure she doesn't get well...kidnapped."  
Damon hangs up the phone before heading for the back door and making his way to the magic box.

* * *

Klaus drags Elena through the hospital, moving towards one of the old wings that was mainly being used as storage, so it was near enough abandoned.  
"You put a rather large kink in my plans, sweetheart." Klaus says as he continues to pull her forcefully "The whole point of breaking the curse and becoming a hybrid was to make more hybrids. I haven't been able to do that. Now my bet is, it has something to do with the fact that you're still breathing."  
Elena glares at him, while wincing in pain at the grip he had on her arm "If you're going to kill me, just do it!"  
"Not until I know I'm right. Plus can't risk pissing off Buffy for no reason. I don't think she's going to be thrilled if I kill another member of her family. But don't worry I do have way of making you suffer without killing you."

Klaus knocks down the doors to one of the old lecture theatres, where they used to have speakers for other hospitals come in to discuss different treatments.  
All the chairs had been pulled out and the place now looked like a large empty hall.  
He pushes Elena to the ground before yelling "Come on out."  
Suddenly two terrified students from Elena's class step out of the shadows, Klaus turns to the young man and woman "Lift your foot up, please, Danielle." He says to one of Elena's class mates.  
Danielle does as he asks and lifts one of her feet off the ground.  
Klaus then turns to the other student "If she drops her foot, David, I want you to beat her to death. Understood?"  
David nods and Elena turns to Klaus furious "Don't, Klaus. You don't have to hurt anybody."  
"Oh, come on, love. Of course I do."

* * *

"Why can't they just cut to the—" Buffy cuts Glory as she shoves her into the wall "Fight?" She asks before kicking Glory in the face.  
The demon woman yells as Buffy continues to pound on her "No fair! Attacking...when I wasn't even looking!" Buffy ignores her and grabs the demon woman's neck and slams her head against the wall repeatedly, but then Glory grabs her arm and slams Buffy against the wall "No, this is no good." She grabs Buffy's arm again and twists it painfully "I'm out of the moment and you're not giving me anything I can use." She says as she continues to monologue making Buffy internally roll her eyes and grimace.

Glory turns to her minion "Dreg! I am not hearing chanting. Continue."  
"Yes, Glory." He mutters as she punches Buffy in the face before slamming the slayer against the wall again.

Buffy drops to the ground but immediately Glory grabs her and pulls her back up "Hey! Hey! Work with me here." She says before tossing Buffy across the room "There!" She cheers as she approaches the blonde "That feels more real, don't you think?"  
Buffy rolls across the floor as she is tossed against the floor again before she grunts in pain as Glory yanks her back up by the throat "Even if I do have to carry your performance." She says before tossing Buffy through a glass case.

Buffy lays there for several minutes in agonising pain before she looks up, as she does a large creature much like cobra breaks out of the vase by Glory's minion's feet. Her eyes widen as she hears Glory speak, she quietly sneaks out and makes a run for it.

* * *

Damon storms into the magic box and searches around for Buffy "Where's Buffy?" He asks the second he realises that she is not anywhere in view.  
"She's not here." Giles tells him as he approaches.  
Damon rolls his eyes "Well thank you Sherlock. Where is she?"  
Xander steps up behind Giles "That creepy demon woman's conjuring some kind of monster. What do you need her for?"  
Damon groans "Dammit. How many problems am I going to have today?"  
"What is it?" Giles asks curiously.  
Damon sighs "Klaus is coming. Hell he may even already be here."  
"Dear Lord." Giles breaths.  
Damon sighs before pausing "Wait you let Buffy go alone?"  
"Let isn't really a factor when she sets her mind to something. You should know that." Giles argues.  
Damon groans "Dammit! Do you know where she went? Exactly where?"

* * *

Stefan walks through the hospital searching for Elena. He looks everywhere he can think of but huffs in frustration when he is unable to find her. He walks through the halls but as he turns the next corner he freezes as his phone starts ringing, he sighs in relief when he sees Elena's number come up "Elena?"  
 _"_ _Hello Stefan."_ Klaus says cheerfully _"Long time no see."  
_ Stefan's eyes widen slightly before filling with hatred "Klaus." He hisses "Where's Elena?"  
 _"_ _Oh Elena? Well she's right here next to me. Alive after all. It's a miracle isn't it?"  
_ Stefan clenches his fist around the phone being careful not to break it "If you touch her—"  
" _I have no intention of killing her if that's what you mean. Here's an idea why don't you join us for a chat. We're in the old left wing of the hospital."  
_ Before Stefan can say anything else Klaus hangs up the phone, Stefan growls before speeding towards the west wing.

He slams the double doors opens, "Stefan, get out of here!" Elena yells as she spots her friend run inside.  
Klaus grins "Bout damn time. Now we can get started. Ah Danielle, David why don't you two sit tight." Klaus says before turning his attention back to Stefan "So let me guess the little best friend witch had something to do with Elena still walking around alive?"  
Stefan glares at Klaus "She didn't do anything."  
Klaus rolls his eyes "Well obviously she did something. Her witchy work seems to have caused some undesirable side effects. Well as she's not here I'll have my own witch figure out the problem while you me and Elena have a chat."  
Klaus bites into his wrists before pulling out an amulet " _"_ _Resurget ex favilla, liberare animum et iterum sumendi eam formam. Ruina carne."_

Elena watches in shock as a black fist comes out of the amulet before taking form opposite Klaus, Elena frowns in confusion as a young woman with black curly hair appears where the mist had been, suddenly though she recognizes the way the woman stands and the way she was glaring at Klaus with more hatred than humanly possible "Mary."  
Mary turns towards Elena "Hmm, I was hoping Katherine was lying when she said you were alive."  
Klaus growls at her but calms himself, Mary notices his anger and merely rolls her eyes at his behaviour "Oh please you know that I keep secrets. Especially from people I can't stand."  
Klaus slaps her sending her crashing to the ground, Mary groans in pain "Hurensohn."  
Klaus chuckles "Watch your mouth Marianna. Now I have a job for you. But first I need you to summon me a little something."

Elena and Stefan watch as Klaus approaches Mary and lifts her off the ground before whispering in her ear.  
Mary sighs as he pulls away before closing her eyes "Lupus proferre. Lupus Lokwode linea. Lupus proferre. Lupus Lokwode linea." As she chants the black mist re-appears, it spins wildly around the room like a tornado.  
Finally it dissipates leaving a man lying on the ground in it's place.  
Elena frowns at the figure however her eyes widen as she realizes who it is "Tyler!"  
"Leave him alone!" Elena hisses at Klaus.

Klaus grabs Tyler and drags him across the room "I'm going to make this very simple—every time I attempt to turn a werewolf into a vampire hybrid, they die during the transition. It's quite horrible actually." Klaus bites into wrists before forcing it down Tyler's throat "Now Elena Mary here needs to find a way to save my hybrid's, but she says she can't do it. But I'm betting if she works with your little witch friend they will be able to come up with a solution together. So for Tyler's sake you better hope that Mary can find a way with your little friend." He says before snapping Tyler's neck.  
"Find the witch." Klaus tells Mary "And dump the wolf boy somewhere on your way."  
Mary glares at him before teleporting out of the room with Tyler's body.

* * *

 **UCLA SUNNYDALE – BONNIE'S DORM ROOM**

Bonnie was currently trying and successfully failing again at the spell to pull apart the potion. She huffs as again like last time the spell fails, in frustration she slams the grimoire shut.  
"Well boo hoo someone's not powerful enough." Mary taunts as she stands over Bonnie.  
Bonnie jumps shocked by the sudden voice, she raises her hand prepared to fight however she finds herself being thrown across the room by a very powerful source of magic.  
Bonnie groans as she crashes into the wall, bashing her head painfully against the concrete, slowly Bonnie looks up and immediately she knows who this is, she may not look the same but the power she had, the smirk on her face and the way she held herself was all still the same "Mary."  
"Aww Bon bon." Mary says cheerfully "You remembered me."  
Bonnie glares at her as she stands "What do you want?"  
Mary shrugs and slaps her hand to her forehead "Oh, stupid me. I forgot to catch you up didn't I? Oh well silly me. Klaus is in town. He has Elena and Stefan. Oh and he killed Tyler."  
Bonnie eyes widen, and fill with grief "What?"  
"Don't worry he's gonna be a hybrid. Well for a quick one minute of fame before he dies. It seems that Elena being alive has messed things around. So if you want Tyler to live I suggest you help me."

* * *

Damon paced the magic box as he waits for Willow and Tara to finish the locator spell.  
As he does Giles who was behind the counter speaking with some customers excuses himself as the phone starts ringing.  
"Magic Box, your one-stop spot to shop for..." Giles answers only to be cut off.  
" _Giles, it me."  
_ "Buffy." Giles says drawing Damon's attention "Are you alright?

At the hospital Buffy reaches for an ice pack as she keeps the phone balanced on her shoulder "No, I'm really not. I couldn't stop her. I couldn't even slow her down." Buffy tells him, wincing slightly as she places the ice pack in her jacket to keep it pressed against her shoulder blade.  
 _"_ _Where are you?"  
_ "Sunnydale Memorial."  
 _"_ _Are you badly hurt? I'll come right over."  
_ "No." Buffy tells him "No, I just wanted to warn you that thing she conjured, it's loose. It's a big snake thing. Not Mayor big, but it's pretty lethal-looking."  
" _Do you know why she raised it?"  
_ "I don't know yet." Buffy pauses as she notices the clock "Look I got to meet Elena."

In the Magic Box Damon walks over and grabs the phone off Giles "Buffy?"  
 _"_ _Damon?"_ She asks confused _"What are you—"  
_ Damon frowns "Look not to add more pain to an already pain in the ass day but...Klaus, he knows. And he might be here Sunnydale."  
Buffy's eyes widen " _What? How—how is that possible?"  
_ "Apparently Mary spilled the beans. Look he's been trying to make hybrids and they've been failing, and apparently it's all because when he broke the curse Elena was supposed to die. And surprise she's not."  
 _"_ _He'll come for her. Alright I'm at the hospital now, I'll find her bring her home."  
_ Damon nods "I'll meet you at the house."  
" _No. No um...I'll protect Elena and get Klaus. Can you try and find this creature Glory summoned."  
_ Damon tries to argue, he wanted to go and help her, to keep her safe "Buffy, not a chance..."  
 _"_ _Damon."_ She says softly making him pause " _Please."  
_ Damon groans, 'god he was whipped' was all he could think before he groans "Fine. I'll find the creature thing."  
 _"_ _Thank you."_

* * *

Buffy speed walks through the hospital looking for Elena. She pokes her head into as many rooms as she can before groaning in frustration and grabbing her phone. She dials the phone and as it rings Buffy freezes. Thanks to her enhanced hearing she could hear something in the distance. It was Elena's phone.  
Buffy frowns but makes her towards where the ringing was coming from.  
As she enters the old west wing she notices Elena's phone on the floor next to two double doors, slowly she pushes the doors open and freezes at the sight.

"Buffy, no!" Elena screams as she sees her cousin walk into the room.  
Stefan speeds over to Buffy and stands protectively in front of her, keeping her away from Klaus "Buffy you need to leave now."  
Buffy scoffs "What the hell is going on?"  
Suddenly Klaus speeds over and grabs Stefan by the neck before tossing him to the ground and away from Buffy.  
Buffy eyes widen "Hello Love." Klaus says "I haven't exactly be quite honest with you. My name is Niklaus. But please call me Klaus."  
Buffy's shock fades away quickly and instead her face is covered by a look of anger and rage, she punches Klaus in the face sending him flying across the room, wincing slightly at the pain in her shoulder.  
"Buffy!" Elena yells seeing the blonde wince.  
"I'm fine. Just had a fight with the demon woman." Buffy then turns away from her cousin and glares at Klaus.  
Klaus stands and grins at the young woman "That's my girl. Must say every time I see you I am more impressed than the last."  
It's Stefan who growls this time, he runs at Klaus but Klaus grabs him by the neck and looks into his eyes "Don't move." He orders.  
"What did you do to him?"Buffy demands confused.  
"He compelled him." Elena tells her.  
Klaus turns to Buffy and smiles "I'm sorry, love. This isn't exactly how our introduction was supposed to go. But I'm afraid this is business."

Before Buffy can do anything Klaus speeds over to her and chains her to the ground.  
She pulls at the chains before glaring at Klaus as he approaches Elena "You stay the hell away from her."  
Klaus merely turns to Elena "Do you want to tell her or should I? All about the ripper? Or should we show her?"  
Elena's eyes widen as she gets where he is going with this "No, you can't."  
Klaus smirks "Danielle, David come here please."  
"No Klaus, please don't do this!" Elena cries while Buffy just watches completely confused.  
Klaus turns to Buffy as Danielle and David approach "Maybe it's time you see what your ex-boyfriend hid from you. I may be bad but at least I don't lie and pretend I'm the good guy." Klaus then turns to Stefan and approaches him "The Ripper of Monterey. Some say he was worse than Angelus. He would tear bodies apart during the feed."  
Buffy's eyes widen as she listens, she looks over at Stefan watching his face fall 'Buffy." He breaths but before he can do anything Klaus forces him to look at him "It's time you show our dear sweet slayer who you really are." He then gestures to Danielle and David "Kill them."

Stefan shakes his head refusing "No." He had spent months after Klaus took Buffy off the rails, before after months Elena and Damon had managed to pull him back from the edge. He had spent so long trying to re-bury the monster he had never wanted Buffy to see. He wouldn't let it out now.  
Klaus looks directly into Stefan's eyes "Kill them! Now!" He growls.  
Buffy's eyes widen "No! Klaus Stop!"  
Klaus smiles at her "I'm sorry Love but you should see the truth. Plus it's too late now."  
Buffy pulls at the chains as she watches with horror as Stefan turns on the innocent students before growling.

* * *

Mary continues to pace the room "You know Klaus is not the patient type and if I don't do what I'm told my best friend is going to end up on the sharp end of a pointing stick. So move it!"  
Bonnie rolls her eyes "I don 't know what I'm dealing with here! This curse was created a thousand years ago. My grimoires don't go back that far."  
Mary huffs in frustration and a blast of lightning goes off outside making Bonnie jump "Here's an idea. Contact all the dead witches that hate my guts. For no good reason." She mutters under her breath.  
"I don't have contact with them anymore, they cut me off when I brought Jeremy back to life."  
Mary huffs as she paces the room, however she freezes as she spots the photo of Bonnie, Elena and Buffy. She looks closely and there around Elena's neck was the necklace.  
Mary sighs she had sent Katherine to try and get the necklace but told her the moment Klaus showed up she should leave. Katherine had texted her, she hadn't been able to get the necklace. Mary had no choice there was no other way to do what Klaus wants and she knew that if she didn't come up with a way to save those Hybrids both her and Katherine were as good as dead.

* * *

Buffy watches as Stefan drops the bodies to the ground. Klaus approaches Buffy "It's always nice to see a vampire in his true element. The species has become such a broody lot. Even the half breeds like your man Angel are all broody. It's completely depressing if you ask me."  
Elena glares at Klaus "No. You did this to him."  
"I invited him to the party, love. He's the one dancing on the table."  
Buffy watches silently as Stefan realises what he had done, before collapsing on the ground by the bodies and muttering to himself.  
Finally Stefan looks over at Buffy a look of pure horror covering his face.  
At that moment Mary teleports into the room "Am I interrupting something?"

Buffy frowns at the brunette woman, until she remembers one of her visions "Mary." She hisses. Buffy pulls against the chains angrily but Mary doesn't pay any attention to her and merely ignores her and turns to Elena "Give me your necklace."  
"What?!" Elena asks astonished and confused.  
Klaus turns to Mary "What is this about Marianna?"  
"Do you recognise this?" She asks him, as she twists her hand making the necklace disappear from Elena's neck and re-appear in her hand.  
Klaus looks closely before shrugging "What is the point of this?"  
Mary rolls her eyes "Men." She mutters "This necklace belonged to the original witch. The one who created your curse. It's what I need to contact her...or what little miss perky needs."  
Klaus nods "Get it done then."  
Mary sighs "The original witch isn't exactly happy with me. And Bonnie doesn't have access to the witches anymore."  
Klaus glances at Stefan "Well looks like we may have a dilemma." He then glances at Buffy "Sorry Love, but I'm sure one day you'll understand. We'll have eternity after all."  
"Huh?" Buffy asks looking very confused.

Klaus sighs and grabs Stefan's phone before setting a timer for 10 minutes "Okay lets put a clock on it. If Bonnie and Mary can't get this to work and don't find another solution by then, I want you to feed again." He says to Stefan "Only this time, I want you to feed on Elena."  
Buffy's eyes widen "No! Klaus No! You do this and I swear to God I'll kill you."  
Klaus approaches Buffy "When your ex tries to kill your cousin I think everyone will understand you killing him. Don't worry love I'll be back."  
Buffy glares at him as he heads towards Mary "No one leaves." He tells them all before gesturing at Elena "Is she tires to run, fracture her spine. "  
Klaus takes Mary's hand and the two teleport out of the room, with Elena's necklace.

* * *

Damon storms back into the magic box, he had been searching for the creature and had no luck tracking it down.  
"No luck?" Giles asks as Damon enters the room.  
Damon shakes his head "The big ass snake thing was nowhere to be seen." As the words leave his lips the 'big ass snake thing' in question, comes crashing through the window and into the shop, Damon turns to attack it but it hits Damon sending him flying across the room and crashing through the back wall.  
The creature approaches them all, watching them all closely before running back out of the room.  
Damon stands with a groan "I hate this god damn town." He mutters as he sees the snake run out of the room "What the hell?"  
"It must be looking for something." Willow says "Cause it didn't seem interested in any of us."  
Giles' eyes widen and he turns to Damon "We need to get to Buffy and Elena right now."  
Damon frowns confused at the why to ex-librarian was focused on that right now but nods "I'll go on foot and follow the thing." He says before speeding out of the room while Giles runs out the back door and gets into his car before heading for the hospital.

* * *

Buffy continues to pull at the chains relentlessly as the time continues to tick down, they only had six minutes left and Buffy was beginning to think the chains were enchanted or something as they refused to move.  
"Caroline's dad." Elena says suddenly "Stefan, he was able to resist compulsion."  
Buffy grunts in pain as she falls the floor after failing again to release herself, she huffs before turning to Elena "Is that even possible?"  
Elena nods "We don't know how he did it. But he did. It's possible."  
Stefan who was crouched on the floor shakes his head "It would have taken him decades of training to learn to control his mind like that. We have 6 minutes."  
"Stefan, you can control this." Elena tells him "When that buzzer goes off, just—just drink from me."  
Buffy's eyes widen "What no!"  
"Buffy's right Elena. There's a reason I won't drink from the vein. I'm a ripper. When that clock ticks down I'm going to have to feed on you and the worse part is I won't be able to stop."  
Buffy turns to Stefan "Maybe you can. If you want it bad enough maybe you can resist."  
"Do it for Buffy." Elena says after a moment.  
Stefan just stares confused "Why because I love her?"  
Elena nods "Yes because you love her. More than anything. After everything you can't do this to her, and you owe her this."  
Buffy's expression softens and she looks over at Stefan who was looking at her in the same way "I owe you everything, Buffy. Because the only thing that kept me going, that kept me from turning it all off was you. Knowing that you were out there. You believed in me more than anyone but I can't help what I am. This was a side of me I never wanted you to see. I'm so sorry. But if I get near Elena, she's dead."

* * *

Tyler gasps for air as he lies on Bonnie's bed. "Tyler." Bonnie exclaims before quickly running over "Hey it's okay." She tells him as he coughs violently.  
He looks around the room confused before his eyes settle on Bonnie "Bonnie? What—where am I? What happened?"  
"We don't have time for an explanation." Mary says as she flips through one of grimoires.  
Bonnie sighs and turns to Tyler "I will explain everything. I promise just stay calm alright. I'm gonna fix this."  
"You shouldn't make promises that you can't keep." Mary tells her.  
Klaus who was currently sat on Bonnie's chair was tapping his foot impatiently "Can we get along with this please?"  
Mary rolls her eyes before turning to Bonnie "I found the spell. Place the necklace in the middle of the circle."  
Bonnie does as she says and then both witches, one from the side good and one from the side of evil join hands and begins to chant.

* * *

Stefan looks over at the phone, they had less than a minuet left and he was beginning to panic "Elena, you're going to have to run."  
Elena shakes her head, terrified "But Klaus said that if I run—"  
Buffy was shaking with fear for her cousin "Elena it doesn't matter what the ass hat said, if you don't run you'll die."  
Buffy looks over and see the timer hit ten seconds her eyes widen in terror, so she turns back to one of the chains and yanks it with all her strength before looking at Elena "Elena, please. You have to run. Please, please." She cries.  
Stefan drops to the ground grunting in effort "There's no other way."  
Elena still refuses to move, Buffy turns to Stefan, tears in her eyes "Stefan please, Try and resist."

Suddenly the phone buzzer goes off. Time was up. Buffy's eyes widen and she yanks another time and finally one of the bolts releases itself, letting the chain on her left arm free of the floor. Even though the chain was still on her wrist Buffy didn't care, she swings the chain out and wraps it around Stefan's legs before pulling him away from Elena.  
"Elena run! Go!" Buffy screams.  
Elena runs while Buffy turns to Stefan "I can't hold it!" He yells, clutching his head.  
Buffy pulls at the other chain while keeping Stefan locked in the tangles of the other "Stefan please!"  
Stefan looks up at her, sorrow and pain filling his expression "I love you, Buffy. But I can't."  
He speeds forwards, breaking free of the chain before forcing himself to crash into the wall repeatedly in an effort to slow himself down.

"No!" Buffy scream, she turns back to the chain still bolted to the ground and pulls with all her strength. She ignores the pain in her shoulder and her bleeding hands and continues to pull until finally the bolt breaks and Buffy is free.

* * *

Mary waved her hand and immediately her and Klaus were back in the hospital.  
Suddenly around the corner comes a terrified looking Elena, she crashes into Klaus who merely grin "We have got to stop meeting like this." He says before grabbing her and dragging her into another room.

* * *

Damon runs as fast as he can after the creature but the creature was smart, it snuck into the sewers. "Dammit!" Damon exclaims before he pauses as he realises what building he was right in front of "Sunnydale, Memorial." His eyes widen "Buffy." He says before running inside.

* * *

Buffy runs after Stefan and spots him in the hallway throwing himself up against metal chairs and tables that had been left behind, in an effort to stop himself.  
She runs at him and tackles him to the ground, she climbs on top of him and holds him down "Stefan, stop!"  
Stefan shakes his head, he was sweating and he was trying to keep from growling like a feral animal.  
He tries to get away from her and manages to force her off him however as he tries to run again she flips over his head and wraps one of the chains around his middle before shoving him against the wall "Stefan, you say you love me right? Well fight please." She begs "I can't lose anymore of my family."  
Stefan's expression softens as he listens to her, Buffy places her hand's on his cheeks "Please. You can do this."  
Just as she thinks it's working they hear Elena scream and the moment is gone, Stefan runs forward and Buffy loses her grip on him "Stefan!" She yells before running after him.

Stefan turns the corner and runs into another room and not a second later Buffy runs into that same room, she spots Elena but before she can do or say anything an invisible force sends Buffy backwards pinning her to the wall.  
Buffy grunts in pain as her head hits the wall before she turns to see Mary and Klaus standing together, while Klaus keeps a tight hand on Elena's arm.  
Stefan sees Elena and growls before spotting a wooden broom. He quickly runs over to it and breaks it into two, before driving the now broken broom into his gut.  
"Now this is fascinating." Klaus says as he tosses Elena over to Mary before approaching Buffy still keeping his focus on Stefan "I've never seen this before. The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this one girl. Why don't you turn it off?"  
"No!" Stefan growls, his eyes fill with hatred as Klaus runs a finger over Buffy's cheek.  
Buffy groans and finches "Touch me again and it will be the last thing you ever do." She warns him only to have her head slam against the wall painfully again, Buffy looks over at Mary "Actually I'll kill you first."  
Mary smiles "I'm honoured."  
Klaus glares at the witch "Try not to injure my slayer please Marianna, I'm quite fond of her."  
Mary rolls her eyes "Whipped." She mutters under her breath.  
Klaus ignores the young witch's childish displays and turns back to Stefan "Come on. Your humanity is killing you. All the guilt must be exhausting. I mean after hearing the stories of the bodies you left scattered after I took your precious Buffy, I would have thought you'd have turned it off by now. Turn it off."  
"No!"  
Buffy stares astonished "Stefan..."  
Stefan looks over at her and for the first time in over a year he sees a look on her face, the look he use to see all the time when he was hurt or struggling with the blood. It only made his will that much stronger.

Klaus approaches Stefan who kept his eyes on Buffy "You're strong. But you're not that strong." He pulls the stake from Stefan's stomach and gestures towards Buffy "That is not the woman that you loved. The woman that loved you. So what else is there. Turn...it...off."  
Stefan finally turns his attentions back Klaus and glares at him before shoving him away "No!"

Buffy glances over to see Mary distracted, she whispers at Elena drawing her attention before gesturing to Mary.  
Elena nods, she glances at Mary before elbowing her in the stomach causing her to stumble back and lose her hold on Buffy, Elena then turns and punches Mary in the face before kicking her in the chest sending her down to the ground.

The moment Buffy is free she runs at Klaus and wraps one of the chains around his neck "Hi Sweetheart." She hisses before kicking him in the gut and throwing him a good 20 feet across the room.  
Buffy turns to Stefan who was shaking, she steps forward hesitantly and places her hands on his cheeks.  
"Thank you." She whispers.  
Stefan nods "You're welcome...do it." Buffy nods before taking a shaky breath and snapping his neck.

Mary who was currently on the ground groans in pain, she rolls over onto her side and glares up at Elena "Du kleine schlampe."  
Elena shrugs "Cousin of a slayer, what did you expect?"  
Mary growls before raising her hand sending Elena flying across the room.

Buffy walks over to Mary and taps her on the shoulder "Hi." She says before punching Mary so hard that her head actually snaps around, fracturing her neck and sending her flying across the room.  
Buffy then turns on Klaus who was now standing "Come on love we can discuss this."  
Buffy growls and runs at him tackling him to the ground, she wraps the chains around his neck tightly and bashes his head the floor "No we can't discuss this...'love'." She hisses however Klaus grabs onto the chains and uses them to pull Buffy closer to him so they were pressed close together. He then speeds towards one of the walls and slams her up against "Marianna, I'd appreciate it if you could get what we need."

For the corner of the room Mary groans in agony "Give me a second." Buffy hears a clicking sound come from Mary's direction which she assumes is Mary fixing her fractured neck, before hearing Elena scream.  
Buffy looks over Klaus' shoulder and sees Mary raising her hand towards Elena causing trickles of blood to fall from Elena's arm before it builds into a heavy flow of blood.  
"Elena!" Buffy screams.  
"Don't worry love." Klaus tells her "Mary's just going to test a theory of mine."

Suddenly Mary teleports out of the room while Elena collapses.  
Buffy growls and headbutts Klaus before kicking him in the groin.  
He freezes as she does and groans in pain before falling to the ground.  
Buffy walks over to him and kicks him in the face before kicking him in the gut sending him flying into the wall.

Buffy quickly runs over to Elena and pulls her cousin's head into her lap, taking into account that Elena was looking really pale "Elena? Lena? Come on Sweetie."  
Elena groans in pain "Bitch took my blood." She mutters causing Buffy to chuckle and hug her cousin.

Suddenly Damon appears crashing through the double doors, he freezes at the sight before him. His brother was lying with a broken neck on the ground, Klaus was groaning in pain as he clutched the area in which Buffy had kicked him. Damon then looks over to see a bruised and battered Buffy holding a bleeding Elena.  
He stares at Buffy "What the hell happened? I talked to you like an hour ago."  
Buffy shrugs "A lot."  
Before Damon can say anything else a black mist appears and goes towards Klaus, As Mary takes form next to Klaus she whispers to him and immediately a smile covers his face. He smiles before standing and walking over to Buffy, Damon and Elena.  
Damon moves protectively in front of the girls but Klaus merely grabs him and tosses him to the ground.  
Klaus grabs Buffy and slams her up against the wall "I'll be seeing you soon, love." He says before moving closer to her. He kisses her cheek and Buffy has to keep from gaging.

Mary who was watching the exchange silently makes her way over to Damon, she places a piece of paper in his hand before placing a finger to her lips to make it clear he wasn't to speak.  
Mary quickly stood and went back to her place as she does Klaus turns away from Buffy, dropping the blonde to the ground.  
Mary places her hand on Klaus' shoulder as he comes to stand next to her and the two then disappear in a fog of black mist.

Damon groans in pain but quickly walks over to help Buffy "Are you okay?"  
Buffy nods before glancing at Elena who was still bleeding "We need to get her to a doctor. She's still losing blood."  
Damon nods and moves over and lifts Elena up so she is standing.  
"What happened to my brother?" Damon asks.  
"I broke his neck." She says with a shrug, she pauses seeing the look on his face "He'll explain."  
Buffy freezes as she remembers something "The creature. The one Glory summoned?"  
Damon's eyes widen "About that..."  
Suddenly the creature comes barging into the room and screeches, it shoves Damon and Buffy backwards and freezes in front of Elena who screams.  
As she does the creature's eyes go red before it speeds out of the room.  
Buffy's eyes widen "It knows." She realises.  
Buffy stands just in time to catch Elena, who was still losing blood, she quickly lifts up Elena and hands her to Damon "Take care of her."  
Before Damon could argue Buffy takes off at full speed out of the room, Damon just stares "What the hell is going on?"

* * *

Buffy runs out of the hospital and spots people running screaming as the creature slivers it's way through the streets, she takes off running after it "Buffy!" Giles yells as he drives up next to her.  
Buffy quickly gets into the car and they take off after the creature "How did you know..."  
"I followed Damon." He tells her "His kind are remarkably fast, I lost them for a while there."  
Buffy sighs "That's probably a good thing."  
Giles looks down and notices the chains on Buffy's wrists "Buffy are those chains?"  
"Later Giles."  
The creature turns a corner causing Giles to stop "I've gotta stop it before it gets back to Glory." Buffy tells him  
"Glory?"  
"He called her that. She'll know Elena's the Key if we don't..." As she speaks Giles backs the car up and heads in the direction that the creature had gone.  
"We will." He tells her before turning the car around the corner and speeding forward.

The car swerves as they continue after the creature, however as it crashes through a metal fence Giles stops the car allowing Buffy to leap out and follow it into the park.  
Buffy runs after the creature, chasing after it as fast as she could.  
She notices as large boulder, she runs up it and leaps off jumping onto creatures back.

The creature screeches and tries to get her off it's back, Buffy wraps the chains around it's neck, using them as a way to not only hold onto the creature but as a way to try and kill it. She pulls as tightly as she can and after a few minutes the creature starts to weaken before finally collapsing. Buffy freezes however suddenly the creature sits back up sending her flying to the ground, she groans before standing and punching the creature in the face knocking it back down to the ground, she then crawls on top of it and continues to beat it long after it's death.

* * *

Buffy rushes into the hospital and heads over to the reception "Hi, I'm here to see my Cousin Elena Gilbert, where is she?" She asks panicked.  
The woman glances up at Buffy "What's your name dear?"  
"Buffy Summers."  
The woman checks her computer before nodding "Down the hall, last room on the left."  
Buffy offers the woman a small smile "Thank you." She says before practically running down the hall.  
At that moment Damon exits the room "Damon!" Buffy calls "Is she okay? Where they able to stop it? Is she gonna be okay—"

Buffy begins rambling so Damon steps forwards and places his hands on her shoulders "Buffy calm down. She's okay. She's just lost a lot of blood. But she's gonna be okay."  
Buffy takes a deep breath "Thank god." Against her better judgement she hugs Damon.  
Damon stood there shocked but let her hugs him even if it was just for a brief second "Can I see her?"  
Damon nods "Yeah, she's awake. There is something I have to do I'll be back."  
"Thank you." Buffy tells him, she walks over to the door and is about to head in but she turns back to Damon "And Stefan is he—"  
"He's fine. A little banged up, but he'll live and he won't be an emotionless dick, thanks to you."  
Buffy smiles at him before heading into the room.

Damon watches her before his face fall, when he had come in earlier to make sure Elena was okay a nurse had been compelled by Klaus. Damon didn't want Buffy to freak out, she was fragile right now, so he had to handle it. He heads towards the exit but not before taking a peak at the note Mary had slipped him. He just hopped it would be useful.

Buffy walks over to her cousin and sits on the edge of the bed "Hey." She says softly.  
Elena opens her eyes and glances over at her cousin, a slow smile forming on her face "Hey."  
"Are you okay?" Buffy asks, a worried tone evident in her voice.  
Elena shrugs "I'm okay. Don't worry about me."  
Buffy looks at her sadly, tears filling her eyes "You can't-you can't scare me like that again."  
Elena takes Buffy's hand in hers "I'm okay. And I promise. As long as you promise the same."  
Buffy nods a tear falling down her cheek "We'll stick together."

Buffy and Elena turn to the door as Jeremy appears in the doorway "Hey." He says looking at his sister and cousin with a worried eye.  
Buffy turns to her older cousin "I'll give you both a minute."  
Buffy squeezes Elena's hand before heading for the door, she gives Jeremy a hug, before leaving the brother and sister to have a moment.  
Buffy stands looking at the siblings through the crack of the door as she doesn't close it completely.

"Buffy." Riley says softly as he walks up behind her, Buffy shares one more glance at her family before walking over to her boyfriend.  
"You ok? You look pretty beat up." He tells her.  
Buffy merely nods trying to keep the tears from falling "Minimal damage of the fighting kind. It's all the other kind."  
Riley looks at her sadly and moves a strand of her hair out of her face, and tucks it behind her ear, "Come here." He tells before pulling her into a hug.  
He holds her tightly in an embrace, while he rubs her back trying to comfort her "It's ok. Just let it out. I'm right here"  
Buffy stays silent trying to keep from having a complete breakdown "I can't." She says as she pulls away "Not now. They need me." She gestures to her cousins "If I start now, I won't be able to stop."  
Riley moves to place a hand on her cheek however Jeremy's voice calling her makes her turn her head away from him and move out of his reach, leaving him alone in the hall while she joins her family.

* * *

"Buffy and Jeremy are with her now." Mary tells Klaus as he approaches her in the hospital parking lot while she sits on the hood of a truck.  
Klaus nods and glances at the window where Elena's room was.  
As he watches the room Mary looks down at him "How did you know?"  
"Well, you know how much the original witch hated me."  
Mary nods "True. Must be why I liked her so much."  
Klaus rolls his eyes "Do you honestly believe that I would do anything other than the opposite of what she says."  
Mary smirks "I do love that woman. She has been dead 1000 years and she still finds a way to screw with you. That woman is my role model."  
Klaus start pacing the parking lot as he speaks to her "Well, it makes sense if you think about it from her perspective. It was her failsafe in case I ever broke the hybrid curse. The doppelgänger had to die in order for me to become a hybrid, but if she was dead..."  
"You would have screwed over any chance at hybrids and turning dear old Buff to the dark side. Honestly I think killing both her aunt and cousin would have been a bit too much. And that's coming from me."  
Klaus nods "Leaving me alone for all time."

Mary arches an eyebrow "Is that why you keep me like this. Trapped in an amulet, unable to leave you alone. You keep to rest of the family in boxes. You don't want to rest them all leaving you alone. Pretty bloody pathetic if you ask me."  
Klaus glares at her, a look of hatred crossing his face "You know what I want, I want to take my doppelgänger, take my hybrid and get the hell out of this one pony town."  
Mary arches a brow "You do realise that your little girlfriend is still here right."  
"I know that. But the prophecy hasn't been completed yet ,once it has I will return for her. Then I will never be alone." Klaus moves to walk away but turns to her "Mari perhaps be a dear and go get the car."  
Mary rolls her eyes and stops playing with her nails, she waves her hand and suddenly disappears in a fog of mist.

Klaus grins as he senses someone behind him "Well, look who finally decided to show up to the party."  
Damon glares at him "Been here a while. Just let the blonde take over on guard duty. You're not taking her, or Buffy."  
"I'm afraid you can't do anything mate." Klaus says not at all looking impressed with Damon's threatening tone "Elena's just making a donation, once she is done well be on the road. Don't worry I'll return for my dear sweet slayer very soon. I suggest you don't get too attached again."  
"You'll have to kill me to get to her." Damon says standing up to the hybrid, glaring at him defiantly.

Klaus presses a hand to Damon's arm and pushes him back "I would but I made a pledge to our lovely slayer over a year ago that I would not kill you or your brother. Although thinking about it now, she's tried to kill you several times since you moved here. I'm thinking she probably doesn't care that much anymore." He shoves Damon on the top of a car and wraps his hand around his neck.  
Damon glares at Klaus and decides to trust blind faith, even though he realised it was likely going to get him killed "You don't want to know about your friend Mikael?"  
Klaus freezes, his fist was frozen in the air like a stone "What do you know about Mikael?"  
"Just that he knows you're here."  
Klaus glares at Damon, a hint of fear in his eyes "You're bluffing."  
"Nope. What do you think vampire barbie's been up to. We found him. Consider it our leverage. You're going to stay away from Buffy and Elena, you're going to leave the idiot hybrid but honestly I don't care much about him."  
Klaus growls before tossing Damon across the parking lot. When Damon stands he looks around to see Klaus gone.


	73. Into The Woods

_A/N: Hey Everyone just letting you know I skipped a couple episodes of Buffy mainly because those specific episodes have to do with Joyce and as she is not in this story, I decided just to miss them. Anyways here is the new chapter. Please enjoy and send me your thoughts._

* * *

"I'm fine." Elena moans as Jeremy and Buffy lead her into the house.  
Jeremy rolls his eyes "You lost almost half of your blood, Elena. You're not fine."  
"Jeremy's right." Buffy says as she moves around the pillows on the couch before helping him lie Elena down on the couch "You are going to lay here and eat ice cream, watch bad TV and use Jeremy as a servant."  
Jeremy's head snaps in Buffy's direction "Wait what!"  
Elena chuckles before throwing a pillow at Jeremy "Fetch me the ice cream, servant."  
Jeremy glares at her before turning and head into the kitchen mumbling under his breath about how unfair this was.  
Elena and Buffy look at each other before bursting into laughter.

Buffy smiles at her before sighing "Xander and Anya are gonna come over."  
Elena frowns "Wait you leaving?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah." She takes a pause rolling her eyes slightly "I'm gonna go see Riley."  
Elena smirks and raises an eyebrow "Celebrating the fact that Klaus is gone."  
"For now." Buffy points out "But yeah."  
"Bow chicka wow wow." Elena giggles, while Buffy's eyes go wide and her face goes red "Shut up!" Buffy shakes her head and throws a pillow at Elena who merely giggles in response.

* * *

After calling Caroline to let her know what had happened to Tyler and stopping by Buffy's to check on Elena, Bonnie makes her way over to Stefan and Damon's. Before she can even knock on the door Stefan opens it and smiles at her "Come on in."  
Bonnie frowns before stepping inside "We may have a problem."  
"And what would that be Bon Bon?" Damon asks as he comes down the stairs, a glass of scotch in his hand like normal.  
Bonnie reaches into her bag and places a grimoire on the table before sitting in front of it "When I was helping Mary with the hybrid curse, she was going through this grimoire. It's the one that we used to contact the original witch."  
Damon and Stefan both watch her confused as to where she was going with this "And 'this affects us, how?" Damon asks as he walks over to the bar.  
"Because I didn't notice before but...this isn't one of my grimoires."  
Stefan frowns and moves across the room before sitting opposite Bonnie "Wait what?"  
"It's Mary's. She must have conjured it when I was helping Tyler -"  
"And what just left it behind out of the goodness of her heart?" Damon asks sarcastically, even though Mary had given him the information about Mikael he still wouldn't trust her as far as he could throw her.  
Stefan rubs his forehead as he tries to process his thoughts "I don't know. I mean she does want Klaus dead. Katherine said she knew about the necklace, she wanted it so that she could get away from Klaus. But she didn't get it so she lost her leverage over him. Maybe she wants to help us take him down."

Damon rolls his eyes "So she gave us the name Mikael, we still don't know what that means or why Klaus got all scared like an 8-year-old. We can't trust her."  
Stefan sighs in frustration and stands, he starts pacing near the windows trying to figure out what to do "I'm not saying we trust her but think about it Damon, Mary hates Klaus and as long as he's around she is trapped."  
Damon sighs before downing the rest of his drink and reaching for the bottle "What's so special about this book anyway?"  
Bonnie looks up at the two of them before glancing down at the book, she flips through the pages before stoping on one near the end of the book finally, she looks back up "This is a book of dark magic. Magic I've never even seen before, it's powerful. Half of these spells would kill some of the most powerful witches just because of the mount of power and energy they demand."  
Damon continues to stare unimpressed, he wasn't a big fan of magic and honestly he didn't care about any of what she was saying at the moment "Get to the point. You're boring me."  
Bonnie merely points to an illustration on the page she had turned to "Recognize this?"  
Both Stefan and Damon approach the young witch and looks down at the book.  
"That's spell Mary used when she was dying after the spirits took her immortality." Bonnie reaches over and turns to the next page "And this is the potion Klaus used one Buffy."  
Damon and Stefan stare finally after 2 and half months of being in Sunnydale they had a lead, however, suddenly Damon remembers something.  
"You said we had a problem. What's the problem?"  
Bonnie sighs "I haven't been able to find out what ingredients were in the potion because only someone with strong amounts of dark magic can open the lock on the potion."  
"Wait lock?" Stefan asks confused.

Bonnie nods she points to the small inscription bellow the image of the potion "Potions this powerful, there is a spell lock placed on them. If it was chased by light magic I would be able to break the lock but because it was cast by sacrificial magic I can't do it alone."  
Damon frowns "What exactly does that mean?"  
Bonnie sighs "I need powerful totems used for dark spells." Bonnie turns to the next page where there seemed to be a list of ingredients "The blood of the pure, snake venom and the heart of a polgara demon."  
Stefan nods while Damon merely grimices "Yeah, have fun with that brother."  
Stefan sighs and turns to Bonnie "The magical community has a black market. Everything you need will be there. I'll go with you, it's will be fine we just need to find a spell to reveal the door. On the Hellmouth it shouldn't be that hard."  
Bonnie nods "Okay I'll go through my grimoires. Let you know what I find out."

* * *

Buffy lay asleep in Riley's bed at his apartment, she hears a doop open causing her to stir "Riley." She moans.  
"It's me." Spike says casuing Buffy's eyes to slam open, she immedietly sits up in the bed holding the sheet close to her and glares at him "Every time you show up like this, you risk all of your parts. You know that?"  
Spike rolls his eyes at the blonde "I wouldn't be here if I didn't have a good reason. As usual, I'm here to help you, and I...are you naked under there?"  
Buffy glares at him before sighing in frustration and annoyance "Get out."  
"No, I'm serious. I mean not about the naked part..."  
"Get out or I will drop you out headfirst."  
Spike goes silent before looking at her seriously "I want to show you something."  
"What?" She asks getting more and more tempted to stake him.  
"You need to see this." He merely says ignoring her question and being very vauge.  
Buffy takes a deep breath before sighing, all she really wanted was to sleep.  
Spike nods "But we need to move if we want to get there in time."  
Buffy huffs and moves to get dressed but pauses as she notices Spike still watching her intently, she raises an eyebrow at Spike and gives him a narrowed look.  
Spike scoffs "Oh, please! Like I give a bloody damn." He says before turning around giving Buffy a chance to dress.

* * *

After catching Riley in the hands of some whore vampire, Buffy heads back to her house, as she closes the front door Elena sit up and looks over from her place on the couch "Buffy, what's wrong?" She asks immediately noticing the heartbroken look on her cousin's face.  
Elena stands slowly, it was taking quite a bit of effort for her to get around finally, once she was steady she walks over to her cousin.  
Buffy looks up at Elena before shaking her head and sliding down to the ground.  
Elena's eyes widen and she crouches down by her cousin who was now sobbing, she pulls Buffy close and let's blonde cry on her shoulder.  
"Shh. It's going to be okay." Elena soothes as she hugs her cousin tightly.

* * *

The next morning Buffy walks into the coffee shop, she searches around the room until finally, she spots Stefan. She quickly walks over to him and sits opposite him. "Hey."  
Stefan looks up and smiles at her nervously "Thank you for meeting me." Stefan looks at her closely and notices her change in attitude since last time they talked "Are you okay?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Not really. Riley and I are not—" Buffy shakes her head "It doesn't matter. Look I don't have long I need to get the gang on something. What exactly did you wanna talk about?"  
Stefan hesitates he looks down at his hands "That night, with Klaus...what you saw me do...I never wanted you to see that side of me."  
Buffy's expression softens slightly "Elena explained compulsion to me—"  
"No." Stefan says cutting her off "Look that night Klaus may have compelled me but..." He pauses and takes a deep sigh "When we were together you helped me control the Ripper. You tried to help me control my bloodlust and after you disappeared..." Stefan stops he looks up at Buffy, her expression was blank not giving anything away, however, he could have sworn that he could see a small hint of worry in her eyes "After Klaus took you, I lost it."  
Buffy frowns and her eyes go slightly wide "What happened?"  
Stefan looks away from her, as a look of regret and guilt fill his expression "I left Mystic Falls, tried to track you down. But um...Klaus he woke up that craving in me and I tried to bury it but I couldn't. I became the one thing I have been running from for decades. I left bodies scattered from Maine to Los Angeles. I've been trying to make amends but..."

Stefan trails off as he notices the look of horror on Buffy's face, before a look of confusion and curiosity crosses her face "What were we like?"  
Stefan, shocked by the question looks up at her "What?"  
"Together. I mean. Before all the Klaus and whatever the hell is up with Damon. What were we like together?"  
Stefan's expression softens and a small smile graces his lips "We were complicated, to say the least. When we first started dating, there were a lot of secrets between us and after a breakup or two..." Buffy chuckles "...we managed to get to a good place. We were happy and in love."  
Buffy's eyes widen as she realizes the position she's put Stefan in "I'm sorry. This must be difficult—"  
Stefan places his hand on hers "It's fine." He assures "Honestly after months of not being able to bring it up, it's actually quite nice."

Buffy nods, she freezes as she realizes that Stefan still had his hand on hers, she slowly pulls her hand away and shakes herself "I know this is really random, but um...do you happen to know anything about the whole humans paying vampires the bite them thing."  
Stefan slightly confused by the sudden change of question senses her uncomfortableness with the previous subject and decides to leave it alone for now, he simply nods "Yeah, why?"  
Buffy stands "I found a nest last night. Um...I'm gonna head to the magic box get some intel, do you wanna come?"  
Stefan smiles slightly, she was starting to trust him "Sure."

As the two walk towards the magic box, neither of the noticed the angry looking Riley on the other side of the street. He had been on his way to Buffy's to hash things out when he saw her and Stefan speaking, he had been planning to go over but he noticed something. The two looked close, and when Stefan and taken her hand and Buffy hadn't pulled away immediately, he knew straight away that he was missing something. And he wasn't happy about it. Not one bit.

* * *

Stefan and Buffy walk into the magic box, as they enter Stefan whistles "Wow, so this is the magic box."  
"Yep big with the magic...and book stuff." She says before leading him over to the scooby gang who were currently all standing at the counter.  
"I need to find out everything I can about a vamp nest downtown." Buffy tells steps forward "A nest? What sort of..."  
"There were people there." Buffy says her voice wavering.  
Stefan looks over at her with a worried glance before turning to Giles "Buffy found people willing to pay the vampires to bite them. I've seen it before, happens mostly in big cities like New York. I didn't know there were groups here."  
Xander who was stood with Anya behind the counter nods his head "Now I know what to give the person who had everything!"  
"Who'd pay to get bitten?" Willow asks, astonishment and disgust evident in her voice.  
Stefan interjects "From what I know, it mainly tends to be addicts or people desperate for an adrenaline rush."  
Giles nods in agreement with the vampire, none of them may trust Damon or Stefan but out of the two brothers Giles himself much preferred Stefan.  
"That's been going on for centuries." Anya informs them all "Humans hire vampires to feed off them, they, you know, get off the rush."  
"And the danger." Giles finishes "The hazards of the underworld can be addictive to some people."  
Xander frowns in confusion "Why don't the vampires just kill them?"  
Stefan turns to Buffy's best friend and tries to offer an explanation "With that kind of vampire, it's less messy for them. They can't compel their victims, this way not only do they get cash but they get blood, without leaving bodies, which means no hunters or slayers trying to track them down."  
Giles listens to Stefan speak taking in the information, as Stefan finishes, however Giles tries to add on to what he was telling them "But still, it can be terribly dangerous for humans. People can die accidentally, or meet a vampire who only pretends to play by the house rules."

Buffy glares at Giles, furious at the fact that he had kept this knowledge to himself for so long and not informed her "You knew about this and you didn't tell me?"  
Giles merely shrugs not noticing her fury "I haven't seen it since my Ripper days. I had no idea it was going on in Sunnydale."  
"Well, it is." She says flatly "And I'm gonna stop it." Buffy turns on Giles and reaches for the weapons chest "Buffy." Giles says "Even if I had known about this, I might not have told you right now."  
Buffy's head spins around shocked "What? Why?"  
"It's not where your efforts are best spent. With have no only Glory to deal with but the threat of Klaus returning."  
"You said people are dying."  
Stefan sighs and turns to Buffy "Buffy, these people, they're willing victims."  
"Doesn't matter. Vampires are vampires. And my job description is pretty clear." Buffy pauses "These vampires I mean." She says directly to Stefan.  
"Back me up or not I'm going." Buffy turns to Stefan who merely nods and follows her.

* * *

After Buffy had burnt down the vampires' hideout, Buffy had asked Stefan to go keep an eye on Elena while she headed back to the magic box.  
Now here she was currently pounding on a punching bag.  
She continues to take out her frustrations on the bag for over an hour "We need to talk." Riley says as he enters the room.  
Buffy hits become stronger and faster at the sound of his voice "I'm not ready to talk to you yet."  
Riley ignores that and takes off his jacket before moving behind the punching bag, making Buffy stop "I'm serious unless you want to fight." Buffy glares at him before moving away and unwrapping her hands.  
"So let's fight." Riley says as he walks over to her, refusing to give up "We need to have this out, Buffy. Right now."

Buffy turns to him waving her arms in frustration "And say what? What were you thinking? How long have you been lying to me? Nothing you say right now is gonna make this better."  
Buffy tries to move away again but Riley grabs her arm "I realize that. I don't expect...I just need you to hear me out."  
"Fine. Get your hand off of me."  
Riley's face falls and he slowly lowers his hand before moving away "I think...when this thing started, it was just some stupid, immature game. After Damon and Stefan came to town, I got worried, you have a history with both of them. And then I saw you with Stefan today, so looks like all my worry wasn't for nothing."

Buffy's eyes widen "This isn't about Damon and Stefan. Look it doesn't matter that I and Stefan used to be together. I didn't tell because it didn't matter. This isn't about any of that." She says harshly "This is about you almost getting yourself killed."  
"No, it is about them. You never told me but I'm not an idiot, I see the way Stefan looks at you, it's the same wth Damon. They know so much about you, things that you would never tell me. I guess I was just spun...I wanted to know...to understand how people like Angel and Stefan have such a hold over you."  
Buffy shakes her head, disgusted "You so don't get it."  
"I wanted to get it, Buffy. I wanted to get you."  
Buffy scoffs "So this is my fault? Hey, gee Buffy's so mysterious she has an ex-vampire boyfriend that she doesn't remember how interesting. I think I'll go out and almost die. I think I'll go and let some other..."  
"This isn't your fault." He tells her "It's mine. And I feel like hell for what I've put you through. But it's just..." He pauses trying to find a way to express what he was feeling in words "These girls—"  
"Vampires." Buffy says cutting him off "Killers."

* * *

Elena watches as Stefan continues to pace the living room, her head follows him as he walks from one side of the room to the other before he glances at the front door, and then continues to pace. Elena lets this go on for about half an hour before she gets fed up "Stefan!" She yells shocking him out of his zoned out state.  
Stefan turns to her "What? Are you okay?"  
Elena tilts her head and raises her eyebrow at his behavior "Funny. I was just about to ask you the same question. Is this about Buffy?"  
Stefan sighs and begins pacing again "I'm just worried. She wasn't acting like herself today, she was obsessed with the vampire nest downtown and every time Riley's name was mentioned she shut down."

Elena looks down, Buffy had told her all about what Riley had been doing, she completely understood why Buffy was so rattled and horrified, as well as pissed.  
Stefan looks over at Elena after she had no spoken for several minutes. He arches an eyebrow "Elena, do you know what happened?"  
Elena sighs "Riley paid a vampire to bite him. Buffy saw him last night."  
Stefan's eyes widen in shock, he continues to pace the room shocked by what he was hearing "We were talking earlier about us...when we were together but then she changed the subject to..." Stefan huffs in frustration "I'm an idiot. I should have realized." Suddenly his expression darkens "That son of a bitch."  
"Stefan!" Elena exclaims she hadn't heard him talk like that in months.  
"No, Elena. After, everything she's been through how could he do this to her."  
Elena slowly stands and moves to stand in front of him "I don't know. But Stefan this hasn't got anything to do with you. I'm sorry but I know you love her but Riley is Buffy's boyfriend she needs to be the one that decides what happens next. You can't make that decision for her."

* * *

Buffy's eyes widen "And I don't make you feel that way?" Riley shakes his head, causing her to shake her head in disgust "How on earth can you compare me to that? How can you tell me you understand what those vampires feel? You weren't a passion to them, you were a snack! A willing, idiotic snack."  
"No, I know exactly what they feel when they bite me. I feel it every time we're together. It's like the whole world falls away, and all there is is you."  
"And you think that I don't feel the same about you? How dare you tell me what I feel?"  
"You keep me at a distance, Buffy." Riley points out as he moves to stand behind her as she turns her back on him "You didn't even call me when you were trapped with Klaus, or when Elena ended up in the hospital. Hell, I had to find out about you remembering your mom and aunt's death through someone else."  
Buffy turns to face him, a look of pure shock and astonishment on her face, she couldn't believe the way he was spinning this "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I couldn't take care of you when Klaus had me chained to the ground and tried to get Stefan to kill Elena. I'm sorry I could sooth you when I thought that Mary had basically killed Elena, oh and I'm sorry I was too busy in agonizing pain both physically and mentally at re-living my mother's death and my aunts to call and check up on you, make sure you weren't sick or lonely."  
Riley shakes his head "It's about me taking care of you! It's about letting me in, so you don't have to be on top all the time."  
"But I do!" Buffy exclaims "That's part of what being a slayer is. And that's what this is really about, isn't it? This isn't about your jealousy over Stefan you just can't handle the fact that I'm stronger than you."

Riley stares at her, but he doesn't deny it, he had been doing that for so long and now he realized that there was no point in doing that anymore "It's hard sometimes, yeah. But that's not it."  
"Then what? What else do you want from me, Riley? I've given you everything that I have. I've given you my heart, my body and soul!"  
"You say that, but I don't feel it. I just don't feel it."  
Buffy's face falls before filling with fury, she couldn't believe this "Well, whose fault is that? Because I'm telling you, this is it. This is me. This is the package. And if it's so deficient that you need to get your kicks elsewhere, then we really have a problem."  
The two stay silent for several minutes as the realization of what they have both said starts to hit him.  
Riley's jaw locks and he closes his eyes for a second before looking at Buffy seriously "They want me back, Buffy. The military. It's deep undercover. No, contact with civilians." Buffy looks at him shocked "Transport leaves tonight."  
Her eyes widen "Tonight?" She breaths, Riley nods "When were you gonna tell me about this?"  
"I'm tellin' you now."

* * *

A few hours later Elena was in bed when she heard the front door close, Elena frowns before climbing out of bed, she moves down the hall before stopping as she spots Buffy sat on the stairs, a heartbroken look on her face.  
Elena ignores the sense of deja-vu and merely climbs down the stairs and sits down next to her cousin.  
She doesn't speak she just takes Buffy's hand, a small gesture letting her know she wasn't going anywhere.


	74. Triangle

"You are not becoming a nun!" Elena exclaims, as Buffy finishes explaining to her what had happened on her patrol.  
Buffy pouts and looks over at Elena genuinely confused "And why not? I spoke to one of the nuns, she was really nice. I get I'm not super religious but they have good food."  
Elena just continues to stare at her cousin, she then steps forward and presses her hand against Buffy's forehead, seeing if she had a fever.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "What are you doing?"  
"Checking for a fever."  
Buffy rolls her eyes she steps away from Elena, causing the brunette's hand to drop "I'm not sick. I just think it would be an interesting opportunity."  
Elena looks at her cousin sceptically before laughing.

Buffy glares at her before grabbing her bag "Jeremy! Come on!"  
Elena grabs her own bag before turning to the staircase just as Jeremy descended from upstairs, he looks over at Buffy and pouts "I don't see why we have to do this?"

The blonde turns to him, she crosses her arms and gives him a narrow gaze "Because I can't be around you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I'm not some super speedster person from a comic book. So you need to know how to protect yourself." Buffy pauses "Plus I've seen you fight. You really need to learn. Hell, Elena could most probably kick you ass."

Jeremy's eyes widen while Elena chuckles before following Buffy out of the door.

"Hey!" Jeremy exclaims, "She could not."

* * *

"That's five." Buffy says as she flips Jeremy onto his back with a loud thump, while Jeremy groans in pain Buffy turns to Elena.

Buffy smirks "Bring it on Big Cousin."  
Elena rolls her eyes before swinging her leg out at Buffy, Buffy merely ducks the blow she then sends a kick at Elena's chest but Elena blocks it before swinging her fist out. Buffy grabs her fist and twists her body into a side aerial sending Elena flying to the ground while Buffy lands gracefully on her feet.  
Buffy smirks down at her cousins "You guys really suck at this."  
Jeremy glares up at the blonde "You have super-strength!"

Buffy shrugs "I was holding back. Plus, you wanted to know how to fight vampires, so don't complain. Me knocking you on your ass...repeatedly may I add...is teaching you."

Elena huffs and collapses on the matt "I can't feel anything."  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement.

"Must you continue to take enjoyment in this moment, Buffy?" Giles asks as he approaches the slayer, Buffy glances at him before looking back down at her cousins who both looked exhausted "Yes."  
Giles simply sighs before placing on his focus pads "Well, as your cousins seem to be unable to move at the moment may we return to your training."  
Buffy rolls her eyes before she turns to Giles, "Fine."

As Buffy starts attacking Giles with punches he moves around the room, her moving along with him "All right. Switch. Left lead."

Buffy pauses, switching her position before continuing to pound on her watcher.

As she continues to send powerful hits she glances at her watches "You think they might be able to help us?"

Giles shrugs "If you mean are they gonna help us find out something about Glory..." Giles pauses as Buffy goes back to hitting him "I saw that coming. You're dropping your shoulder."

Elena who was still lying on the ground completely exhausted lifts her head off the ground just enough so that she could see Giles "Whose they?"

"The Watchers' Council." Giles informs the Gilbert girl "They have resouces at their disposal...the Central Library is just..."

Buffy stops hitting the pads and glares at Giles and the dreamy look on his face "Don't talk about the books again. You get all...and sometimes there's drool."

Jeremy looks over at his cousin "Wait, Watchers' Council? Aren't those the toolbags that almost got me and Buffy killed on her 18th birthday?"

Buffy frowns and turns to her cousin "What?" Before Jeremy can answer a wave of pain hits Buffy "Not again." She groans before clutching her head.

 _"Buffy?" Jeremy mumbles as he sees Buffy crash painfully onto the ground.  
Buffy quickly stands and limps over to her cousin; she tries to rip the ropes him.  
"Buff-we have to—"  
Jeremy is cut off when the two of them hear Kralik pound through the door "Where are they? Where are they?!" He screams as he comes down the stairs, he sees Buffy and grabs her, throwing her against the wall before ripping the pills from her grasp.  
He quickly runs over to the glass in the corner and drinks down the pills with a large amount of water. He sighs in relief before turning back to Buffy "You don't seem to understand your place in all this. Do you have any idea—oh my-" Kralik groans in pain "What have you—my pills."  
Buffy slowly pulls the glass of holy water out of her pocket as Kralik groans in pain "If I was at full slayer power, I'd be punning right about now." Buffy and Jeremy then watch as Kralik's body turns to dust._

Buffy stumbles slightly but Giles catches her "Buffy?!" He says, his voice full of worry. Buffy groans slightly "I'm fine." She says as she pulls away before rubbing her head "They're just a little painful these days."

Elena and Jeremy look at her worried as does Giles but the blonde waves them off, assuring them all that she was fine, she rolls her shoulders before turning to Jeremy "That's another thing that wasn't different. In my Sunnydale Verse memory Kralik took Xander and Willow. But same situation. So to answer your question, yes. The Watchers' Council are those same tools."

Elena turns to Buffy "I really don't like them."  
"Ditto." Jeremy says.  
Buffy nods "I third that." Buffy says before turning back to Giles with a pout on her face "Do we have to."  
"I'm sorry." He says as Buffy returns to landing punches "But we've exhausted the materials I have here, and we're coming up empty."  
Buffy glares at the focus pads' on Giles' hands and starts hitting them harder "You're still dropping your shoulder." Giles tells her "I can see when you're going to go with your right. You're doing it again! Ow! Ow!" He exclaims as she misses the pad and hits him in the shoulder.  
"Sorry!" Buffy exclaims while Jeremy chuckles "This is amusing."

Elena glares at her brother before grabbing one of the pads near her and tossing it at him, hitting him in the head, as he groans in pain she grins "Well look at that you're right."  
Buffy snickers as she notices Elena and Jeremy bickering, however she quickly turns back to Giles who was looking at the cousins "Elena, Jeremy can I have a moment with Buffy?"

Elena and Jeremy glance at each other before shrugging "If this means I don't have to get beat up by a five foot three blonde anymore, then absolutely." Jeremy says before dragging himself and Elena out of the training room.

Buffy watches them leave, once they were out of hearing distance Buffy turns to Giles "So, Glory's all you're gonna talk to them about, right?"

Giles sighs, he was clearly exhausted and breathing heavily "Let's take a break."  
"Answer me." Buffy says as she places her hands on her hip, staring at him stubbornly.  
Giles removes the pads from his hands and moves across the room to put them away as he answers "I'm not going to mention Elena's name. I wouldn't do that, I promise."  
Buffy looks at him sceptically, he wasn't telling her everything, and she knew it, she walks towards him "But you're gonna tell them about the Key? That Glory's looking for something called the Key?"  
Giles nods as he removes his glasses "Well, knowing her goal is crucial. I mean, if anything helps them uncover her origins, her plans..."

"I know." Buffy says annoyed "It's just, I trust the watchers about as far as...you could throw them."  
Giles glances over at her "Thank you very much." He says sarcastically.

Buffy sighs as she approaches him before sitting on the mats that had been stacked in the corner "I'm just freaked about the idea of giving them any information that could lead them to Elena."  
Giles nods as he moves to sit next to her "Truly, Buffy, if I saw an alternative...if the Initiative were still around, I'd consider using them, but they're gone, and Riley was the last link we had to the government. And we still cannot trust Damon or Stefan so they are our last resort."

Giles pauses and looks at her closely "It's best we keep your flashes under wraps, though. I don't know how the council would react to that."  
Buffy nods "True."  
"How bad are they really Buffy?"

Buffy shrugs "I just get migraines...migraines the size of Texas but still. It's nothing. Just my brain fighting against powerful evil magic. No biggy."

"I hate to go if you're feeling badly."

Buffy shakes her head "Look, if it helps you find out something about Glory, I'm thrilled to have you gone."

* * *

Bonnie slams the grimoire closed as again like the last 5 there was nothing in them to show her how to reveal a door to the Black Market, considering it was one of the most dangerous places in the magic community, Bonnie figured that the books should at least have a warning or something but there was nothing.

Bonnie sighs in frustration before grabbing her phone and presses two on her speed dial.  
 _"_ _Hey, Bonnie."_ Buffy says as she answers the phone.  
"Hey, Buffy. Is there Willow there?"

At the Magic Box, Buffy frowns "Yeah, sure." Buffy turns to Willow who was sat next to Tara "Will, Bonnie wants to talk to you."

Willow frowns slightly confused at to why Elena's friend wanted to speak to her, but she shrugs and merely takes the phone "Hello?"

 _"_ _Willow, hi, It's Bonnie. Look I know it's short notice but I need help, I'm trying to find a way to reveal a magical doorway but none of my grimoires have anything."_

Willow thinks for a moment "Um...actually Bonnie I may have a spell. That can help you. I'll head over to campus and meet you as soon as I can."

 _Bonnie sighs in relief "Thank god. Thank you so much. I'll see you soon."_

* * *

"Okay so what is this spell?" Bonnie asks as she watches Willow pull out a spell book from her bag before placing four objects in a square "It's like a map of Sunnydale." Willow tells her.

Willow then hands Bonnie a small pot "We both take parts of the potion."

Bonnie sighs "Spirit magic doesn't use a lot of potions."  
Willow nods "Yeah, I noticed that. Must make things easier though just say a chant and boom all done."  
"Yeah. Something like that." Bonnie says with a chuckle.  
"So when we do the incantation we both blow it onto the square at the exact same time."  
Bonnie frowns she was still slightly confused "I don't get what does it do exactly?"  
Willow thinks for a moment trying to find a way to explain it "You have locator spells right?"  
Bonnie nods "Yeah."

"Well, it's kind of like that, except when the potion mixes it will create this mist over the parts where the demons are."  
Bonnie frowns "But I'm looking for the Black Market, not for a demon."  
"I know." Willow tells her "But it should still work, you see the black market is full of demons so there should be a large clump of demons where it is. Smaller than the Hellmouth but still large. Once this reveals it to you, all you'll have to do is a simple reveal spell once you're at the location and it will open the door for you."  
Bonnie nods, surprised that it was actually that easy "That's surprisingly simple. Plus I  
don't have to speak Latin."  
Willow laughs "I know. Not that exciting right. Plus Latin's the worst, right."

Both women turn back to the square and sit down on opposite ends, they both take a portion of the potion before taking deep breaths _"Thespiae. We walk in shadow. Wake in blindness. You are the protector of the night. Thespiae. Goddess. Ruler of all darkness we implore you. Open a window to the world of the underbeing."_ Both women stop chanting and blow the potion onto the map _"With you knowledge may we go in safety, with your grace may we speak of your benevolence."_

As they finish both women open their eyes. Bonnie's eyes widen as she sees the little lights all over the map "Wow." She breathes, she looks over the map "I'm guessing that's the Hellmouth." She says gesturing to the large area with the most lights.

Willow nods as she looks at the map before pointing to the middle of the forest "There. That's got the largest amounts of demons other than the Hellmouth. I'm betting that's your market."

* * *

Later Elena walks into Buffy's room where the blonde was currently sat on her bed reading "What are you doing?"

"Playing soccer."  
Elena rolls her eyes "Funny." She says before walking further into the room and lying down on the end of Buffy's bed, groaning slightly as she does "I forgot how exhausting workouts with you are."  
Buffy smirks "It's not my fault you're out of shape."

"Am not." Elena argues as she sits up properly to glare at her cousin, as Buffy shakes her head in amusement Elena looks around the room, her gaze pauses at Buffy's mirror, where it seemed like Buffy had removed all the pictures of Riley.  
"You took down all his pictures."  
Buffy glances at her cousin a sad look  
crossing her face "Yeah."  
Elena looks over at her cousin "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"  
Buffy offers her a small smile "It's okay. I'm not going to implode if you talk about him."  
"It all happened so fast."  
"It wasn't really so fast. Him leaving." Buffy informs her "According to everyone who isn't me, it was kind of gradual."  
Elena looks at her cousin sadly "I'm sorry Buffy."  
"It's not your fault. But it hurts. In all kinds of horrible ways. In the way where I'm furious at him, in the way where I blame myself, in all the little ways I imagine how I could have fixed things."

* * *

"I found the market." Bonnie says as she walks into Stefan and Damon's living room.

Damon who was stood at the door rolls his eyes "Well come on in." He says before slamming the door shut and following the witch.

"Where is it?" Stefan asks as he comes down the stairs and walks over to the witch.  
Bonnie glances up at him before pulling a map out of her bag and pointing at the middle of the forest area "I did a spell with Willow and—"  
"Wait, the witch bestie?" Damon asks, "And you thought that was a good idea because..."

Bonnie glares at the elder Salvatore brother "Because I couldn't find a spell that uses Spirit magic. I called Willow because I don't know a lot about the type of magic she uses and for the spell I needed to use her type of magic. I needed help."  
Damon glares at her, crossing his arms "And you couldn't call anyone else because? Bennet bringing Buffy's best friend into the mix is not exactly a way to keep a low profile. And I'd rather not end up with a pissed off slayer anytime soon!"

Stefan sighs, hating the fact that a part of himself actually agreed with Damon, hesitating slightly he turns to the witch "Bonnie, I hate to say it but Damon's right. Buffy made it clear that she doesn't want her memories back, at least not now, if Willow tells her..."  
Bonnie cuts him off "I didn't tell Willow, why I need to know where the Market is. I'm not an idiot." She rolls her eyes "Can I finish what I was saying now?"

While Stefan nods, Damon merely rolls his eyes at the witch.  
Bonnie ignores Damon's childish behaviour and merely points at the map again, "The Market is in the north woods about five miles from here, the door is cloaked but Willow says that once you know where the door is all there is to it is a simple uncloaking spell."  
Damon nods "Well you two have fun with that."

Bonnie arches an eyebrow, slightly confused as to way Damon of all people would not be dying to go to a place like this "What do you mean us two. What about you? I'd figure this is like your dream place."  
Damon rolls his eyes while Stefan sighs "Damon's actually banned from the Black Market."  
Bonnie frowns more confused and curious than before "Wait, how does someone get band from the Black Market?"  
Stefan smirks slightly before turning to his brother "Do you wanna tell her or should I?"  
Damon glares at him brother "You're enjoying this too much, brother. It was one time, it's not my fault half-breeds hold such a grudge."

Stefan shakes his head in amusement before turning to Bonnie "Last time Damon was at the Market, he slept with a vengeance demon before robbing her blind. Let's just say she wasn't so happy. Damon was run out of the market and told if he ever returned she would rip out his eyes and shove them up his—"  
"She get's it." Damon hisses not happy with this situation, having to relive his past was not exactly his favourite activity.  
Bonnie chuckles before looking over at Stefan "When do we leave?"  
Stefan thinks for a moment, he honestly didn't want to leave Buffy here alone with his brother, he sighs "Time moves differently in the market. We may be there a few hours and that's days here, so the sooner the better. There's just one thing I have to do first."

* * *

Buffy sighs as she takes her schedule "New semester, new classes. Whole new vistas of knowledge to be confused and intimidated by."  
Tara smiles, laughing slightly at the blonde's comment "I think this one's gonna be fun Greek Art is gonna touch on so many things. Mythology and history and philosophy..."  
Buffy waits until they were out of the class before cutting Tara off "The professor spit too much when he talked. It was like being at SeaWorld. 'The first five rows will get wet'."  
Tara chuckles "That was just, you know, um, enthusiasm."  
"It seemed very much like saliva. Elena's lucky because she's pre-med she spends all her time at the hospital, doesn't have to deal with mister spits a lot."  
Tara laughs slightly "Lucky her. But don't worry we'll sit further back next time."

Buffy folds up her schedule and places it in her bag as she turns to Tara "Good plan. I need to keep this course. The only other thing that fits into my schedule is Central American Geopolitics. And no, thank you. I even hear the word 'jungle' and all I can think of is him. You know, 'Is that the one Riley's in? Really don't need a daily two o'clock knife in the heart."  
Tara looks at the blonde sadly, her face full of worry "Is it that bad?"  
Buffy shrugs "Sort of. But I'm starting to get perspective on the whole situation. I mean after everything with Stefan and Damon I kind of get the fact that he didn't know where my head was at. You know, maybe Riley's where he's supposed to be."  
"Willow says that things always happen for a reason."

* * *

Elena walks into the Magic Box after her shift at the hospital and freezes in horror as she discovers the destruction. Glass was everywhere, shelves were broken and merchandise was scattered all over the floor "What the hell happened?"

As Elena walks around the room she hears a noise coming from the back room, Elena's eyes widen in panic, she grabs the knife from her bag and hides it behind the door, as it opens Elena raises the knife only to have a hand capture her wrist "Elena?"

"Buffy!" Elena exclaims before hugging her cousin "What the hell happened?"  
Buffy looks around the room "We don't know. But Anya and Willow were here earlier." Buffy and Elena move around the room "Willow? Anya?" Buffy calls.  
Suddenly Tara comes running out of the training room "They're not back there either. They're gone."  
Elena looks at Buffy and Tara "Where could they be?"  
Tara's eyes fill with panic and worry "I don't know, but something's been here and Willow's gone."  
"Don't worry." Buffy tells her "We'll get her back, I promise."

Elena looks at Buffy closely and notices that her eyes were a little red, Elena frowns in confusion "Buffy...have you been crying?"  
Buffy's eyes widen "Wait—what? Huh? No! Of course not!" Buffy trying to change the subject grabs Tara and Elena and pulls them towards the exit "Come on, this thing's probably leaving a huge trail."

* * *

"You know you don't have to come with me." Stefan says slightly annoyed as Damon walks beside him.

"I needed a drink. You're just heading in my direction."  
Stefan looks over at Damon sceptically "So if Buffy isn't at the Bronze you're not gonna follow me around till I find her? Why do I have trouble believing you?"  
"Because you're paranoid, brother." Damon says with a shrug.

* * *

Xander walks through the Bronze staring at his bowl of peanuts as he does he crashes into someone "Hey, watch it."

Xander turns to apologies however he sighs in annoyance as he realises the person he had crashed into was, in fact, Spike. Spike sighs as he spots Xander "Oh, it's you."  
"Spike, don't let me stop you from not being here."  
The vampire raises an eyebrow "I was here first, you know."  
"Uh-huh? Go away." Xander turns on the vampire begins walking away, Spike watches him for a second before a look of amusement covers his face and he begins to follow the slayers' best friend "Why would I do that, when it's buggin' you so much havin' me here?" Spike pauses and stops in front of the table where Xander was now sat, a miserable look on his face "They have chicken wings, too. Also a sort of flower-shaped thing made from an onion. It's brilliant"

Xander sighs, he wanted to be alone and having the bleached haired vampire around was really getting on his last nerve "Are you talking to me hoping I'll get so depressed I'll impale myself on a fork right in front of you?"

"Lovely thought. If I don't hurt you myself, the chip wouldn't zap me. I could eat you. Beat the onion thing all to hell."

Spike reaches out a hand and tries to take several of the peanuts, but Xander slaps his hand away "Hey! Those are mine."

* * *

"Well, this is...pathetic." Damon says with a whistle as he looks around the Bronze "Remind me again why Buffy spends so much time here."

Stefan continues to search around the room for the blonde as he answers "It's a small town Damon. This is the equivalent of The Grill." Stefan sighs as he can't spot the blonde "Dammit."

Damon chuckles before he spots Xander "Oh lookie what we have here. The Matt Donovan of Sunnydale. Let's go have a chat."  
Damon walks past Stefan, as he does Stefan's eyes shoot to Xander before widening "Damon no!"  
"I'm just being polite and saying hello."

As Stefan and Damon make their way over to Spike and Xander, who were currently playing pool, Spike looks over at Xander as he continues to complain about his problems with the feuding Anya and Willow "So what does the slayer think of all this friction in the ranks? Can't be good for morale."

Xander raises an eyebrow, confused as to why Spike was bringing Buffy into this "I don't know."  
"She's a little...preoccupied, maybe. It's understandable, what with all the upset, all that blaming of innocent bystanders who got caught up in the mess"  
"What?"  
"I mean, did she want to be made a fool of? And what does a person have to do to make it right?"

Damon walks over and places a hand on Spike's shoulder "Look whose obsessed with Buffy's opinion."  
Xander's head shoots around to face Stefan and Damon before he groans in annoyance "Could this night get any worse? What do you want and can it please be far away from here."

Damon scoffs "So you'd rather hang out with the bleached blonde here?" He says as he taps Spike's shoulders again.  
Spike growls and shakes him off "Watch it, mate."  
Damon grins at the other vampire "Ooh scary the impotent little half breed is threatening me, I'm so scared."  
Stefan sighs in annoyance "Damon, now is not the time."  
"Oh come on. Let me show him what a vampire really is."

Spike steps towards Damon challenging him "Come on then, mate."  
Stefan groans in frustration before turning to Xander "I need to speak to Buffy, it's important."

Xander tears his attention away from the confrontation between Spike and Damon and turns back to Stefan "Look whatever weird ass history you have with Buffy...I don't care. I don't trust. I'm not telling you where she is."  
Before Stefan could argue a large man crashes into Spike causing Stefan to turn his attention back to his brother and the bleached haired vampire.

"Watch it, mate." Spike hisses as a man shoves past him, however as the man turns his eyes widen as standing before him was, in fact, a 6-foot troll rather than a man.  
"On second thought, do what you like."

The troll doesn't spare Spike another glance "Ale! Yes! Fragrant ale!" He yells before running over to the kegs being delivered and lifting one up and drinking the whole of it.  
"Wanna tell us where Buffy is now?" Stefan asks Xander who was staring at the troll.

Xander doesn't say anything as the troll draws his attention  
"Barmaid!" The troll screams "Bring me stronger ale, and some plump, succulent babies to eat."  
"I'm gonna run and get Buffy." Xander says before glancing at Stefan and Damon "You know if you two fight him, I'll trust you a lot more."

Damon arches an eyebrow "Or we could offer you to him as an appetizer. Problem solved."  
"You there!" The troll yells as he makes his way towards Spike "Do you know where there are babies?"

Spike glances back at Xander, not entirely sure "Where do you think? The hospital?"  
Stefan stares at Spike in disbelief as Xander turns to the vampire "What? Shut up!"  
Stefan steps around Spike and faces the troll "Excuse me..."  
"I find myself very hungry. When I'm hungry I grow short of patience."

Damon chuckles "Same here dude. Look come on this ain't the place for you, I'm sure some swamp or piece of crap-"  
"Damon!" Stefan hisses "Stop antagonising him!"

"You are testing my patience! More ale!" The troll yells before turning on them all and grabbing another keg of beer.

"Xander!" A shrill scream causes all four men turn towards the voice only to spot Anya and Willow approaching them.  
Willow turns towards the troll her eyes widening "I wish Buffy was here."  
"I'm here." Buffy says as she runs into the room with Elena and Tara, Buffy eyes widen as she stares at the troll.  
"I wish I had a million dollars." Willow mutters making everyone turn to her confused, she shrugs "Just checking."

Buffy shakes her head and turns her attention back to the troll "What's going on? Where did he come from?" Buffy glances over at Damon and Stefan "And what are they doing here?"  
"Hello, Buffy." Spike says as he approaches the slayer.

Buffy just stares at him before Damon grabs Spike's arm and pulls him away from the blonde.

"Willow stole ingredients and released him from a purple crystal." Anya says drawing everyone's attention "He's a troll."  
Damon rolls his eyes "Kind of stating the obvious there bottle blonde."

Anya's eyes widen and she immediately brings her hands to her hair, as she does Buffy just glares at Damon "Stop antagonising people." She says before turning to Willow "You did this?"  
"Me?" Willow asks nervously "No, we. I mean us. Uh, her. It's very complex."

Anya finally removes her hands from her hair and turns to Buffy "We can stop him. Willow, do the spell."  
Willow quickly flips through her book "Let the conjuring be..."  
She is cut off as the troll turns to them "Stop!"  
"Nobody lets me finish!" Willow mutters angrily.

The troll ignores her and focuses on Anya "You told the witch to do that, Anyanka. You seem determined to put an end to all my fun, just like you always did when we were dating."  
Everyone freezes and turns their heads to face Anya.  
Damon chuckles and taps Xander on the back "Dude, you're life sucks."  
Stefan sighs "Damon."

"What?" His brother says with a shrug "Oh come on, you were insulting my history earlier. Doesn't looks so bad now huh?"  
Xander who was currently standing with Anya, steps out of her reach and stares at her "You dated him?"  
"You dated a troll?" Buffy asks, still in complete shock.  
Willow shrugs not at all surprised "And we're what? Surprised by this?"

"Well, he wasn't a troll then!" Anya exclaims as she tries to defend herself "He was a just big dumb guy, and he cheated on me and I made him into a troll,which, by the way, is how I got the job as a vengeance demon."  
Suddenly the troll growls and slams his hammer into the glass counter by the bar "I did not cheat! Not in my heart. It was only one wench. I had had a great deal of mead. The night thing I know, I'm a troll. You did this, Anyanka. You will die for this."  
"But—but, you seem to enjoy the...the being a troll." Xander stutters out.  
"I adjusted."

Damon scoffs "He sounds kinda like you Stefan."  
Stefan sighs in annoyance at his older brother's antics.

"And then what happened?" The troll asks drawing Stefan attention "Witches. Filthy, dirty, disgusting witches. They trapped me. I was imprisoned in that crystal for centuries. Oh! A curse on all witches! All must die!"  
Buffy continues to stare before turning to her best friend "Willow, again."  
Willow quickly lifts the book back up "Let the conjuring be undone. Return the beast to native form."  
The troll storms closer "Witch you must stop!"

"Keep him far from us and ours as long as my voice shall sound." She rushes out the rest of the spell hoping it would get rid of him.  
When nothing happens Damon glances at Willow "We sure she's a witch."  
"I am a witch." Willow mutters "Shut up."  
The troll merely laughs causing Willow to panic "Okay wait, Let the conjuring..."

The troll growls and tries to move towards Willow but Buffy steps forward and punches the troll in the face.

Spike steps forward only to be immediately sent flying by the troll.  
Buffy runs at the troll sending him crashing onto the pool table. When it tries to swing the hammer at her Buffy grabs it only to have the troll over power her and send her flying.

Buffy crashes into Spike "Buffy!" Stefan yells as he runs over while Damon attacks the troll.  
Stefan moves to help Buffy stand and has to shove Spike off her "You okay?"  
"Fine." She mutters before running back towards the troll.

Stefan glares at Spike before punching him in the face sending him flying backwards behind the bar.  
"Anytime now would be good!" Damon yells as the troll continues to beat on him, before anyone could do anything the troll grabs Damon and slams him into a wall. The troll growls in fury before swinging the hammer again, this time through the wooden stands holding the upper level of the club up. As he hits them the upper level falls and several people are left hanging from the ceiling screaming in fear.

* * *

Buffy grunts in pain and she pushes the large portion of ceiling off her stomach. Damon notices the blonde struggling and quickly walks over and helps her get the large piece of concrete off her body.

Once it was gone Damon helps her up "Are you okay?"  
Buffy nods "Thank you." Her eyes then widen "Elena? Did you see her?"  
As Buffy begins to panic Damon places his hands on her shoulders "Buffy, she's fine. She's helping one of the girls that broke her arm during the fall.  
Buffy takes a relieved breath "Thank you. Where's Stefan?"

Damon gestured to Stefan who was currently helping get several victims out from under the ruble.

Buffy nods "Take Elena home. Please, Damon."

She then heads towards, Willow, Anya and Xander "Where is he?"  
"Gone." Willow tells her.  
Buffy sighs "Xander, follow him. Anya, Willow, go to the magic box. Find a spell that will actually stop him."

As the three of them head off Buffy quickly moves to start helping the wounded, as she does she spots an unconscious Spike on the ground "What the hell?"  
Suddenly Stefan appears at her side "Sorry."  
Buffy turns to him her eyes widen a small grin passing her lips "You knocked him out?"  
"I'm not proud of it."  
Buffy chuckles and taps Stefan on the shoulder "Well, that's a way to lighten the mood. Get rid of him please he's using up good space."  
Stefan chuckles in amusement before moving over and grabbing Spike "Come on Romeo out you go."

* * *

After leaving Damon and Stefan at the bronze with Elena Buffy runs into the magic box with Tara and spots the Troll about the crush Xander with the Hammer "Buffy!" Anya yells.

"Tara stay back." Willow yells as Buffy runs at the Troll.  
"Buffy, The hammer!" Anya yells "His Strength's in the hammer!"

Buffy listens as she ducks under a blow from the troll. She punches it in the gut, before swinging her leg out only to have him smash her in the side with the hammer.

* * *

"Damon, let me go." Elena moans as Damon shoves her back into Buffy's house.

"Look, Elena, I don't have time for this." Damon warns her as he moves to head for the door.  
"Wait where are you going? Where's Buffy?"  
"Magic Box." Damon tells her as he opens the door "I'm going after her now. Stefan's helping people at the bronze. You—You stay put."

* * *

As Damon runs into the Magic Box he spots Buffy get thrown into the wall, "Ow." He mutters as he watches her wince.

He moves over and helps her "Need a hand."  
Buffy nods "Very much."

Damon offers her hand which she takes, he then lifts her up so that she can kick the troll in the gut, Damon then approachs the troll he speeds up behind him and punches the troll in the back before kicking him in the back of knee causing him to drop, he then ducks and allows Buffy to roll over his back and kick the troll in the face sending it flying backward.

"What are you fighting for minuscule blonde one? Your friends?" The troll gestures to Xander and Anya who were clutching to each other "These two? They will never last. Anyanka is very difficult to live with, and he...he's ludicrous and far too breakable. Their love will never last."

Buffy glares up at the troll, Damon spotting the look on her face backs away, as that look for the past few years most of the time had been aimed at him.

He takes a few more steps back, keeping himself a fair distance away from her before smiling at her "Have at it, Buff. All yours."

Buffy flips over the trolls head landing behind him, she then kicks him in the back causing him to drop to his knees, she quickly rolls over his back and as he stands she brings her left leg up and shoves it into his chest.

As Buffy continues to pumble on the troll Damon watches impressed "Man I wish I had some popcorn."

"Their love!" Buffy yells as she repeatidly punches the troll in the face "Will Last...for ever! "

Damon winces as Buffy breaks the Trolls jaw "Damn, so glad that's not me."

The next moment The Troll disappears, Buffy frowns before turning to Willow "Where did you send him?"  
"The land of trolls." Anya tells her "He'll like it."  
Damon pauses "The land of—you know what...I really don't wanna know."  
"It's hard to be precise, though." Willow tells them "Alternate universes don't stay put. Trying to send him to a specific place is sort of like...trying to hit a puppy by throwing a live bee at it. Which is a weird image, and you should all just forget it."

"It's possible that he's in the land of perpetual Wednesday or the crazy metly land or the world without shrimp."  
Damon frowns "Wait, hold up, there's a world without shrimp?"

Buffy shakes her head in amusement "Beats me, but I only care that he's not here, and I got this nifty souvenir." She says as she places the trolls hammer on the glass counter only for the whole thing to collapse under it's weight, "Oops."

* * *

Buffy and Giles sit at the kitchen table as they discuss what Giles had discovered in England. Once he was finished Buffy frowns in confusion "Giles, here's what I'm not getting if the plade people didn't know anything why make you go all the way back to the mother country."

Giles hesitates "Well they don't know it yet. I mean, they had no record of Glory or anyone like her, but based on the information I've given them, they're gonna look into it. Erm, they might have something soon."  
Buffy looks at her watcher seriously "What about the Key? Were they all over it?"  
"Yes. They're interested, certainly and full of theories. Most of them nonsensical."

As they speak neither Buffy nor Giles notices Jeremy coming down the stairs.  
"They don't know that it's Elena?" Buffy asks.

As the words leave her mouth Jeremy pauses at the bottom step, confusion running through him.

"No." Giles says calmly.  
Buffy looks at him seriously "Giles, what happens if they figure it out? What would they do?"  
"I don't know. But considering Elena is also a supernatural doppelganger to say they would be interested in her is an understatement."

Jeremy's eyes go wide as they fill with confusion and worry, his only thought in that moment was what was this Key and what did it have to do with Elena.

* * *

After her patrol Buffy was climbing up the steps of the porch, however, she freezes as standing there on the porch was Stefan.  
Stefan turns to her, a nervous smile on his face "Hey."

Buffy offers him a small smile in return "Hey, what you doing here? Not that I'm saying it's not nice to see you, but normally you call or Elena tells me you're coming over, this isn't some end of the world message is it?"  
Stefan chuckles "No. Although maybe I should do this more often if it means getting the Buffy babble back."  
Buffy smiles nervously, as her cheeks go slightly red "Well I guess Buffy babble can be something to miss."

Stefan smiles before slowly his expression softens "Look, I'm here to say Goodbye."  
Buffy immediately frowns "Goodbye? What? What are you talking about? We just said hey why are you saying bye?"  
"I have to leave town for a while, to help Bonnie with something."

Buffy frowns, she was just getting to know him again and now he was leaving, that was just going to get her even more confused about her feelings "Um...how long—long are you gonna be gone?"

Stefan looks at her sadly, it was the last thing he wanted to do, leaving her again especially with Damon but he knew that he had to "A couple weeks at most. I'm not completely sure."

Buffy nods, as she tries to process everything she was feeling, she places a hand on his forearm "Well, good luck with whatever I guess."

She hesitates before going against her better judgment, she leans up on her tiptoes and kisses Stefan on the cheek "Goodbye Stefan" She says as she pulls away.

She offers him a small smile before heading inside leaving him alone on the porch staring after her in astonishment.


	75. Checkpoint

"Man this place is a mess, Buff" Damon says as he stands in the corner of the living room, which seemed slightly trashed.  
Buffy sighs "Sorry, I haven't really been a 100 percent. And someone..." Buffy nods her head in Jeremy's direction "...says playing x-box all day is more important than picking up your two-day-old pizza off the floor."  
Damon scoffs "Well he sucks at X-box so he must need the practice."  
"Dick." Jeremy mutters as he glares at Damon.  
Giles clears his throat and turns to Jeremy, who sighs "Sorry Giles."  
Willow smiles in amusement before turning to Buffy "Buffy, really don't worry it's fine."  
"Yeah, it's just us." Tara points out.  
"Hey, germophobe here." Damon says as he raises his hand.  
Xander rolls his eyes "Yes, the vampire is a germophobe ,that makes complete sense."

Xander then turns to Buffy "Hey Buff—" Xander freezes as he spots the sweater Buffy was now holding "That must have belonged to, uh...um, aren't we supposed to have a meeting?"

Buffy who had gone deftly silent quickly moves to get rid of the sweater while Damon watches her closely.

"Yes, yes." Giles says trying to draw everyone's attention away from Buffy "We're here for a reason. Um...I've had some rather...well, I've had some news. It seems that the Council of Watchers has found some information that may help us out."  
Buffy who was now sat in the chair in front of Damon turns to Giles "About Glory?"  
"Presumably. We'll find out when they arrive. Could be very important."

Damon frowns "Wait huh? The suede pladded douche bags are coming here." Damon pauses and turns to Giles "No offence man, you seem like an older version of Rick. So we're good in my book."  
Giles frowns in confusion "I don't completely understand what you meant Mr Salvatore however to answer your question...yes. The Council are coming to Sunnydale."  
Buffy continues to stare at Giles stunned "They're coming here? Now? Why do they have to come here?"

Elena raises her hand "I'm with Buffy here. The Council almost got her and Jeremy killed two and half years ago. Why should we trust them?"  
"We can't." Buffy says "Which is why we should use phones? British people have cell phones right?"  
Xander nods in agreement "Allo, Buffy! Here's some stuff we know, pip, pip." He says in his best British accent "See phones. No muss no fuss."

Tara frowns, in confusion at why everyone including Elena, Jeremy and Damon looked furious at the idea of the council coming to Sunnydale "What's so bad about them? Aren't they good guys? I mean, watchers, that's like other Giles's, right?"

"They're douchebags." Damon tells the young witch "Douchebags who have control over the Slayer. And trust me no douche bag should have that much power." Damon again glances at Giles "Again, no offence."

Giles glances at everyone in the room "Um...they can appear a bit...well, hard-nosed. But their agenda is the same as ours. They want to save the world and kill demons."

Anya's eyes immediately widen "Kill the current demons, right? _Current_ demons."  
Damon shrugs "As long as they don't try and stake me I won't kill them...well actually..."  
"Damon!" Elena and Buffy both hiss in annoyance.

Buffy immediately rolls her eyes at the vampire and turns to her watcher "Giles, I don't want them to come here. I don't trust them. Make them not come here."  
"They're probably already on their way." Giles informs her "Our old friend Quentin Travers is heading up a delegation."  
"The put me through that test." Buffy hisses "And almost killed me and Jeremy. And then when I was Faith, they almost killed me again."

Damon's eyes widen and his head shoots in the blonde's direction "When you were who?"  
Elena sighs "No now Damon."  
"Hey I'm curious about what little miss likes to punch has been up to."  
Buffy shakes her head before turning back to Giles and continuing her speech "Honestly I can't handle almost being killed right now."  
"I don't like the sound of this." Anya says as she pipes into the conversation "They don't sound very ex-demon-compatible."  
"Are you sure they're English?" Tara asks "I thought they were English people...gentler than normal...people."  
Damon chuckles "Trust me. They like you to think that."

Willow glanced over at Buffy "Maybe it won't be so bad this time. I mean, Buffy, they did think you were Faith last time. Now they know you're you, maybe they won't care enough to kill you."  
"It's not just that. They're gonna screw everything up. It's a delicate time right now. With the visions and making sure these two don't kill each other..." She says gesturing to Elena and Jeremy.  
"Shouldn't that be like normal, though?" Xander asks "You're getting your memories back mainly about living with the two of them. So taking care of them is normal for you."  
"Right." Buffy says "Right, I know that. It's just, you know, there's Glory. I don't need them looking over my shoulder when I don't know what we're dealing with."

Giles nods in agreement with the slayer "That's precisely why we need to talk to them. If the Council knows something about Glory, her agenda or her origins, then...then maybe it will help us get a grip on what we're dealing with. Right now I think we're a bit lost."

* * *

Stefan and Bonnie continue to hike through the forest as they head towards the entrance to the Black Market.  
"Why can't I just use a spell and get us straight to the doorway?"  
Stefan sighs and glances back at Bonnie "Bonnie, the Black Market is full of people who can sense light magic. And they are not particularly big fans of light magic. We can't risk drawing attention to ourselves before we even get there."  
Bonnie sighs "So how long till we get there?"  
"Not long. According to the map, you and Willow marked, it's another mile."  
Bonnie sighs, she just wanted to get to the market and finally find a way to get Buffy's memory back so they could all go home. Everything was just getting more complicated by the minute.

As they continue to walk through the forest Bonnie looks over at Stefan "So how exactly are we supposed to find what we need? These ingredients are rare. Not really something that we can just pick up at the Dark Market supermarket."  
Stefan chuckles slightly "I have a contact there. I wizard I met in the 40's. He's a big dealer there, has connections to everyone and everything in the market. He'll help us."

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime Stefan pauses and lowers the map "Here we are."  
Bonnie stops next to him panting slightly in exhaustion "My turn now. Great." She mutters as she pulls her grimoire from her bag.

Once she had found the correct page Bonnie glances back up at the clearing they were standing in " _Apertus."  
_ Suddenly the clearing in front of them disappears and seems to fade away being replaced with a long dark road. Bonnie's eyes widen as she spots the hundreds of different creatures and demons.  
"Stay close." Stefan says as he pulls her towards the Market.

* * *

After getting humiliated in her class at school Buffy was sat staring into blank space at the hospital feeling sorry for herself.

"Buffy!" Elena yells for the fifth time, trying to get the blonde's attention "Buffy!" When again she doesn't get a response, Elena huffs in frustration before grabbing a pea off her plate and chucking it at Buffy, hitting her right between the eyes.

Buffy is shaken from her state as she feels an odd object hit her in the face  
"What the—" Buffy turns to Elena and sees the brunette staring at her completely unimpressed, Buffy immediately sighs "I did it again."  
"Zoned out. Pretty much. Are you okay? You were complaining about your professor than boom quiet as a mouse."  
Buffy runs her hands through her hair "It's just he was so condescending. 'Maybe you'd like to teach your own class Miss Summers' Ugggh."

Elena smiles at her cousin before glancing at her watch and frowning as she didn't have long of her lunch break left.  
"He just really got to me. I feel like I need to hit something...maybe I should go see Damon."  
Elena chuckles in amusement before standing "As much as I would love to see that I have class. Are you gonna be okay?"  
Buffy stands and offers her cousin a small smile "Yeah, I'm sure I can find some way to channel my anger. A healthy way."

* * *

Miss Summers!" Buffy hisses as she kicks the vampire in the face sending him flying backwards "Some of us are here to learn, Professor!"

As the vampire stands Buffy continues to take her anger out on it, she raises her leg and kicks the vamp in the stomach causing him to grunt in pain as he stumbles back, Buffy then sucker punches him across the face, she ducks as he throws a punch at her, she then grabs the back of his arm and twists him so he is facing away from her. She grabs the back of his jacket lifting him up and spinning him around before tossing him into a nearby gravestone.

"Maybe you'd like to teach your own class!" Buffy says viciously as the vampire stares at her in confusion "Who are you talking to?"  
Buffy ignores him and merely moves in the hit him again, however, he backhands her sending her stumbling backwards. 

"Yes, who are you talking to exactly?" A voice asks from the shadows.  
Buffy frowns and looks over only to groan as she realises who the person is "Not now, Damon."

Buffy turns away from him and turns back to the vampire, she grabs the vampire and lifts him over her head, before bringing him down on her knee effectively breaking his back.  
"Nice." Damon says as he watches the blonde take out her rage before finally staking the vamp.  
Buffy rolls her eyes at Damon and backs away from him "Goodnight, Damon."

Damon frowns "Hey." He says as he walks over to her "Come on, I'm bored."  
"I'm patrolling Damon, go away."  
Damon sighs but continues to walk beside her "You know, here's what I don't get you and I we were friends in Mystic Falls, you seem to have let Stefan back into your life why not me?"  
Buffy pauses in her steps and groans in annoyance "Because Damon, the only memories I have of you are of killing people. People I cared about."

The two continue to walk as they speak "Well then you're missing out on a lot of character development and friendship there. Or as you would say frenemieship."

Buffy shakes her head in amusement at his attempts "Look, Damon, it's not like I'm gonna stake you, Elena pretty much convinced me not too."  
"Come on." Damon says as a wide grin appears on his face "We save the day together. I helped you with the ogre and that snake thing. We bonded."

Buffy wants to ignore it but she can't help the smile that graces itself on her face "Maybe a little." Buffy stops in her steps and turns to face him "Tell me then, not all of it. But some of the hero-y team up stuff we did."  
Damon grins successfully "Well, we teamed up to save dear old baby bro many times, we doubled teamed the vampires that the council sent after you and we—"  
Buffy freezes "Wait, what? You were the person who saved me and Jeremy?"  
Damon shrugs "Yeah. Think that's the only time I've seen you act like a damsel. Gotta say, not a good look on you."  
"I didn't...I didn't know that was you." Buffy says slightly stunned.

 _"Somebody, please help me!" Buffy screams as she runs._ _  
_ _Suddenly someone grabs her from behind and covers her mouth "Shh."_ _  
_ _Buffy looks up to see Damon "Dam..."_ _  
_ _"Shh." Damon tells her again before moving her behind him, as he does one of the vampires appears. Damon moves out of the shadows and speeds over to the vampire quickly removing his heart._ _  
_ _Once the vampire's body falls to the ground, Damon turns back to Buffy "You okay?"_ _  
_ _Buffy shakes her head "Something is wrong with me."_ _  
_ _Damon walks over to her and places his hands on her shoulders "I know. We're gonna fix it. Come on." Damon grabs her hand and quickly pulls her out of the alley._

"Buffy!" Damon exclaims as he catches the blonde who had stumbled slightly.  
Buffy blinks several times before looking up at Damon "Thanks."  
He pulls her back up and looks at her with worry "You okay?"  
"Just a flash, no biggy."  
Damon watches her unconvinced but he doesn't say anything and two continue to walk.

They stay in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Buffy turns to him curiosity eating at her "So I get that we started off in a not so good place. How did that change?"  
"Ahh. It all started with a road trip."  
Buffy arches an eyebrow "A road trip, this wasn't anything cliché was it, like Vegas. Trust me been once not my cup of tea."  
Damon smiles slightly, enjoying his time with the blonde "Vegas is lame, trust me all that hype is for nothing. Actually, we went to Georgia."  
She stares at him shocked slightly "Not exactly what I was expecting."

"Yeah well you weren't exactly pleased. You kept accusing me of kidnapping you." When Buffy arches a brow Damon explains "I saved you and Elena after she wrecked your car, you had a piece of glass lodged in your gut, took you both off the road. I was on my way to see a witch in Georgia. I wasn't gonna go out of my way, to go all the way back to Mystic Falls."

Buffy laughs slightly "Of course not. That would be too inconvenient."

"Exactly." Damon says with a grin as he continues the story "Anyway we bonded at a bar..." Damon pauses as he spots the look on her face "What?"

Buffy hesitates "It's just. Buffy and alcohol are non-mixy things. Last time I was cursed and turned into some cave woman. The whole situation was not pretty."

Damon pauses and momentarily tries to think of Buffy, drunk off her ass running around like a cave woman...Damon was shaken out of his fantasy when Buffy slaps his chest "Stop imaging it."

Damon chuckles "Don't worry. You were sober. Your cousin, on the other hand, lightweight that one...Anyway, we bonded, guess you just realised you had more in common with me than you thought. Like for one we are both extremely good at hustling pool."

Buffy's eyes widen "Oh God. That is a skill I am not proud of."  
"You should be." Damon tells her "It's pretty awesome."

"So what led to this road trip anyway. Cause trust me I'm not one to let someone else drive my car unless somethings up."  
Damon hesitates "You and Stef let's just say you weren't in a good place. From what I understand you were upset and so Elena drove. Sucky driver huh?"

Buffy nods in agreement "Yeah and people say I drive like a spaz."

"Well, you kinda do."

Buffy glares him just making Damon laugh, his laughter is cut off as she asks her next question "So why were you heading to Georgia."  
Damon looks at the blonde carefully "I went to see if there was a way to open the tomb."

"Tomb?"

"Ahh, Elena not filled you in on that. Well here's the short version. We though Katherine was locked in the tomb she had Mary's amulet. So epto facto I needed Kat out of said tomb."

"Ahhh. This was pre all the bat shit crazy with Mary and Klaus."  
Damon nods "Yeah, dodged a bullet there right?"  
"Definitely. All though must have been tough you loved her."

Damon pauses and turns to face the blonde making her stop in her path "Nope. Turns out the Mary stuff was just hiding something I hadn't realised yet."

The two stare at each other for another moment before a loud crashing noise breaks their focus on each other.

The pair both turns to see Spike leap on a vampire before staking it.  
Spike turns to the pair and grins "Don't worry I didn't do this for money if that's what you're thinking. Your heartfelt gratitude's plenty."  
Damon arches a brow "I don't see that happening."

"Not you." Spike growls before turning back to the blonde vampire slayer "Expect I'll be getting that any moment. You needed help."  
"I didn't need you. I never need you, Spike. I would have taken the vamp had you not jumped on him like a crazy person."  
"Well, this crazy person just saved your from being regrouped into separate piles."

Damon rolls his eyes as does Buffy "It's pointless arguing with you." Buffy says before turning her back on Spike and walking away, Damon smirks at the other vampire "Aww poor little doggy didn't get a treat."  
"Shut it." Spike says before following Buffy "Oh, I get it. You just don't like who did the rescuing, that's all. Wishing I was your boyfriend. Which one is it exactly?"  
"That's not exactly clear." Damon says as he walks up beside Buffy "Her and Stef were still together when...well you know."  
Buffy groans "You know what, I don't need a boyfriend, to rescue me or for anything."

Spike moves closer to her making her stop in her steps "Don't need or can't keep? You make notches in the headboard but eventually, they get up out of the bed and run off, don't they?"  
Buffy glares at Spike her eyes filling with hatred "You're disgusting." Buffy turns to glance at Damon "Get rid of him."  
A grin immediately covers Damon's face "Gladly. You go meet the tweed douchebags." Damon grabs Spike and halls him off his feet before leading him away from the blonde slayer.

* * *

Buffy pushes the door to the magic box open only to instantly freeze as she spots the members of the watcher's council currently investing Giles' shop.

"Bad day." She mutters as she turns away intent on going back out the way she came "Bad, bad..."  
Just as she is about to escape the voice of Quinten Travers makes her reluctantly pause "Miss Summers. Good to see you again."  
Buffy forces an awkward smile on her face before shutting the door and stepping towards them "Mr Travers."  
"Giles has been telling us of your training regimen. Perhaps you'll favour us with a demonstration while we're here."

Buffy stands there with wide eyes "Right now?"  
"No need to rush you."  
Giles sighs "They're staying a little longer than I'd anticipated." He tells her as he continues to lean against the cash counter.  
Traver turns his attention from Giles back to the young slayer "We've already laid out our project for Mr Giles. Nigel?"

The watcher Travers had addressed, Nigel turns to Buffy "An exhaustive examination of your procedures and abilities. Observe your training, talk to your friends, your family..."  
"Talk to my what now?" Buffy asks as she crosses her arm clearly unhappy with this situation.  
"Yes." Travers says nonchalantly "We understand you're still taking civilians out on your patrols. And that the most recent arrival of your cousins Jeremy and Elena is it?" Buffy glares at Travers who shrugs and merely continues "Well we are aware that they know of your secret and that you, in fact, help train them."

Buffy immediately rolls her eyes in disbelief "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."

"Buffy." Travers says as he steps closer to the slayer "I can sense your resistance. I don't blame you. But I think your watcher hasn't reminded you lately of the status of the players in our little game. The Council fights evil. The Slayer is the instrument by which we fight. The Council remains the Slayers change. It's been that way from the beginning."

* * *

"Put me down you bleeding bugger!" Spike exclaims as Damon continues to walk through the graveyard.

Damon shrugs "Okay." He says before tossing Spike into a nearby headstone "I'll put you down."

Spike stands and glares at Damon "You bleeding buggers you're all the bloody same. Arrogant asses you are."  
Damon scoffs "Please, we're just not idiots. So stop pissing me off or I'll do what I've done to others like you. Let me give you a hint, it doesn't end with roses and a bad movie."

Spike frowns, at the other vampire "What have I done to you? You and the Slayer's Ex have had it out for me since day one so what—" Spike pauses and looks at Damon closely "I get the brother. She's his girl...or at least he was so why..."

As everything begins to click Spike's eyes widen "You're in love with her." Almost instantly Spike bursts out in laughter "In love with your brother's girl. Man, that's gotta suck."

Before another word can leave his mouth Damon growls and shoves Spike up against a nearby stone beam, his hand was now shoved inside Spike's chest closing in on his heart.

"Ahh! Bloody Hell!" Spike exclaims as Damon shoves his hand closer towards his heart.  
"Your sick obsession with Buffy ends here. You stop following her, stop watching her."  
Spike merely chuckles "Look at you, all afraid I'm hot for your...well actually your brother's ex-honey."  
"Because you are." Damon hisses "Kinda gross if you ask me. You know you're not her type right?"

"And what you are?" Spike mutters before yelling again as Damon moves his hand closer towards his heart.  
Damon looks at him seriously "No. I don't deserve her. I know that. It's best you learn it too."

Damon removes his hand from Spike's chest only to have the vampire headbutt him, Damon stumbles before glaring at Spike, he backhands him across the face sending him flying "Stay away from her Spike. I've warned you once, the only reason you're not dead right now is because you're useful."

* * *

"The Council threatened to what?!" Elena asks shocked as she unlocks the front door before stepping inside and adjusting her phone to hear Buffy better.

 _"_ _The threatened to deport him, Elena. Which means that I have to do everything they say or I'm screwed. I won't get the info about Glory and they'll send Giles back to the mother country. The very cold rainy mother country. He's too American now to go back to England. We broke him."_

Elena sighs as she drops her bag on the ground before flopping down on the couch and trying to think of something to say to help comfort her cousin "Buffy I'm sorry."

 _"_ _It's not your fault. I just need to find a way to pass this stupid test. Otherwise, I'm not going to be able to protect you and Jeremy."  
_ "Maybe I should call Rick, we can see if he could research some stuff for us. I'll call Caroline. She and Tyler are on the run from Klaus but I'm sure—"

 _"_ _No!"_ Buffy says quickly cutting Elena off _"I don't want to put anyone else at risk because of me. Look just a warning The Council want to talk to you and Jeremy."_

Elena frowns in confusion ignoring the small panic inside her that seemed to be stirring "What why?"  
 _"_ _They apparently don't like anything I do. They want to talk to you too and my friends about me and everything I do. E_ _tcetera,_ _etcetera. I don't know exactly...but I think we should avoid..."_

Elena nods in understanding and finishes her cousin's statement "Anything Klaus related, Mary related, Katherine, me being a doppelganger or even the fact that we knew about vampires before we moved down here."  
Elena frowns as she hears Buffy sigh "What is it?"

 _"_ _I suggest we don't mention anything about the memory loss. And don't talk about Damon and Stefan. Just make sure Damon stays away from the Council while they're here. I don't want to risk there being anything that could make them refuse to give me the info we need."_

Elena rubs her forehead in frustration, the idea of trying to get Damon to do anything was extremely stressful "Alright. I'll see you later Buffy. Love you."

" _Love you too. Bye Lena."_

As she hangs up the phone Elena leans her elbows on her knees as she tries to process everything, first Klaus, then Glory, now the Council, was there no one that wasn't trying to screw them all over.

Elena sits there for a few minutes in silence until a loud banging noise startles her, she turns her head only to spot Jeremy walking through the front door.

"Hey, how was research stuff?" Elena asks as she stands.

Jeremy freezes as he turns to face her, he had been trying to avoid Elena after overhearing Buffy and Giles last week. He was worried there was something they were keeping from them regarding Elena and it terrified him. But whatever it was it was obviously important enough for both of them to make sure Elena didn't find out, so until he knew the truth he didn't want to worry her. But he knew deep down that he did need to talk to Damon about this.

He places a small smile on his face as he looks at his sister "It makes me very tempted to beg for my job back."

Elena smiles before tapping him on the shoulder "You'll be fine, Jer." She tells him before taking a step towards the staircase "I'm gonna grab a shower. Talk later?"

"Sure." He says with a nod as he watches her head up the stairs.

Once he hears the bathroom door close he grabs his phone, he had been putting it off long enough, he hadn't learnt any more about what Buffy and Giles had been speaking about and he needed help to find out the truth.  
" _What?"_ Damon answers.  
"Meet me at the house. There's something I need to talk to you about."

* * *

"It's a power play, that's what it is." Giles says as he paces around the room once the Council were gone; he and Buffy were alone "It's about who has power."

Buffy, who was currently leaning against the table continues to stare at the floor "I'm guessing they do? Big power outage in Buffy County?"

Giles who was now pouring himself a cup of tea pauses and turns to the young blonde "I should have set you on them, that's what I should have done."

"Giles, that Travers guy is, like, 60." Buffy points out "I can't hit him." Buffy turns to Giles "Can I?"  
" I suppose not." Giles pauses "We could always offer him to Damon."  
Buffy grins "Giles!"

He sighs "Yes, right, I suppose we cannot do that either. Well, I could hit him. In fact, I think I will." He says before slamming the teacup back down.  
Buffy leans back in her chair and looks up at Giles a worried look on her face "Can they really do what they threatened? Kick you out of the country?"

"In a heartbeat. The rough stuff, they're all right at. They're ham-handed, but they get it done. But this stuff, the bureaucracy, the pulling of political strings, they're the best in the world. They can kill you with the stroke of a pen. Poncy sods."

* * *

"And you didn't tell me this before... because?!" Damon exclaims in annoyance as Jeremy finishes explaining what he had overheard.  
"Shh." Jeremy hisses "Elena's asleep."

Damon groans before glaring at Jeremy "Why didn't you tell me, Jeremy?"  
"I wasn't sure if it was anything big. Buffy has always kept aspects of her slayer life a secret even after Elena and I found out."

Damon sighs and runs both hands through his hair "Okay, look it may be nothing but we can't be sure. If I know one thing about Buffy it's that if you and Elena were ever in danger she would want to keep you as far out of it ass possible." He pauses "Me and her, we're getting along more. She's trusting me. I'll see if I can get her to talk."

Damon turns back to face Jeremy "Okay whatever you do, don't let your sister know something might be wrong. If it is the Council that want something with her, then she needs to act as normal as possible."

* * *

Elena and Jeremy sit on the couch uncomfortably as the Watcher continues to stare at them in silence, he looks them both up and down before turning to glance at his notepad "Elena and Jeremy Gilbert, 20 and 18 years old, cousins to Buffy Anne Summers."

When both Elena and Jeremy nod in confirmation the Watcher quickly writes down something in his book before glancing back up at them "Fine. Now we can get to the questions."

Jeremy rolls his eyes "Thought we were already doing that. Can I go now?"

Elena sighs "Jeremy." She hisses before turning back to the watcher "Questions, great. We can do that."  
"Whatever." Jeremy says with another roll of the eyes.  
"Now I need to know a little bit more about the slayer." The watcher tells them "We know that you are her last living relatives other than her father. However, our records show that neither of you, have in fact seen the slayer since she and her mother left Mystic Falls."

Elena frowns in confusion "Um...how exactly is that relevant?"  
"Well, we find it curious as to why suddenly out of nowhere the two of you appear in Sunnydale and enter the Slayer's life just as this demon woman made her appearance."  
"Look..." Elena sighs "We just needed a break, our aunt died a year and a half ago and Buffy's our only family, why wouldn't we come here?"

The Watcher watches her intently as though trying to look for a tell "I see." He says as he writes down more notes "And you two are aware of the Supernatural?"  
"Well yeah." Jeremy says "Otherwise we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

The Watcher sighs "I mean to say ask whether or not you were aware before your move to the Hellmouth?"  
"No." Elena tells him "Buffy saved me from a vampire a few days after we came here. She told us everything after that."

The Watcher glances down at his notes before turning back to the two of them "The Gilbert Family, isn't your family actually one of the founding families of Mystic Falls?"

Both siblings nod.

The Watcher looks at them both intently "Well your town seems to have quite an interesting history."

Jeremy cuts the watcher off before he could try to worm information out of them "Dude, I thought this was supposed to be about our relationship with Buffy. We're not here to talk about town history. So if that's it than—"

"I apologise." The Watcher says as Jeremy moves to stand "I digressed. Won't happen again. Please." He says gesturing for Jeremy to sit back down.  
Jeremy sighs in relief before sitting back down "So where were we?"

"I understand that recently the Slayer has taken it upon herself to begin teaching you both in fighting disciplines."  
Elena nods "Well Sunnydale is not exactly the safest place on the planet. She wanted to make sure we were safe."

The Watcher nods, continuing to make notes as he listens "However other than blood neither of you has any special skills or powers or knowledge that you bring to the mix."

"Doesn't matter about that." Jeremy says "We're family. A family does anything to protect each other. Elena and I have both put ourselves at risk to help Buffy, as has she for us."

"So you believe you are an asset to the slayer?" The watcher asks intrigued "How? Be specific."  
Elena thinks for a moment slightly stunned by the question "Um...a few months ago Buffy's boyfriend almost died I helped her hold off a couple vamps who were trying to kill her."  
"So she has trained you well?"  
Elena nods "I know a little. Enough to hold my own."  
The Watcher nods before turning his focus to Jeremy "And you?

"Research. I'm good at getting the truth out of people. Theft mostly."  
Elena groans "He's kidding."  
"Not really."  
Elena sighs "Next question please." She suggests to the Watcher.

"From what we have been told by you two and the Slayers friends do you believe that she always needs this level of help?"  
"No!" Elena yells panicked, she didn't want The Council to think Buffy was weak "No Buffy, she doesn't need help. She could so do it alone."

Jeremy nods in agreement "Most of the time she does. She'll go off and do stuff without even telling us."  
Elena groans again and drops her head to her hands "This is not going well."

The Watcher watches them both oddly for a second before continuing with his questions "Do either of you know anything about the Key?"  
"Key?" Jeremy asks "Like key, key? For a house or you mean the demon thing?"  
"The latter."  
"Nope. Other than Glory wants it. That's all any of us know."

The Watcher nods as he listens "So, Buffy sometimes protects you from the dangerous elements of her work.  
Elena and Jeremy both nod "More than we would like to admit." Elena answers.  
Jeremy nods "The vampires pretty much all hate her."

After speaking to Elena and Jeremy about how their meeting with the Watchers went Damon was sat on his favourite chair by the fireplace drinking a glass of scotch.

At that moment his phone begins ringing "Hello?" He answers cheerfully.

 _"_ _Hello, Damon. Long time no see."_ A familiar voice says making Damon instantly sit up and place his glass down "Mary?"  
 _"_ _That's me. You miss me?"  
_ "Not long enough. Actually, I was hoping Klaus had killed you."  
 _"_ _Awww. You say the sweetest things, my dear sweet Damon."_

Damon rolls his eyes and picks his glass back up downing the bourbon before turning his concentration back to the conversation "What do you want?"  
" _You know what I want, Damon."  
_ "Sorry, honey, with that new face of yours...well you're not my type anymore."

Damon chuckles as he hears Mary groan in annoyance " _I don't have time for this Damon. Klaus will be back any minute. I want him dead. I want to be free. That clear enough for your idiot brain, or do you want me to explain it to you like I would a child?"  
_ Damon rolls his eyes, he was getting annoyed and rather quickly "You want Klaus dead, what else is new?"  
" _That name I gave you, made him freeze didn't it?"  
_ Damon pauses "Yeah, wanna explain that? Cause colour me confused."  
 _"_ _He's name is Micheal. He's the vampire that hunts vampires. And he's the only person that can kill Klaus."_

That peaks Damon's interest "So where is he? I need Klaus dead. Like dead, dead."  
 _"_ _That's the problem. I don't know. I can't do a locator spell because Klaus won't let me use magic. I've sent Katherine to look for him."_

Damon frowns in confusion, if she had this plan then why the hell was she calling him "So if you're all set with this then why..."  
" _Well once we find Micheal, it's likely gonna take a couple of months but when we do get him, I'm gonna need your help. So I thought you should know that Klaus is not exactly happy with your little threat. He's building an army of hybrids with the blood he took from Elena. But he'll be coming back to Sunnydale soon. Just thought you should know."_

* * *

"Agility, clarity, stamina and strength." Travers says as one of the watchers places a blindfold over Buffy's eyes "These are the qualities that the Slayer must possess to do her job." He says as he continues to walk around the training room.

Buffy frowns "What came after agility?"  
Giles tries to intervene "If you want her to attack the dummy..."  
Travers almost instantly cuts Giles off "Phillip will attack the dummy." He says gesturing to the hay-filled dummy that Xander had made "The Slayer's job is to protect it. Do you understand?" He asks Buffy.

"Protect the dummy?" She asks a little unsure.  
Travers nods as he steps over to the blonde "As if it were precious. Now, getting the best of Phillip will require agility. Listening to my instructions at the same time, that will demonstrate clarity. And stamina and strength will win the long fight. Good luck."  
Buffy tilts her head in confusion  
"Instructions?"

"I'll be telling you what to do, how to counter Phillip's thrusts. We assume you're familiar with the Japanese names for aikido and jujitsu moves."  
Giles' eyes immediately widen as he had never taught Buffy in that way, Buffy seemed to be in the same panicked state as her watcher "Japanese?"

"And go..." A female voice says from behind Buffy making the blonde panic even more "Whoa, hold on a second. We, you know, in America, we usually work our way up to, 'go'."  
When Travers speaks in Japanese Buffy begins to freak "huh?"

* * *

After the epic fail that was her test Buffy was pounding on one of the punching bags trying to channel her anger.  
As the bag continues to sway back and forth Buffy doesn't notice Damon walk in through the back door.

He frowns as he watches her hit the bag with extreme speed, he walks over to her and seemingly forgetting how strong she was and how startled she could get, touched her shoulder only to have her elbow connect to his face before she dropped to her knees and sweeps his feet out from under him knocking him down to the ground, before she pins him down.

"Damon!" Buffy exclaims as she finally realises who she had currently pinned to the ground "Oh god! Sorry, I keep hitting you."  
Damon chuckles slightly "It's fine. Kinda used to it."

Buffy breathes heavily exhausted, she stays in her position for another moment until finally, she realises that she was actually sitting on top of Damon.

She quickly stands and moves away from him while he grins slightly "Don't get up on my account."

Buffy rolls her eyes and turns back to the punching bag "What are you doing here?" She asks as she begins to re-wrap her hands.  
Damon grins before standing and leaning against the wall opposite her, watching her intently "Well, oh warrior princess I figured we could finish our talk from earlier."

Buffy sighs "Not really in the mood Damon, maybe another time." She says before punching the bag.  
Damon frowns "Are you okay?"  
"Fine." She hisses as she kicks the bag accidentally causing it to fly across the room, as she moves to get another bag Damon grabs her arm "Hey."

"Look it's just...I failed. I failed their stupid test and now their not gonna help me defeat this woman and I won't be able to protect Elena and Jeremy."  
Damon looks at her carefully "Why'd you fail?"  
"Because I didn't listen to their instructions. They want me to kill they way they want. All traditional with Japanese subtitles.  
Damon smiles slightly "You don't take orders. You're not the order type. Trust me I tried once. You broke my arm."

A small smile breaks through Buffy "Sorry."  
"Don't worry about it."  
"It's just...this threat plus Klaus the council here is just...everytime I'm with the Council I feel like I'm not good enough. Like one wrong step and I'll break. But I don't want to give them that satisfaction."

Damon pauses and watches her closely he then moves her arm which he currently had a hold of and places it on his chest right above his heart.  
Buffy freezes "What are you doing?"

"You feel that? It's a sternum. Solid plate of bone. On the other weak kind, it's softer, they're bodies are dead inside everything is shut down, that's why a normal human can manage to get a stake to their heart but with me, my kind..." Before Buffy can do anything he spins her so that her back was pressed up against his chest "It's solid. No human can manage it without extreme effort. But you...you are the only person that I know that can make killing a vampire look graceful and easy. You know every way to a vampire's heart. For example..."

Damon suddenly places a hand just below her ribcage before whispering in her ear "Right here, just below the ribcage," As he touches her Buffy gasps slightly "Next to the spine. You taught us that way to the heart. Do they know that? The Council? No, because they're not you. You are better than them Buffy, you have power. They think they can control you but I know you, Buffy. No one can control you. Not if you don't let them."  
As he moves his hand away from her Buffy turns to face him "You, will never not be good enough for anything. You are...extraordinary."

Buffy continues to stare at him for several minutes before backing away "I gotta go."

Damon watches her as she gathers her things just as she heads for the door he calls out "If you need anything." He tells her "I'll do whatever it is you need me to do Buffy."

* * *

Buffy quickly rushes into her house slamming the door behind her, she was furious at herself. She had promised herself she wouldn't do this, get close to them. And yet she had done just that.

Buffy shakes her head trying to shake her thoughts free of Damon and Stefan, finally after a moment she calms down, she turns and looks up the staircase for any sign of her cousins "Elena! Jer!"  
When she doesn't hear a response she shrugs before walking into the living room, the moment she does she freezes as standing there smiling sweetly at her was Glory "Long day, sweetie?"

Glory smiles once before looking around the room in fascination "So...this is where the Slayer eats, sleeps and...combs her hair?" Glory turns and picks up a picture of Buffy when she was 5 and smile "So cute." As she places the photo back down she continues to look around the room "I can't even stand it. Personally, I need more space, but, uh, this is good for you. It's...it's so quaint, and..."

While she speaks Buffy moves over to the fireplace and picks up one of the pokers "Buffy." Glory's disappointed voice says as she moves up behind the Slayer before taking the poker out of her hands "If I wanted to fight, you could tell by the being dead already."

Glory chuckles before sitting down opposite the blonde "So play nice, little girl."  
"What do you want?"  
"The Key. Why else do you think I'd come here? See, I think you know where it is. And that's a good thing."  
Buffy keeps her face blank as she stares at the other woman "I'm glad you think so."  
"Well, it's the only thing keeping you alive right now. Because you may be tiny queen in Vampire world, but to me, you're a bug."

Buffy's eyes widen as she spots Jeremy and Elena walk into the room through the kitchen "You should get down on your knees and worship me!" Glory continues as Buffy tries to keep her focus off her cousins, "But oh, no. You still think it's neat having slayer strength. Ooh, big deal! Stronger than humans! Who isn't? I could crush the life from you as easy as you'd break a nail. But I need the Key. "

Elena looks up at Buffy "Run?" She mouths, when she gets a small nod from Buffy she grabs Jeremy's arm and starts to pull him from the room "Kids!" Glory yells making Elena and Jeremy pause in shock.

Buffy's eyes widen in panic "Why don't you both come here a sec." Glory suggests, however, it was very clear that it was, in fact, a demand.  
"Leave them out of this." Buffy hisses.  
"Not asking twice."  
"This is between you and me."  
"No." Glory says sharply "This is between me and my Key. You just happen to be the thing in the way." She clicks her fingers, making Elena and Jeremy reluctantly walk over to her.

Glory smiles as she spots Elena and Jeremy "You, my dear." She says addressing Elena "You are just a natural beauty. My dear. Guess first born gets all the looks of the family." She frowns "Actually you look very similar to a young woman I met many years ago "Tatia. I think her name was."

Elena rolls her eyes as Jeremy moves protectively in front of his sister Glory chuckles before turning her attention to Jeremy "And you." Glory says "Very impressive." She merely says as she looks him up and down "Protective of your sister I see. What are your names?"  
Elena glares at Glory "Elena."  
"Jeremy."  
"Elena and Jeremy?" Glory says thoughtfully "Did you know your cousin took my Key? And she won't give it back. I bet one of you know where she put it, don't you?"

"They don't know anything." Buffy tells her.  
"She's right. We don't know anything." Elena assures her.  
Glory looks at her sceptically before turning to Jeremy "You sure. Cause your baby bro looks like he does."  
Jeremy glares at Glory "Not a thing. Just because I know things I shouldn't..." He says glances at Buffy making her eyes widen "Doesn't mean I know where you stupid key is."

"Jeremy, Elena, go upstairs!" Buffy hisses, Elena glances back at Buffy before dragging Jeremy out of the room.

Glory smirks "That little cousin of yours in delicious." She says as she watches Jeremy before turning back to Buffy "And I'll kill him. I'll kill Elena, I'll kill your friends...and I'll make you watch as I do." She says darkly making Buffy's eyes fill with fury and panic "Just give me the Key. You either have it or you know where to find it." She sighs before standing and stepping into Buffy's personal space "Obviously this is a one-time deal. Next time we meet, something you love dies bloody. You know you can't take me. You know you can't stop me."

As Glory leaves the house Elena waits till she hears the door close before walking back into the Living room "Buffy was that-"  
Elena is cut off by Buffy as she continues to stare at the door she mutters three words "Pack a bag."

* * *

Buffy pushes the door open at Damon and Stefan's apartment and enters the room, Elena and Jeremy following her lead.

Buffy walks into the living room where Damon was currently on the phone as he riffled through the bookcase "I know Rick, but I—" Damon pauses as he spots the blonde haired slayer "I gotta call you back."

Damon quickly hangs up the phone and turns his attention to Buffy "You know there's this thing called knocking."  
"There's also this thing called locking the door." Buffy argues before looking at him seriously.

Damon frowns and looks behind her to see Elena and Jeremy standing by the doorway "So, wanna explain why you bought both Damsel 1 and 2 to my house."  
"I need your help." Buffy says as she steps up to him.  
"Since when?" He jokes but the smile fades as he spots the panicked look on her face.

"Damon, I'm serious. You said you'd do anything I need you to do. You have to look after them." She says whispering the last sentence.  
"Buff, what's going on? Where's warrior princess that never wants help? What's the matter?"  
"I can't explain right now. But you're the only one strong enough to protect them."

Damon groans "Fine. But you owe me." Damon glances back at Elena and Jeremy "You two know the rules when you're here. Don't touch anything."

* * *

Buffy walks through the back alleyway hoping to make it to the magic box as quickly as possible, she glances down at her watcher "Crap." She says as she realises that she was, in fact, running 20 minutes late.

She quickly turns to the corner only to be swept off her feet as a man in medieval attire tackles her to the ground.

Buffy stands only to be backhanded by the man immediately, she stumbles crashing against a wooden box, she groans before standing again as she does she quickly becomes surrounded by two more men dressed in medieval clothing approach her.  
The three knights circle Buffy swinging swords and bo staffs in their hands.  
Buffy's eyes widen "Guy? Any way we could...not do this?"

Buffy ducks as one of the knights swings his sword at her, she then sends a spinning kick to his chest sending him crashing to the ground.

Buffy ducks again as one of the other knight's swings the bo staff at her, she brings her leg up as she spots another one approaching her and kicks his leg causing him to stumble.

She stands again and kicks one of the knights in the chest sending him stumbling backwards Buffy grabs the arm of one of the knights as he goes in for a hit, She backhands him across the face before sucker punching him across the jaw and finally jumping up and kicking him in the face.

As one of the knights runs at her she grabs him and tosses him into a nearby wall, as two knights try to attack her again with their weapons she flips backwards narrowly avoiding the blades.

She then quickly grabs one of the knight's bo staffs and uses it to block the sword that was being swung at her.

Once she had taken down all three knights Buffy pins one of them to ground "Ok. Let's see what you are." She says as she pulls the mask off his face, only to reveal a human man with a tattoo across his forehead "or who you are."

"One soldier in the vast army." He hisses.

Buffy glares at him before shoving the sword she currently had pressed again his throat, closer to him almost breaking skin "What army?"

"The knights of Byzantium, an ancient order. And now your enemy."  
"You work for Glory?"  
"You think we ally ourselves with the Beast?" The knight asks in disgust "You must be mad."  
Buffy arches a brow "You're the ones who tries killing me."  
"We were fools, three alone. But if it takes a hundred men, we send a hundred men. And if it takes a thousand, we send a thousand."

"A thousand?" Buffy asks hesitantly, as her eyes widen slightly.

"So long as you protect the Key, the brotherhood will never stop until we destroy it and you. You are the Slayer, and we know what we must do. Now be done with it. Kill us, and let legions follow."

Buffy glares at him before standing, she waits till he is stood before speaking "Go!"

* * *

"Wait she was at the house?" Damon asks once Elena and Jeremy had finished filling him in on what had happened with Glory.  
Elena nods "Again I say yes." She says as she sits in one of the chairs opposite the fireplace.

Damon groans in annoyance "Dammit. How complicated is this gonna get?"  
Jeremy frowns "What do you mean?"  
Damon sighs before turning to face the two siblings "I got a call from one of our least favourite witches."

"Mary?" Elena asks shocked, they hadn't seen or heard from Klaus nor Mary since they were last in Sunnydale "What did she want?"  
"What does she always want? Help to kill Klaus. I've got Rick looking into it. We'll deal with one problem at a time." Damon pauses and glances at Elena "But Klaus is gonna come back at some point, for you and Buffy."

Elena sighs as much as she wanted to deny it she knew the truth, Klaus was going to come for them, no matter what "When he comes, we'll deal. But for now, we have the Council and everything with Glory."

Elena glances around the room finally noticing the absence of Stefan and Bonnie "Where's—"  
"They left for the market yesterday morning. But for them my guess it's been like an hour."  
Elena nods "I'm gonna get some sleep. Guest room?"

Damon doesn't answer he merely points to the staircase, as Elena heads upstairs Damon grabs Jeremy's arm before he could follow "When Glory was there how was—"  
"Buffy?" Jeremy asks "She was shaken up. Whatever she's keeping from us...well, I'm starting to think that it may have something to do with her."

* * *

"There isn't gonna be a review." Buffy says as she places the sword in her hands in front of Travers.  
"Sorry?" He asks, genuinely confused.  
"No review." She says flatly "No interrogation. No questions you know I can't answer. No hoops, no jumps. And no interruptions." She says glancing at the Watcher in the corner who immediately clamps his jaw shut.

Buffy pauses before she begins "See, I've had a lot of people talking to me in the last few days. Everyone just lining up to tell me how unimportant I am. Then I had a talk with an old...friend. He made me finally realise why. Power. I have it. They don't. This bothers them."

Buffy moves to take off her jacket as she continues to pace the room "Glory came to my home today."  
Giles eyes widen "Buffy, are you..."  
"Just to talk." She assures him "She told me I'm a bug, I'm a flea, she could squash me in a second. Only she didn't. She came into my home, and we talked. We had what in her warped brain probably passes for a civilised conversation. Why? Because she needs something from me. Because I have power over her. You guys didn't come all the way from England to determine whether I was good enough to be let back in. You came to beg me to let you back in. To give your jobs, your lives, some semblance of meaning."

The Watcher from earlier shakes his head in astonishment "This is beyond insolence..."

The Watcher is cut off as Buffy grabs the sword from off the table and launches it at him, it barely misses him, landing inside the wall right next to his head "I'm fairly certain I said no interruptions."

Xander who was sat on the balcony with the others grins "That was excellent."

Buffy grins before turning back to The Council "You're watchers. Without a Slayer, you're pretty much just watching Masterpiece Theatre. You can't stop Glory, You can't do anything with the information you have, except maybe publish it in the _Everyone Thinks We're Insanos Home Journal."_

Buffy turns her attention back to Travers "So here's how it's gonna work. You're gonna tell me everything you know. Then you're gonna go away. You'll contact me if and when you have any further information about Glory. The Magic Shop will remain open. Mr Giles will stay here as my watcher, reinstated at full salary."  
"Retroactive." Giles coughs out.

Buffy smiles slightly "To be paid retroactively from the month he was fired. I will continue my work with the help of my friends."

The female watcher in the corner who was staring at Buffy fearfully raises her hand "I..I...don't want a sword thrown at me, but civilians? We're talking about children."

Buffy glances up at her friends "We're talking about two very powerful witches and a thousand-year-old ex-demon." Buffy smirks "Plus I have some new friends around to help me. Another powerful witch, born with magic and a couple men I know you don't want to mess with."

"The boy?" Another Watcher asks gesturing to Xander "No power there."

"The boy' has clocked more field time than all of you combined. He's part of the unit. Now... you all may be very good at your jobs. The only way we're gonna find out is if you work with me. You can all take your time think about that. But I want an answer right now from Quentin, cos I think he's understanding me."

Travers glances at the young slayer before nodding "Your terms are acceptable."

Buffy grins before sitting opposite the older man "See no begging"

Travers chuckles hwoever when Travers tries to delay her questioning Buffy shakes her head "Glory. I wanna know."  
"Well there's a lot to go through."  
"Just tell me what kind of demon I'm fighting."  
Travers sighs "Well that's the thing you see. Glory isn't a demon."  
"Than what is she?"  
"She's a God."

Buffy's eyes widen in utter shock "Oh."


	76. Blood Ties

Buffy shakes her head "No. Look I get Elena and Jeremy wanna make with the merry tomorrow but with everything that's going on..."  
"This is exactly what you need." Willow says with a huge smile on her face "A 20th- birthday party with presents, and funny hats, and those candles that don't blow out. Those use to scare me."  
Buffy shakes her head "I just don't think this is the best time to break out the party piñata. We need to stay focused if we're gonna find a way to stop Glory." She says before glancing at her watch and turning to look at the door.

"We're goin' up against a God." Xander says redrawing her attention "An actual mightier-than-thou God."  
Xander frowns as he notices Buffy glancing at the door again "You waiting on something Buff? Expecting troll number 2 to come on running?" He partially jokes.  
Buffy hesitates "Well actually..."  
Buffy is cut off as the bell at the entrance goes off and in steps Damon Salvatore.

Xander's eyes widen, as do the eyes of everyone on the table.  
"I forgot to mention that huh?" Buffy asks shyly.  
"That's a big thing to forget Buff. That you invited a vampire to our meeting. What is he doing here!?"  
Damon chuckles "Well there needs to be some eye candy for the ladies to stare at."  
Xander glares at him "Buffy?!"

"Look he's here because I want him here. We need him. And Xander it was either him or Spike."

Xander groans "What about the one with Angel hair?"  
"Baby brother's out of town at the moment." Damon says as he moves to sit next to Buffy.

Buffy sighs "Look me and Giles talked about it, Damon is the only one who has a chance against Glory other than me. He'll need to know this stuff. Cause I've thrown everything I've got at her and she just shrugs it off."

Willow thinks for a moment before turning to Buffy "Then find something heavier to throw."  
"We could hit her with a piano." Damon whispers to Buffy who laughs.

Everyone frowns at the sight of the two of them getting along so well, Giles sighs and address the group "That might pose some difficulty. From what the Council's discovered from the _Book of Tarnis_ and other sources, Glory and two of her fellow Hell Gods rules over one of the more seriously unpleasant demon dimensions."  
"There's more than one?" Tara asks.

"Yep." Damon answers "A whole bunch actually. All pounding on our reality's door like a bad ex."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow at Damon stunned that he actually knew that, he notices her confusion and shrugs "I listen from time to time. Plus I read."  
"I just figured you were staring at the pages not actually reading them."

"Well anyway." Giles says redrawing the pairs attention "All these dimensions are pushing at our reality trying to find a way in."  
"I guess Glory found one. The question is, why?"  
"There's nothing to indicate that here." Giles tells her as he continues to flip through the pages the Council had given him "Just vague references to chaos and destruction."

Damon notices the kettle boiling in the corner "Seriously man, you're living up the cliché"  
"It's for coffee, actually." Giles points out.

Damon nods before spotting the bottle of bourbon under the kettle "Now I really think you're the British version of Rick." He says as he stands and moves over grabbing the bottle "You mind?"  
Giles stunned shakes his head "Go ahead."

Buffy shakes her head in amusement before turning back to the others "So we know where Glory's from but what do we know about her. She's strong yeah, but no bolts of lightning, no blasts of fire. Shouldn't a god be able to do that?"

"No always." Damon points out "I happen to have been called God many times and-"  
"Enough with the eech Damon." Buffy says as she glares at him "I'm serious."  
Giles turns to Buffy "Being in human form must be severely limiting her powers. No, all we have to worry about right now is she's immortal, invulnerable and insane."

Buffy smirks "Damon I think I found your soulmate."  
Damon rolls his eyes as he takes a drink "Keep talking bottle blonde."  
Buffy's eyes widen "I'm not—Xander say something."  
Xander pauses thinking "A crazy Hell God? And the fun just keeps on leaving"

"From what I can gather, her living in this world is seriously affecting her mental state." Giles tells them "She's only being able to keep her mind intact by extracting energy from us. Well, from the human brain."  
Damon groans "That's nasty man."

"What I mean is that she absorbs the energies that bind the human mind into a cohesive whole. Once drained, all that's left is..."  
"Crazy people." Buffy finishes.

Giles nods in confirmation "Which is why there's been an increase in the ranks of the mentally unstable in Sunnydale."  
"At least vampires just kill you." Tara says.

Damon turns to her "My kind like to make it last. A bit of torture bit of murdering the people they love." Everyone in the room stares at him making him shrug "What I was kidding—sort of."

Buffy stands from her seat abruptly "We have to find a way to stop her."  
"Well, Tara and I can work on some tactical spells." Willow points out "I'm sure once Bonnie gets back she can help."  
Damon nods "The girl loves her little mind tricks, it's like knives stabbing you in the head repeatedly, plus she took on Klaus."  
Buffy nods "Okay. What else?"  
"I can do some research." Anya says "I know way more about demon dimensions than Giles or Damon do."

Both men frown and turn to stare at the ex-demon who looks at them both nervously "Well, I do."

Xander frowns, there was one subject they seemed to be circling around but never bringing up "This is great long-term planny stuff, but what about this Key thingy Glory's lookin' for?"  
Tara nods "Yeah. Shouldn't we try to find it before she does?"

Damon keeps quiet as he spots both Buffy and Giles go deadly silent, finally Buffy turns to the others "I don't think we should worry about that."  
Damon frowns at that, she was purposely trying to avoid the subject.  
"They've got a point." Willow tells the blonde "Whatever Glory's planning on opening with the Key, I'm guessing it won't be filled with candy and flowers."  
"So where should we look?"Xander asks "Do we know where it used to be kept? Who saw it last?"

"We did." Buffy answers making Damon finally understand, she knew exactly where it was "Giles and me. We know where it is."  
"Interesting turn of events." Damon mutters as everyone at the table stared at the blonde in utter shock, with looks of betrayal and hurt covering their expressions.  
"You what?" Xander asks.

Willow who had the same look as Xander on her face stares at Buffy "You know, and you didn't tell us?"  
Damon turns to Buffy "I'd suggest you run now."  
"Damon." Buffy hisses before turning to her friends "Look if Glory knew that you guys knew where it was... I just didn't wanna put you in that kind of danger."

Xander stares at her sceptically "As opposed to the other kind we're always in?"  
"You should've said something." Willow says.  
"Will there..." Buffy pauses as she spots the look on her best friend's face "You're right." Buffy turns to Giles "It's time."  
"You sure?"  
Buffy nods "They're gonna be risking their lives. They deserve to know."  
Damon raises his hand "Since when did I say..."

"Damon." Buffy says softly "If you don't wanna know walk out that door now. Or you can stay."  
Damon looks down at the woman he cared about so much before sitting down next to her and finishing his glass of bourbon.  
Buffy pauses before looking around the table "There's something you need to know...about Elena."

* * *

Damon and Buffy walk side by side in silence "I can walk myself home you know." Buffy points out.

Damon shrugs "Got nothing better to do."  
Buffy chuckles "You really know how to charm a girl, don't you."  
Damon laughs slightly before continuing to walk in silence.  
As the two approach her porch Damon turns to her "How long till you tell her?"

Buffy glances at her house momentarily before turning back to him "After the party tomorrow. She's been looking forward to it. Guess missing my 19th and how my 18th ended up she wants a do-over."  
Damon chuckles "Yeah she's the do-gooder type huh?"  
"Pretty much..." Buffy pauses "This is a massive thing. Because of what these monks put inside of her she's at more risk than ever. Klaus wants her, Glory wants her. I want her to have one more good night before I become the barrier of utter bad news."

Damon nods in understanding before grinning slightly "You know you're supposed to be the younger cousin right?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Yeah yeah. Whatever." She pauses once more and looks at him carefully "You know you don't have to do this right? Help me? You're putting yourself at a lot of risk by doing this and..."  
"I told you, Buffy." Damon says as he steps closer "I'll do whatever you need me to do."  
Buffy smiles slightly "Thank you. Goodnight Damon."  
"Goodnight." He says as he watches her enter her house sparing him one last glance before shutting the door.

* * *

"This is it?" Bonnie asks as they stand outside a small cottage at the edge of the market, "It looks so..."

"Normal?" Stefan asks eyes shining in amusement.  
"Pretty much, yeah."  
Stefan smiles "The man we're here to see is a powerful warlock. He grew up in England. When he came here, he literally brought his house with him."

Bonnie stares in amazement, to be able to do that kind of spell, well that meant whoever this man was he had extreme amounts of power, and she was now getting slightly giddy at the prospect of meeting him.  
Bonnie looks over at Stefan prepared to ask more questions however she pauses as she notices the look of worry on his face "What is it?"  
"Over a week."

Bonnie frowns in confusion "I'm sorry."

Stefan pulls out his phone and shows her the date making her eyes widen "What but we've only been here half a day." She says as she spots the date on his phone.

"I told you time moves differently here. Half a day here is over a week there. The Black Market is part of one of Dark Dimensions, and the way time moves is extremely different to what we're used to."

As the two of them walk towards the front door Bonnie frowns, confused as to how he knew all this "How do you know all this? About this Market, the times, hell how do you even know this guy."  
Stefan smiles fondly as he remembers the exact reason why he knew all this "One word. Lexi. She brought me here once, it was right after I turned my humanity back on she took me to Dragomir." He says gesturing to the house "By the time we go back, 3 years had passed in our world. It had only been a few months here."  
Bonnie whistles "Wow."

Just as Stefan moves to press the doorbell the door slams open and standing in the entrance was a tall man with cropped grey hair, smiling at Stefan "Stefan."  
"Dragomir. It's good to see you."  
"Come. We have much to discuss."

* * *

After her class, Elena was heading to the Magic Box when she spots Tara and Willow pouring powder along the outside of the store "Hey, Willow, Tara."  
Both women turn their attention to the doppelganger shocked looks on their faces "Elena, hey."

Elena glances down at the patterns they had been drawing on the pavement "Is this a protection spell? Never seen something like this."  
Willow smiles "Sort of. It's an early-warning incantation. If anything Hell-godishly powerful comes within 100ft of the shop then screechy siren things will, you know, screech. Bonnie's magic is older. And different, so my guess less dust."  
Elena nods "Pretty much. She just mutters in latin or something. So why the need for it now?"  
Tara turns to her "Um..well it will...well should give us a heads-up so we can hide the, um...Key."

Elena frowns she hadn't heard anything about them having the Key let alone finding it "Buffy found it? I mean I know Glory said she had it but Buffy never said—"  
"It's recent." Willow says in a panic, "She only found it recently. Like extremely recently. We already put one around your house."

Elena smiles "Well, I better go check on Jeremy." She waves at them and heads towards the shop with a frown on her face, they had been acting extremely weird and it was worrying her slightly.

"Is my brother actually helping, or is he reading a sports magazine hidden in that book?" Elena asks Xander as she approaches him.

Xander drops the book in his hands and glances up at Elena smiling slightly "Beats me. When I was his age, I use to do that. So my guess pretty much big with the sports. But more sports illustrated."  
Elena groans "gross."  
"Hey!" Xander argues "It's beautiful."  
Before he could say anything else Anya hits him in the back of the head "Xander!"  
"Sorry honey."

Elena chuckles in amusement before walking over to Jeremy and taking the magazine he currently had hidden inside the book from him and tossing it to Xander.  
"Hey!" Jeremy exclaims at the same time that Xander grins happily "Awesome."

However before Xander could begin to enjoy the pages of Sports Illustrated he notices Anya getting very close to babbling, he quickly stands "Anya, you wanna help me with that thing?"  
Anya laughs nervously "Xander needs help with his thing!"

Elena frowns as she watches the two walk off before turning to Jeremy who was still glaring at her "What the hell Elena?"  
"You're supposed to be helping!"  
Jeremy rolls his eyes "I was taking a break. Do you know how boring this stuff is?"  
"It's supposed to be boring, Jeremy." Elena hisses "This is punishment for you being stupid, ergo it must suck!"

At that moment Buffy walks in from the back from with Giles "Maybe next time I patrol I should carry a load of bricks and use a stake made of butter."  
"Very amusing." Giles says with a chuckle "I'm sure Elena feels that was about her patients sometimes."

"And her brother." Elena says as she continues to glare at Jeremy who was glaring right back.  
Buffy frowns and moves closer to her cousins "What? Why?" She then glances at Jeremy "What'd you do?"  
Jeremy throws his hands up in frustration "God seriously the two of you always team up against me. We need more guys in this family."

Buffy arches as brow as does Elena, the two glance at each other before crossing their arms and turning back to Jeremy.  
Jeremy tries to stare them down but ultimately loses "Fine." He says before grabbing another book and opening it.

Elena and Buffy both grin before high fiving each other and heading back to Giles "So what's the sitch with the hospital?" Buffy asks.

"More mental patients were admitted. One of the doctors has got us looking into mental illness as an assignment now. It's worth 30% of our grade. Wanna help?"  
Buffy frowns "Trust me, you don't want my help with this. Anyway, can't. Sorry. Lots of stuff to do."

* * *

Buffy grins as she stares at all her presents "Prezzies!"  
Willow smiles in joy "See? Just what you needed."  
"You are very, very wise. Now gimme, gimme, gimme."

Everyone chuckles in amusement before Tara hands Buffy her first present, like a child Buffy opens the present.  
Everyone glances at Anya who was watching the presents gleefully "I want the presents."

"Oh, it's beautiful." Buffy says as she pulls out a lovely silk top from the box "Thank you, guys."  
"We thought you'd get lots of crossbows and kill stuff." Tara tells her while Willow nods in agreement "yeah, so we figured less killy more frilly."

The moment Buffy places it down Anya grabs it and clutches it to her chest "Oh, it's just so lovely! Oh, I wish it was mine!"  
Elena glances at Buffy "Is she always like this?"  
"Very much so." Buffy answers.  
Elena shakes her head in amusement before turning to Jeremy, Jeremy nods and grabs a large box from the floor "Here. Open this." He says as he hands Buffy the box.

"It's from all the Mystic Falls lot." Elena tells her.  
Buffy glances at the box hesitantly "It's not going to explode right."  
"No." Elena tells her.  
Buffy glances back at her cousins before pulling the ribbon off the box. As she pulls the lid off she spots the large book inside.

She pulls it out and opens it, her eyes widen as she spots a photo of herself, Bonnie, Elena and a blonde girl who she assumed must be Caroline.  
Buffy flips through the pages finding one of Elena, herself, Jeremy and her mom when they were kids, "How did you..."  
"The ones from before we had at the house, I called Matt he sent them. That—" She says pointing to the photo of Buffy and Bonnie all dressed in 50's clothes "Those photos Caroline gave me."

Buffy looks at the photo carefully and spots the necklace around her neck, however before she can focus on it, she spots the photo of her and Elena in beautiful gowns.  
"That's when we both ran for Miss Mystic Falls."

Buffy smiles "I remember." She says as she closes her eyes seeing herself and Elena with Jenna getting ready.  
"Thank you. Both of you."  
Buffy stands and hugs both her cousins tightly.

* * *

"I don't know Buffy." Willow says "It still seems like these's a lot we don't know about this. I mean, what they put in her...is it dangerous?" She asks as she helps both Giles and Buffy in the kitchen.  
Buffy pauses "No."  
Giles sighs "From as far as we can tell as long as this energy is contained inside her, there's nothing it can do."

Buffy pauses as she spots Elena in the dining room "Elena?" Buffy asks making both Willow and Giles silence themselves "What are you doing? You're the party host. Don't hosts have to do host stuff?"  
Elena nods, staying quiet, she was slightly confused, she had overheard the three of them speaking and it was making her worry slightly "Elena?" Buffy says making the brunette come back from reality.  
"Sorry." Elena says quickly "Just need plates it's time for the cake."

Elena heads back into the living room but as she does she freezes as she spots everyone go silent as she enters.  
Elena frowns "What's going on?"  
As Buffy enters the room she pauses "Elena what is it?"  
Elena sighs and turns to her cousin "Buffy, whatever it is you're not telling me. I suggest you tell me now. I'm not stupid. I know somethings up so just please...stop lying."  
"What's going on?" Jeremy asks confused.

Buffy sighs and glances around the room "Guys, I think it's best we come to an end of party time. Jeremy, Elena, Giles and I need to have a talk."  
Everyone hesitates before nodding.

* * *

Buffy moves to close the front door after everyone had left but pauses as she spots Damon sat on the porch "Damon?" Buffy asks confused as to what he was doing here.  
"Hey. You busy? I have—"  
"Elena knows, Damon. Can we talk later?"  
"Sure. Happy Birthday, Buffy."

* * *

Stefan glanced at his phone and sighs "What's wrong son?" Dragomir asks as he watches his old friend.  
"It's Buffy's birthday. Yet another I miss."  
Dragomir nods "This Buffy girl? You mean Buffy Summers do you not? The Slayer?" When Stefan nods the warlock smiles "You love this girl. Well, a vampire and a slayer, quite poet if you ask me. But you're brother...he loves her too."  
"How did you...?"

Dragomir smirks "I know many things, my son. Do not threat about her, though. So now please tell me why you and the lovely witch are here to see me old friend." He says gesturing to Bonnie who was currently mesmerised by the grimoires.

"Actually we're here because of Buffy." Stefan tells him "A vampire named Klaus took her memory of the past two years. She has no memory of Mystic Falls or anything that happened there."

Bonnie finally pulls her attention away from the books and turns to the two men "A memory potion, it makes the victim susceptible to suggestion. Klaus had one of his witches change her memories giving her a range of fake memories."  
Dragomir nods as he processes all this "Very interesting. It actually sounds like something Marianna would have created."  
Both Stefan and Bonnie freeze "Mary?" Stefan asks "You know Mary?"

"Of course. Many lifetimes ago. When she was still a source of light magic. In fact, she was _the_ source of light magic. The spirits granted her immortality as they believed she would be able to help the future generations. But as we all know things did not end that way." Dragomir pauses, letting the two absorb this information before continuing "Anyway when I last saw her she was working on a memory spell. I believe that once she became susceptible to Dark Magic it finally allowed her to create the potion."

Bonnie nods before pulling out Mary's Grimoire "This is Mary's." She says as she places it in front of the warlock, she then flips through to the page with the potion on it "There's a lock on the potion. Cast by sacrificial magic, that's why I can't reverse the effects. In order to reverse them, I need to cast a spell on the potion to find out what's inside but I can't do that..."

"Because you use spirit magic." Dragomir concludes "A powerful source of Light magic. You will need totems of dark magic." He says before glancing up at Stefan "That's why you're here old friend. You want your love to get her memory back. And you need my help to find these totems."

* * *

Buffy paces the living room as Jeremy and Elena sit there waiting for her and Giles to finally reveal to them what was going on.

Buffy glanced over at Giles before turning to her cousins "Okay, look...this is an extremely complicated situation and well—"  
"Buffy, what's going on?" Elena asks cutting her cousin off.

Giles steps forward as Buffy sits opposite her cousins "The Council has given us some information regarding the Key and Glory."  
"Okay." Jeremy says slowly "So what does this have to do with Elena?"

"The founders of the Monks of the Order of Dagon. Their sole purpose was to be protectors of the Key."  
"Again with the Key." Elena says "What is it?"

"The Key is not directly described in any literature." Giles tells the brunette "But all research indicated an energy matrix vibrating at a dimensional frequency beyond human perception."  
When Giles pauses Buffy clasps her hands together nervously as she looks at Elena "Only those outside of reality can see the Key's true nature. To put it better, only crazy people."

Elena's eyes widen as she thinks back to when she first came to Sunnydale

 _Someone grabs her and tosses her against a car "What are you doing here?" A man asks as he stares down at Elena "You're one of many faces, shouldn't keep reappearing."_ _  
_ _Elena frowns and tries to move away but he grabs her arm "You appear across time. Shouldn't happen."_

Buffy takes a deep breath allowing Giles to continue "The Key is also susceptible to necromanced animal detection particularly those of canine or serpent construct."

Elena frowns panic building inside her as she remembers back at that night with Klaus at the hospital.

 _Buffy freezes as she remembers something "The creature. The one Glory summoned?"_ _  
_ _Damon's eyes widen "About that..."_

 _Suddenly the creature comes barging into the room and screeches, it shoves Damon and Buffy backwards and freezes in front of Elena who screams._ _  
_ _As she does the creature's eyes go red before it speeds out of the room._

Elena glances over at Buffy who was at this point refusing to look her in the eye "What are you two saying?"

Giles sighs and moves to sit next to Buffy before glancing at Elena "Elena, the monks possessed the ability to transform energy, bend reality. During a fight with presumably Glory, they had to find a vessel to place the energy into. To keep it safe, They had to find something Supernatural that could contain it."

Buffy finally looks up staring Elena straight in the eye "They had to be sure I would protect it with my life. So they placed the key inside a human."

"A Doppelganger." Giles finally reveals making Elena freeze, her face goes white, and her stomach drops "A Doppelganger who had appeared across history in many lifetimes. Who, also happened to be the Slayer's cousin."

Jeremy sits there in shock, what they were saying, it couldn't be true "Wait so you're saying these monks...they put this energy inside Elena?"  
Buffy nods "Yes. Six Months Ago."  
"That's right after we came to Sunnydale." Jeremy realises "What—what does it mean?"  
"It means Glory will be searching for Elena." Giles tells her "She needs you for something and—"

"Stop." Elena says as she raises her hand silencing everyone in the room "Please, just stop." Elena finally looks up, tears were running down her face "This is all just too much. With Klaus now Glory...I can't do this." Elena stands and moves towards the staircase.

Buffy panics and moves to follow her "Elena I-"  
"Please." Elena begs as she turns to her cousin "I need time, to process. So please, leave me alone."

* * *

"We need answers, Giles." Buffy says the next day as her and the scoobies, as well as Jeremy, all stand around the Magic Box "We need to find out everything we can about the Key. What's it for, who created it..."

Xander nods in agreement "And why Glory has a girl-God jones for it."

"This isn't about Glory." Jeremy points out "This is about my sister. She's been through enough and now some monks shove some energy Key thing inside her. She deserves to know where it came from. She needs to know, what they put in her and why or it will eat away at her."  
Buffy sighs she stands from her seat and quickly heads for the door ignoring the calls of her friends.

* * *

Damon wraps a towel around his waist as he steps out of the shower, he walks towards the table grabbing the glass of scotch before heading down the stairs.  
Just as he is about to head to his room a pounding at the door makes him pause.

He frowns before walking over to the door and opening it only to find the slayer herself staring at him with wide eyes.  
"Oh! Sorry!" She exclaims before quickly turning around blushing slightly "Could you please put some clothes on?"  
Damon chuckles in amusement before letting her in "Sure." He says before heading into the other room "I'll be a second. Or if you'd prefer..."  
"And to that an extreme no."  
Damon laughs while Buffy shakes her head.

She walks around the living room waiting for Damon, she pauses as she spots the glass of scotch on the table, she grabs it and downs in quickly only to groan in disgust at the taste.  
"You always hated scotch." Damon says as he stands in the doorway, now fully dressed watching her intently.  
"Still do." She says with a shrug before pouring herself another glass and sitting down "I'm sorry for showing up I just..."  
Damon frowns as he watches her and moves to sit opposite her "What is it?"

"I can't talk to my friends or my family. Because the only person I can talk to who will actually get...for my bad luck is you. This is my fault."  
"What do you mean? What's your fault?"  
"Elena. They put the Key inside of her because they needed me to protect it. If she hadn't been looking for me none of this would have happened. She wouldn't be put in this position again."  
Damon shakes his head "This isn't your fault. You didn't do this to her. They did."

"But—"  
Damon cuts her off as he places a hand on her thigh and gives it a squeeze "No. You could have told those monks to go to hell. And trust me I know you. I bet you were damn well tempted. But none of this is your fault. It's theirs. They chose to do this. You couldn't control the situation."  
Buffy looks over at Damon "You're good at making me act less insane."

Damon chuckled "You made me less muder-y, kind of owe you." Suddenly the smile drops from his face and he looks at her seriously "Buffy, listen to me. Whatever you need, I will do. I'll help you protect her. I'm not going to leave you ever. I promise you."

* * *

Elena walks through the hospital after her demonstration, she hadn't spoken to Buffy or Jeremy since the truth had come out on Buffy's birthday.

She sighs as she glances down at her phone, 6 missed calls already, she groans before switching off her phone and tossing it into her bag. She wasn't angry that much she knew, she was just confused, whatever these monks had done to her had left her completely confused. Elena had no idea what they had placed inside of her and that terrified her more than anything. It could be dangerous, God knows how many people could have died because of it.

Elena runs her hands through her hair in frustration; she turns the corner expecting to head for the exit only too late she realises that she had in fact gone the wrong way. Elena's eyes widen as she realises that she was now, in fact, staying in the room where all the patients with psychosis were being kept.

Immediately, her presence in the room is acknowledged as one by one the patients begins mumbling "It's here. It's here. It's here."

Elena stares in horror at the patients as she walks past them, she pauses in front of one of them "Can't hear it." He mumbles "What's the frequency? Empty. All spilled out."  
Elena hesitates but goes against her better judgement "You see it right?" She asks the patient who was staring at her fearfully "You know what it is, don't you?"  
The patient shakes his head in a panic "Can't hear it, can't hear it, can't..."  
"Please." Elena begs "I need to know what they put inside me."

"The Key." Another patient on the other side of the room says as he stares at Elena "I found it. Thank you."  
Elena makes her way towards the man with the tattoo on his forehead and looks at him desperately "You know what this thing—this Key is?" When he doesn't answer, Elena sighs, she was desperate for these answers "Where did it come from? Who made it? What did it do to me? What the hell is it?"

The patient merely stares at the ceiling mumbling to himself "Thank you. Thank you."  
"Please!" Elena cries.  
"Destroyer!" He says suddenly as he sits up in his bed, making Elena quickly back away "Cracked earth and bones. The sun bleeding into the sky! The Key is the link. The link must be severed. Such is the will of God."

Elena shakes her head "This can't be happening again." She breaths before heading to the door in a panic only to run right into Ben.

* * *

Buffy steps in through the front door only to immediately be bombarded by Jeremy as he comes running down the stairs "Buffy! Thank God."

Buffy frowns "Jeremy? What is it?"  
"Elena!" He says in a panic.

Buffy quickly looks around the house, almost immediately noticing the absence of the young brunette "Where is she?" Buffy asks her cousin in a panic "She finished class an hour ago."  
Jeremy sighs in worry, Glory was out there and if she found out that Elena was the Key God knows what she would do to her. "We need to find her." He says urgently.

Buffy nods "I'll call Willow and Xander. You call Damon."  
"Already tried. He's not answering his phone."  
Buffy groans "Well then you got get Willow and Xander. I'll go to our worst option." Buffy pauses and gives her younger cousin a hug "Don't worry. We'll find her."

* * *

Buffy kicks down the door at Spike crypt, only to spot him sitting on top of a stone casket blowing the wet nail polish on his nails "Evening, Sunshine. If you've come for eggs and sausage, I'd say it's a bit past breakfast time."

Buffy rolls her eyes, she merely stops in place in front of him, crossing her arms "I need your help. Elena's gone."  
'This have anything to do with her being that Key-thingy?" He says with a shrug of his shoulders.

Buffy's eyes widen in shock, anger quickly fills her before she grabs the lid of the casket and pulls it causing Spike to roll backwards into the coffin.  
"Hey, careful!" He exclaims as his head pops up raising his hands "These are wet."  
Buffy ignores him and pushes the lid forward trapping Spike "How the hell did you now about that?!"  
Spike stares at her confused "Broke into the magic store, needed some more mandrake root. I like to mix it with the blood. Hey, it's not like I was the one that told her she was a mystical glowy Key thing. How the hell am I supposed to know what's going on? Nobody keeps me in the bloody loop, do they?"  
Buffy sighs "Well she knows. And now we can't find her. So either help me or well..."

Spike rolls his eyes before standing, shoving the stone lid off him, making Buffy back away "Yeah, Yeah I know. A round of kick the Spike."

* * *

"Elena! Elena!" Buffy yells, as her and Spike, walk through the park searching for Elena.

Spike rolls his eyes at the blonde's attempts "Yeah, that'll work."  
"Shut up. God, I wish Damon had answered his phone, lesser of two pains in the asses."  
Spike glares at the blonde, he detested the vampire brothers, mostly Damon "Look, she didn't come home after class to get away from you and your cousin. She hears you bellowing, she'll pack it in the opposite direction. Can't say I blame her."

Buffy sighs "You're right. She hasn't spoken to me or Jeremy since last night. I should have expected it. I should have told her sooner. This is my fault."  
Spike freezes, his expression softens slightly, with a small sigh he tries to reassure the young Slayer "She probably would have skipped off anyway. No matter how soon you told her. You said some crazy Klaus bugger spent 2 years trying to kill her, well now this...hell If I was her, 20 years old, people trying to kill me, I'd be attached to a bottle of bourbon right bout now."

When Buffy's expression doesn't change Spike shrugs "You'll find her, just in the nick of time. That's what you hero types do." Buffy looks up at him an unsure look on her face "You'll find her." He assures her.  
Buffy merely shrugs "And then what?"

* * *

"Coffee?" Elena asks hopefully as Ben walks into the locker room holding two plastic cups from the staff room.  
Ben chuckles "I'm thinking you have an addiction, Elena." He tells her before nodding and handing her the coffee, before taking a seat opposite her "And I am clearly your enabler. Two cups of coffee goodness, courtesy of whoever I swiped it from out of the cupboard. Do you want some sugar?"

Elena chuckles slightly shaking her head "No. Jeremy used to swap my sugar for salt. Ever since I kind of avoided the stuff."  
Ben chuckles "I get it. I have a sister. Drives me nuts."  
Elena laughs slightly, it was a nice feeling, after everything that had happened it was nice to actually be having a normal conversation with a normal person.

"Didn't the last demonstration finish over an hour ago?" Ben asks effectively shattering Elena's normal-ness "Why are you still here?"  
"Ummm..." Elena hesitates to try to figure out what to say "Just not really in the mood to go home. A lot going on."  
"Do you want me to call someone, your cousin?"  
"No!" She says immediately "I—I just can't talk to her right now or Jeremy."

Ben frowns in worry, he didn't know the girl very well but that didn't stop him from worrying about her obvious misery "Oh, you three have a fight? It's ok, I know how that goes. Like I said I have a sister too. And the way you and Buffy act, you're more sisters from what I can see. And a sister plus a brother can be a real pain sometimes, huh? I tell you, there have been a lot of nights I wish she didn't exist either."  
Elena shakes her head, after all the stress she needed to just speak freely for once, she didn't mean to but once she started she just couldn't stop "It's not Buffy or Jeremy. It's me. I have a tendency to get the people I love most put in danger because they're always trying to protect me."

Ben frowns in confusion, the way that she was speaking was extremely confusing but intriguing at the same time "I'm sure that's not true. We all feel that way, especially when we're in our 20's. Constantly in trouble needing people to come clean up our messes. Trust me..." He says with a chuckle "...I get it."

Elena shakes her head, continuing, even though deep down she knew she needed to shut up, and quick "No. It's not like that. You don't get it. For two years, she protected me, put her life in danger constantly, gave up her freedom so he wouldn't find me. And then—God these monks ruined everything. Everything Buffy did for me...nothing! They put this thing...this energy inside me and now...I'm gonna get her killed. This is my fault Glory wants me and Buffy and Jeremy will suffer because of that." Immediately Elena's eyes widen as she realises that she had just spilled everything to Ben, she quickly panics and looks over at him prepared to make up some story about her having a breakdown or something but the look on his face makes her pause.

Ben was staring at her in shock, a look of panic and fear on his face as he quickly backed away from her "You're the Key?"  
Elena's eyes widen in astonishment as confusion fills her mind "How do you know about the Key?"  
"Go!" He says panicked "Before she finds you. Don't ask me how she knows, cos she always knows. Just go."  
Elena stands trying to calm Ben "Ben, calm down. Explain to me what is going on."

Ben shakes his head "You don't understand. You're just a kid. You stay, she'll find you. She finds you, she'll hurt you. You're what she's been searching for. Run." Suddenly Ben freezes and a look of complete horror covers his face, Elena stares, she was shocked by Ben's panic and in complete confusion about how he knew all this.

"Oh no." He mumbles "Oh God, no. She's coming. I can feel it. You've gotta get out. No..." Suddenly he grabs her arms tightly, not letting her move "Oh, no, she's here!" He screams before his face changes shape. Before Elena knew what was happening Glory was now standing in front of her rather than Ben, Glory frowns at the brunette "Hey, don't I know you."

* * *

As Glory changes from Ben's scrubs Elena desperately searches around the room for some sort of weapon, she had her knife in her locker, but she knew there was no way she could get to it without Glory spotting her.

"Ugh." She hears Glory moan as she rips the scrubs from her body "Cotton. Could a fabric be more annoyingly pedestrian?" As she pulls a silk dress out from Ben's locker she grins "Now, this is what I'm talkin' about. Makes your skin sing."

Elena glared at her, however, her mind was still full of confusion, she just couldn't concept what had just happened, yes Mary had looked like Buffy, but she had never seen Mary transform to look that way, she was just stuck in that appearance. "You're...you're Ben."  
"It's an eensy bit more complicated than that. Family always is, isn't it?"

Elena panics as she realises the situation that she's in, she looks for the exit but before she can even contemplate her escape Glory's voice cuts through the silence of the room "You'd never make it. I'd rip out your spine before you got half a step. And those little legs? They wouldn't be much good without one of those." Suddenly Glory appears right in front of her, moving so fast that Elena had completely missed it "Would they, Lena?" Glory frowns "Damn, you do look so much like Tatia. It's annoying. Met her on my first trip to this world. It's eerie." Glory shakes herself "Nevermind. Now, why don't you explain to me what in the world the slayer's big cousin is doing here with Gently Ben?"

Elena glares up at her, but at Glory's words, a small sense of relief fills her "You don't remember?" She asks keeping the hope buried down inside.

"Remember what?" Glory asks as she moves Elena's hair behind her shoulder "You were talking to him, not me. Oh, he wasn't being naughty, was he?"

Elena glares at her but before she could say anything the locker room door opens and in steps the security guard "Evening Elena." He says to Elena who offers him a tight smile "Keith."

Keith smiles at the young med student before turning to Glory who was looking extremely annoyed for being interrupted "Excuse me, ma'am. This area's for hospital personnel."

Before Elena could do anything Glory snaps Keith's neck causing him to drop to the ground, she sighs before turning back to Elena "Rude. I was talking. What do you say we find a nice place off the beaten where you and I can have a long uninterrupted chat?" She says as she yanks Elena off her feet before dragging her out of the room.

* * *

"We looked, but no Elena." Willow says to Buffy, as the two groups meet in the Graveyard.

Buffy sighs "What about the Campus?"

"Checked there too." Jeremy tells her a worried look on his face, when he sees Buffy about to speak again he interjects "We checked her professor at the hospital, he said she left right after the demonstration."  
Buffy runs her hands through her hair, almost ripping her hair out due to the amount of pressure she was grabbing it with. She looks over at Xander and Giles, praying that they had something "Nothing?"  
Xander shakes his head disappointed "Sorry Buff, Jer."

That last glimmer of hope in Buffy dissipates "Anything could have happened to her. Not just Glory. I better check the hospital."  
Jeremy frowns in confusion "But we..."  
"The ER Jer. If she got hurt or anything happened, she'd go there. She's smart."

* * *

Glory shoves Elena up against a metal table in one of the testing rooms in the hospital, as her back hits the table she groans slightly but forces herself not to show any weakness.  
"Ok. Small talk over." Glory says as she steps closer to the brunette "I'm in a bit of a crunch, so let's cut right to the ooey-gooey centre. Your baby cousin, the Slayer, has my Key. It's mine, I want it. Do you know where she squirrelled it away? There's ice cream and puppy dogs in it for you if you start singin'."  
Elena frowns "I'm 20, not 14."  
"Oh. Right." Glory says with a shrug, she honestly couldn't care less "Just come out with it, what do you know?"

Elena opens her mouth prepared to say 'nothing' however she pauses, this may be her one chance to learn about the Key, as much as she knew she really shouldn't do this, she just couldn't resist "I-I don't know for sure. I don't even know what it looks like."

A grin covers Glory's face as she imagines the Key in her mind "Well, the last time, I caught a peep...it was a bright green swirly shimmer." As Glory speaks Elena notices the broken glass measuring jug by her hands, silently she grabs the largest part of the glass and slips it behind her back out of sight.

"Really brought out the blue in my eyes." Glory continues dreamily before instantly she snaps "But then those sneaky little monks pulled an abracadabra, so it could be anything. See my predicament?"  
Elena hesitates slightly "Maybe."  
"Yes?"

Elena against her better judgement tries to push for more information "Well, it's possible that if...you told me more about it...I would know if I've seen it."  
Glory moves closer to her a flat look on her face, and just when Elena thinks she's blown it and begins to tighten her hold on the glass a smile covers Glory's face "Ok."

* * *

"She wasn't brought in." Buffy tells the group after she had finished speaking to the nurse.  
"Which is a happy thing, right?" Xander asks slightly unsure.  
Jeremy sighs "Means she's not hurt. But it also means we still don't know where she is."

Suddenly a group of guards come rushing past them, looks of horror on their faces "...in the break room." One of them says "You guys gotta see him. His head's almost twisted clean off."

Buffy eyes widen and she looks over at Jeremy who had the same look of horror on his face. "Glory."

* * *

"Okay." Elena says as she processes everything Glory was telling her "So the Key. It's old?"  
"More than old. Been around a long time sweet pea." The God tells her "Well, not as long as me, but yeah, just this side of forever."  
Elena pauses, the dreaded question coming next, she needed to know if what the monks put inside her would be dangerous "Is it evil?"  
"Totally." Glory says with a grin making Elena's eyes widen, suddenly Glory chuckles "Well, no, not really. I guess it depends on your point of view."

Elena nods allowing her mind to understand this before continuing "Um...what's it for...I mean what does it do? A Key opens a lock, what's the lock?"  
"Yes. We have a winner."

In that moment the look on Glory's face makes it clear that she had gone too far, she tightens her grasp on the glass in her hands as Glory stands up climbing off the table "I smell a fox in my hen house. Is that why you were playing with Uncle Ben, to get a peek at Glory's unmentionables?" She asks angrily as she approaches.  
Elena panics "No, I—"  
"Shh." Glory says silencing her "I kinda wanna hear me talking right now. Me talking. You know what I'm starting to think? I 'm thinking that maybe you... don't have any idea where my key is."

At her words, Glory backs away while Elena takes a deep breath of relief "Which is very irritating." Glory continues "Irrational. You know what I mean, tiny snapdragon? Like...Like bugs under my skin...and say...I'm feeling a little..."  
Elena frowns at the sight of Glory, she seemed to be slower losing her mind, sleeping further into a state of psychosis "What's happening to you?"

"Hey!" Glory exclaims joyfully "Hey, this doesn't have to be a complete waste of my precious time. I've been meaning to send the Slayer a message. And I could use a little pick-me-up. Two birds, one stone and..." Glory slams her hands together loudly as she moves closer to Elena "Boom! You have yummy dead birds."  
Just as Glory reaches for her Elena swings the glass in her hand out at her slicing through her dress, Glory looks down furious "You little bitch!"  
She backhands Elena sending her flying into the glass currently holding up a range of MRI's and X-Rays.

As she hits the ground she groans in pain, looking up she notices Glory approach her but suddenly the door opens and Buffy steps inside with the others.  
Buffy glares at Glory "Get away from my Cousin."  
Glory grins "Hey, we were just talking about you!"  
Buffy offers her a sweet smile "Conversation's over, Hell bitch." She before approaching Glory and punching her in the face.  
Buffy ducks as Glory swings her arm out she then kick's Glory in the stomach before lifting her up and tossing her into a nearby bookcase.

"Elena!" Jeremy exclaims as he runs over to his sister who was currently lying in a pile of glass, clutching her arm.  
He crouches down next to her, but she winces as he touches her shoulder "I'm fine." She hisses as she looks over at Buffy who was currently punching Glory in the face while Spike held the God.

"I thought you said this skank was tough." Spike says as he continues to hold a struggling Glory while Buffy batters her, however immediately Glory kicks Buffy in the face before flipping Spike over her back, causing him to crash into the wall bashing his head.

Glory then looks over at Buffy "If he wakes up, tell your boyfriend to watch his mouth."

Jeremy shakes his head "Ooh, wrong move." He says as he watches a look of fury cover Buffy's face.

"He is _not_ my boyfriend." Buffy hisses before punching Glory again.  
She lifts her leg prepared to kick Glory in the face, but Glory grabs her ankle, pausing slightly Glory admires the Slayers shoes "Hey, those are really nice shoes."  
"Thanks." Buffy says as Glory attempts to throw her only for Buffy to flip three times in the air kicking Glory in the process before landing on her feet.  
"Giles now!" Buffy screams as she moves out of the way.

Giles fires a crossbow at Glory but the bow merely bounces off her body "Oh, please. Like that's gonna..." Glory is cut off when Xander hits her around the back of the head with a crowbar "Hey!" She exclaims before grabbing Xander "Watch the hair." She hisses before throwing him into the wall.

Glory glares at the group pointing the crowbar around the room "Time to start the dying. Start with the whelps." She says before throwing the crowbar towards Elena and Jeremy.

"No!" Buffy screams as she leaps in front of her cousins, the crowbar burying itself in her shoulder.  
"Buffy!" Elena and Jeremy scream as they move towards her but the blonde merely shakes her head "Get back!"  
"Nice catch." Glory tells the blonde "Is that the best you crap-gnats can muster?

As Glory continues Jeremy helps Buffy pulls the crowbar from her shoulder before applying pressure to the wound.  
The three glanced back up to see Willow and Tara throw powder over Glory.  
Glory's eyes widen as she looks down at her already ruined dress "Look what you did to my dress, you little..."

Glory is cut off as Willow claps her hands together " _Discede!"_ As she says it Willow collapses as Glory disappears out of sight.

Buffy watches for a moment making sure Tara was helping Willow before turning to her cousins, she hugs Elena tightly before glancing back over to the others "What did you do to her?"  
"Teleportation spell." Willow says weakly "Still working out the kinks."  
"Where'd you send her?" Jeremy asks "And can it be far from here?"  
"Don't know." Willow tells them "That's one of the kinks."

Buffy sighs, before turning back to her family "Are you okay? How badly did she hurt you?" Buffy asks Elena.  
Elena shakes her head "I'm fine. I've had worse."  
"What about you?" Jeremy asks looking at the bleeding wound on Buffy's shoulder.

Before Buffy can say anything Elena speaks "This is my fault." She whispers.  
"What?!" Buffy asks astonished.  
"Everything. She wanted me, and now you're hurt—"  
"No." Buffy tells her, she couldn't believe Elena was blaming herself for this "This isn't your fault."  
"But you keep getting hurt protecting me—" Elena tries to argue as she takes shaky breaths but Buffy refuses to accept this.  
"Because you're my family. You're the closest thing I have to a sister, like Jeremy is the closest thing I have to a brother. I love you...I am always gonna try and protect you."  
Elena shakes her head, she didn't want to hear this "I'm not worth it."  
"Yes, you are." Buffy takes Jeremy's hand which had been cut while sitting in the glass, she then takes Elena's "Look at this blood. It's Summers blood."  
Elena frowns shaking her head "No. I was adopted...I..."

"Doesn't matter." Buffy assures her "You are a Summers like your mum, like all of us. We're blood no matter what." Buffy places a hand on her own shoulder placing some blood on her own hand before taking both Jeremy and Elena's hands "We're blood. Family. You are my sister and my brother. There's no way you could annoy me so much if you weren't."

Elena takes a shaky breath before pulling both Buffy and Jeremy into a hug "I was so scared."  
"Me too." Buffy says.  
Jeremy shrugs "I'm a guy, I don't get scared."  
Both Elena and Buffy chuckled before Buffy hits the back of Jeremy's head.

The three stand and head for the exit only for Elena to freeze "Wait." She tells them "Ben. He was here he was trying to help me...he...I think he might have left before Glory came. I can't remember."  
Jeremy shrugs "Don't worry, Elena. I'm sure you'll see him again. You do spend way too much time here anyway."  
Elena chuckles "I do not."  
Buffy argues "Yes, you do. But don't worry we'll thank him next time we see him."

* * *

Later Buffy was in her bathroom cleaning the now healing wound in her shoulder.  
After wrapping a bandage over it, she steps into the hall and walks over to Elena's room, peeking inside she spots Elena fast asleep like a dead person.

Buffy sighs in relief, happy that she was safe for now. Slowly she closes the door and heads back into her own room, as she closes the door behind her she hears a noise behind her she spins around only to freeze as she spots Damon standing by her window "How did you—never mind freaky vampire speed."  
Damon chuckles slightly "Yeah." Suddenly a serious look covers his face "Buffy I'm so sorry, I was trying to contact Stefan. Is Elena okay?"  
Buffy smiles slightly "Okay may be a stretch but she's safe...for now anyway."

Damon frowns and steps towards her "I missed a lot huh?"  
"Understatement of the year." She says with a chuckle as she moves over to the mirror "So what are you doing here?"  
"Actually, I got you something. For your birthday...you were a bit pre-occupied, so I couldn't give it to you."  
Buffy's eyes widen, stunned, that had been the last thing she had expected him to say "Wait you brought me a present."  
"Not exactly." He says as he steps closer to her revealing a small box in his hands "I didn't pay for it."  
Buffy arches her eyebrows "Wait did you steal it? Not big with stolen stuff."

Damon chuckles "No. I found it." He says as he opens the box revealing a small necklace, with a silver chain and a locket hanging from it that seemed to form bird wings "It's beautiful." She says before looking up at him in confusion "But what do you mean found it?"  
Damon looks at her carefully before pulling the necklace out of the box "Look at it carefully."

Buffy looks at him sceptically before staring at the necklace, she blinks and suddenly her head begins throbbing.

" _I hope you don't think this is too soon or too weird, but..." Stefan pauses as he pulls out a small box from his pocket "I, uh, I wanted you to have this." He says as he opens the box to reveal a beautiful necklace: it was a silver chain with a locket shaped as bird wings hanging from it_.

Buffy blinks back to reality rubbing her now sore head for a moment before glancing back up at Damon "My necklace." She breaths as she takes it from his hands staring at it intently "I thought this was gone."  
"Alaric found it in his loft, right after you went missing. I figured once we found you you'd be happy to get it back. Just figured you would also remember that you'd lost it in the first place."

Buffy smiles slightly, this was the sweetest thing he could have done, "I am happy. Thank you."  
Damon nods looking down slightly, finally, he looks back down at her looking her into eyes, the two freeze watching each other. After a moment Buffy takes a breath and tears her gaze away from his "Can you..." She asks gesturing to the necklace.  
Damon nods quickly "Ah, absolutely." He says as he takes the necklace from her.  
Buffy turns facing the mirror while Damon moves behind her. Slowly she pulls her hair back allowing Damon to place the necklace around her neck, she looks up at him in the mirror smiling at him slightly.

Damon takes his time placing the necklace on her neck, finally, he does the lock and as she turns to face him he smiles at her "Happy Birthday Buffy."  
"Thank you." She says the two stand there silently for several minutes before he backs away towards the door "Goodnight."

As he closes the door behind him Buffy places a hand over the locket, however suddenly the pain in her head returns

 _Buffy takes a step closer into his room and walks over to him "Let me make one thing clear, Damon. Bonnie will not die for me, I won't let that happen. I would rather be Klaus' prisoner for the rest of my life. And Elena won't let her either."_ _  
_ _"We need to kill Klaus, Buffy." Damon reminds her "Real Klaus. Who will probably be coming to pay you and Elena a visit soon now that he knows that Bonnie is dead. She's the only one who can do it."_ _  
_ _Buffy shakes her head "We find another way. Or I'm gonna find mine. And it will be one that neither you or Stefan like."_ _  
_ _"I hope so."_ _  
_ _Buffy sighs "Look, I shouldn't have punched and sent you sprawling along the floor."_ _  
_ _"Apology accepted." Damon says with a smile before looking at her seriously "Let me be clear about something. If it comes down to you and the witch again, I will gladly let Bonnie die, I will let Elena die if it comes to that. I will always choose you."_ _  
_ _Buffy watches him for a few moments before sighing "Goodnight, Damon."_ _  
_ _"Goodnight." He says before watching her leave the room._

Buffy cries in agony as she collapses to the ground, grasping her head, the pain felt as though someone was driving swords into her skull and it was getting worse. She blinks through the tears hoping it will end, however suddenly another wave of pain hits her making it hard for her to breath.

 _Damon steps closer to her "Elena is going to die and even if we kill Klaus you won't be the same, it will destroy you losing someone else. And if we don't kill him, he will take you away, forever."_ _  
_ _"That's not going to happen." Buffy tells him as he continues to step closer._ _  
_ _"That is not a risk I'm willing to take." He says as he steps even closer to her_ _  
_ _Buffy takes a deep breath and looks up at him and takes his hand "I am. It's the only option I have, to make sure I don't lose anyone else. This is my choice, I don't care what happens to me, as long as Elena lives, this is the only hope I have."_ _  
_ _Damon tilts his head "I can't lose you."_

Buffy takes a loud gasp as she tries to catch her breath, after a few moments her breathing finally calms down. She runs her hands over her face trying to calm herself, however as she pulls her hands away something makes her pause. On the floor was drops off blood. Buffy frowns, bringing her hands to her nose momentarily before bringing it away again, Buffy's eyes widen as her fingertips were now covered in blood "What the hell is happening to me?"


	77. Crush

Buffy rubs her head in frustration, she had had another flash right after she woke up, she wipes the blood from her nose with the tissue and sighs. She didn't understand what was happening to her, but there was one thing she knew, it was getting worse.

"Morning." Jeremy says as he walks into the kitchen.  
Buffy jumps slightly startled, she quickly wipes the rest of the blood from her nose before turning to Jeremy hiding the tissue behind her back "Hey—Hi—Hey."  
Jeremy frowns "Yeah you said that already."

Buffy chuckles nervously "Yeah well you know silly me. Morning."  
Jeremy stares at Buffy, she was acting seriously weird "Yeah, sure. Um...coffee?"

Buffy smiles tightly before gesturing to the fresh coffee pot in the corner, as Jeremy moves towards the coffee Buffy makes her way to her bag and quickly stuffs the bloody tissue inside.  
Just as she zips her bag close Elena steps into the room, rubbing her eyes "Morning." Elena says with a smile.

Buffy turns to her cousin a smile on her face "Hey. So what do we want for breakfast? I can make cereal."  
Jeremy chuckles "Making cereal is not making breakfast. We've explained this to you before. You're as bad as Jenna was when it comes to cooking."  
Buffy glares at him and grabs the whisk pointing it at him "Am not! I am the queen of cereal making."  
Jeremy chuckles "Yeah sure." He then glances at Elena.

Elena sighs shaking her head in amusement "I'll make pancakes."  
"Bless you." Jeremy says while Buffy pouts.

Buffy flops down next to Jeremy at the counter and he taps her on the back "Buffy, you're good at other stuff."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and shoves a bagel in her mouth "Whatever."  
Jeremy merely laughs in amusement, as does Elena.

Once Elena was finished cooking she places a plate of pancakes in the middle of the table, which is almost immediately devoured by Buffy and Jeremy "God you two eat like pigs."  
"I'm a guy." Jeremy argues "What's her excuse?"  
"Slayer." Buffy mumbles as she fills her mouth with fruit.

Elena shakes her head in amusement as she pours herself a cup of orange juice.  
As she sits down she notices something around Buffy's neck, something she hadn't seen in almost two years. "Buffy is that the necklace Stefan gave to you?"  
Buffy swallows her food before placing a hand to the locket "Um...yeah. Think so. But you know me and my memory, not exactly old reliable."

Elena arches a brow "I thought that was gone. I don't remember seeing you wear it before."  
Buffy hesitates "Um...well...actually, Damon gave it to me."

Jeremy and Elena glance at each other before turning back to the blonde "Damon gave it to you?" Elena asks sceptically "How did he even have it?"  
Buffy shrugs "Apparently he found it at Alaric's after I went missing."  
"So he kept hold of it call this time?" Jeremy asks stunned.  
Elena watches Buffy's reaction carefully as she goes on "Well, that was nice of him...Strangely nice."

Buffy shrugs and stands from her seat "Yeah, well it's no big deal. I gotta go thanks for breakfast."  
Buffy grabs her bag and heads for the door, once the door closes behind her Elena glances over at Jeremy who had the exact same look on his face.  
"We'll doesn't it feel like we're exactly where we were 2 years ago?" Jeremy asks.  
Elena sighs "I don't like this. Deja-vu is a pain in the ass."

* * *

That night at the Bronze Buffy was sat at the table watching as her friends danced around the club with a smile on her face. It was nice to actually have a normal moment away from all the crazy-ness with Glory, Klaus and even Damon and Stefan.

That moment of normalcy was quickly demolished as a person steps over to her "Bleeding crime is what it is." Spike says as he sits opposite the blonde "Jacking up the bar price to pay for fixing up this sinkhole. Not my fault the insurance doesn't cover 'act of troll'."

Buffy stares at him unamused "Gee, maybe it's time you found a new place to patronise."  
"I've half a mind tom since the flowering onion got remodelled right odd the sodding menu."  
As Buffy continues to be annoyed by Spike another vampire enters the bar.

Damon glances around the room, his eyes pause as he spots Buffy currently trying not to stake Spike who was sat opposite her.

"What are you doing?" He hears her ask Spike.  
He watches as Spike frowns in confusion "What do you mean, what am I...?"  
"Here." She explains making Damon chuckle "At this table. Talking to me. Like we're some kind of talking buddies."

"Well, I saw you sitting here alone."  
At Spike's words, Damon makes his way over to them "She's not alone. Move it Captain Peroxide you're in my seat."

Spike groans in annoyance "Salvatore." Spike glances at Buffy who merely stares at him her face blank "Fine. Suit yourself."  
Spike stands clearly unhappy and storms off, as he does Damon glances down at the blonde "You looked like you needed a hand."

"I am internally grateful." Buffy says with a smile, which promptly falls as he takes the seat Spike had been sat in.  
"What are you doing?"

Damon chuckles being gesturing behind her, as she turns she spots Spike watching them "3, 2, 1..." Damon counts down.

As he reaches one Spike walks back over "Well...we took on that Glory chippy together. I was right there with you, fighting the fight."  
Buffy stares at him sceptically "Actually, you were sleeping the sleep with the knocked unconscious."

Damon chuckled at that "Come on man, this is just pathetic and that's saying something considering all the pathetic things you do."  
Spike glares at him before snatching some money off the table and heading away from them.  
Buffy shakes her head "Just when I think he couldn't annoy me anymore...he does that."

Damon smiles at her "You know not long ago you use to say that about me."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I still do but in this situation, you're the lesser of two evils."

The two stay in a comfortable silence for another moment before Xander interrupts them "Evil dead, you're in my seat."  
Damon rolls his eyes and turns to Buffy "I'll talk to you later."

Buffy watches Damon go for a moment but when he looks back at her, she quickly looks away and turns back to her friends "I think you hurt his feelings." Anya says as she sits next to Xander.  
"And you should never hurt the feelings of a brutal killer." Xander says "You know that's actually pretty good advice."

"Hey!" Elena says as she comes over to them "Sorry I'm late. Class ran late."  
Buffy smiles "No problem."  
"You showed up just in the nick of time." Xander tells her "You up for a liquid refreshment? As I am buying for I am Payday Man."  
Elena chuckles "Surprise me."

"I accept the challenge." He says with a grin before leaning forwards in his seat to grab his cash only to freeze "Hey, where's my change?"  
Buffy locks her jaw and looks back to where Spike was currently at the bar buying a drink "Spike." Xander hisses "You diabolical fiend."

Elena glances over at Buffy, but pauses as she spots Damon in the corner "Is that Damon?"  
Buffy glances back before nodding "Yeah, guess he wants a drink."

Elena looks at her cousin sceptically "Sure. Buffy, actually there's something I need to—" Elena pauses as she spots Ben sitting on the other side of the club "Ben!"  
"Ben?" Buffy asks "Ben's here?"  
"Yes." Elena says with a grin as an idea comes to her "Buffy, why don't you go talk to him. Thank him for me, I'm gonna go get a drink."  
Buffy hesitates "Um..." Before she could argue Elena practically pushes her towards Ben.

* * *

Elena walks over to Damon who was watching Buffy "What do you think you're doing, Damon?"  
Damon tears his attention away from the blonde and turns to face her "Well, hello to you too, Elena."

Elena sighs "It's been two years Damon. You need to get over her it's never gonna happen."  
Damon scoffs, keeping his face void of emotion "Don't know what you're talking about Gilbert."

Elena shakes her head, she didn't want to be the one to do this, but she seemed to be the only one who was willing to "Yeah, cause keeping her necklace safe for over a year and a half and then giving it back to her on her birthday really shows you don't care."  
Damon merely takes another drink of his beer "Just returning something."

Elena sighs, it was like talking to a brick wall "Don't mess with her. You and Stefan put her through a lot of emotional crap. She just broke up with Riley...she can't afford drama, she needs something...normal." Elena glances over at Buffy who was currently laughing with the very cute doctor Ben.

Damon follows her gaze, his face falls as he spots Buffy clearly flirting with the very human doctor.

* * *

"You cannot just buy things in this world." Dragomir tells Bonnie and Stefan as they walk through the Market "Everything must be traded for something of equal value."  
Bonnie frowns in confusion "And that means what exactly?"

Dragomir chuckles at the innocence of the young witch, although powerful there was still much she did not know.  
"My child what that means is that we must find something that equals the power of the blood of the pure, that is the only way to collect your first ingredient."

Bonnie sighs, they had been here for days now and they were still no further to collecting everything they needed for this spell.

Stefan was as frustrated as the young witch, the had been here for five days which was at least a few weeks in Sunnydale, God knows what was happening. And even the idea that Damon had been around Buffy that long terrified him.

"So what exactly can we use to trade?" Stefan asks.  
Dragomir smiles "An Orb of Thesula. I happen to have one. I use it as a paperweight."  
Bonnie frowns there was something so familiar about that name, but she just couldn't put her finger on it.  
Stefan nods "Okay so where are we going then?"  
"To trade this with an old friend of mine. He has a shop at the end of the market. He'll be happy to trade with us. Just whatever you do don't stare at the horns."

* * *

The next day after class Buffy comes home, she walks up to her room grabbing her stake from the weapons chest, she was preparing. Xander was going to meet her at the Train station and they were going to see if they could track down the vamp that had killed those people.

Just as Buffy leaves her room she hears a sob come from the room across the hall. Elena's room. Buffy frowns, a look of worry crossing her features, she slowly makes her way towards Elena's room, she peeks inside and immediately her eyes widen as she spots Elena in bed crying.

"Elena?"  
Elena glances up, she quickly wipes her eyes and sits up forcing a smile on her face "Hey Buff. You off to patrol?" She asks gesturing to the stake in Buffy's hand.  
Buffy nods, not ignoring the fact that Elena was trying to avoid talking about why she was so upset "Yeah, vamp train massacre thing, but don't let that stop you from telling me what's got you so...upset."  
Elena chuckles nervously "It's nothing."

Buffy not believing a word of it moves over and sits on the edge of Elena's bed "Does this have to do with Glory or the Key..."  
"No, no, no." Elena assures her "it's just—it's nothing—it's stupid."  
"Elena."

Elena sighs "Look seriously it's nothing. I-me and Liam broke up that's it."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Elena, I'm so sorry."  
"It doesn't matter. It's better this way trust me. I put him at risk for 3 years. He—he—he'll be safer without me."

Buffy looks at her sadly and merely moves closer and wraps her arms around her cousin in a tight embrace.

"Hey, it could be worse." Buffy says "At least you don't have ex-vampire boyfriends."  
Elena chuckles slightly her breathing calming "Yeah, having 3 ex-murderous vampires in love with you, sounds like hell. Literally."  
Buffy frowns "Three?"

"Yeah, you know, Stefan, Damon...Spike."  
Buffy's body goes rigid, and she stares in horror "Wait what?"  
Elena sits up and looks at Buffy seriously "Buffy, Spike's totally into you."

When Buffy doesn't say anything and merely sits there staring in confusion and horror Elena sighs "Buffy, I hate to be the one that tells's you but, Spike looks at you the way Damon used to when he was still big with the killing. He's completely in love with you."

Buffy continues to stare "Huh?"

* * *

"Could you give me a clue about what kind of clues?" Xander asks as he follows Buffy into the carriage on the train. He pauses as he spots the white tape currently outlining where several of the dead bodies had been a few hours before.

Buffy sighs, shrugging slightly, she wasn't completely sure herself "Something. Anything. Just wanna know if this was a vamp attack. And if it was, how may we're talking about."  
"Well, Sunnydale's finest didn't leave us a lot of stuff to examine, and who knows how many people have traipsed through here."

As Xander speaks Buffy can't help but continue to think about her discussion with Elena earlier, it was still so disturbing and confusing. After a moment of letting her thoughts pester her Buffy turns to Xander "Xander?"  
"What?"

Buffy opens her mouth intent on telling him but no sound made its way out of her, she merely stands there frozen before frowning "Nevermind." She says quickly before turning back to look around the carriage.  
Xander watches his best friend curiously for a second before turning back to the crime scene.

Buffy continues to search but her thoughts continue to bug her, she sighs in frustration before turning back to Xander "It's just...Elena said that..." As she speaks she again freezes, not wanting to say the words out loud.  
Xander who had turned back to face the blonde frowns at her obvious uncomfortableness "Yeah?"

Buffy shakes her head and looks down at her hands, trying to avoid eye contact. "Forget it."  
"Buffy."  
Buffy sighs, "She thinks...she said that..." Buffy pauses and watches Xander for a moment who was looking at her curiously "Spike's in love with me."

Xander stays silent for a moment merely watching her before bursting out in laughter."  
"I'm not joking." Buffy responds annoyed.  
"Oh, I hope not. It's funnier if it's true."

* * *

Buffy closes the front door, before shrugging off her jacket.  
"Buffy is that you?!" She hears Jeremy ask from the kitchen.

"No, it's Paul Anka. Just finished my guest spot on Gilmore Girls, and damn is that dog weird." She jokes as she tosses her jacket on the couch before running her fingers through her hair.  
"Buffy get in here now!" Jeremy yells.

Buffy immediately tenses, she quickly runs into the kitchen only to freeze at the sight before her. Jeremy was holding a crossbow while Elena was holding a gun and a large wooden stake, "What the hell are you guys doing?!" Buffy exclaims as she steps further into the room only to pauses as she spots the person her cousins' currently had their weapons pointed at "Oh."

"You're cousins' are bloody lunatics." Spike says as he stands in front of the back door, hands raised in defeat.  
Buffy frowns "What the hell are you doing here?"  
"He was here when I got home." Elena tells her.  
Buffy's head spins back to look at Spike "You broke into my house?!"  
Jeremy nods and raises the crossbow again while Spike glares at him "For good reason."

Buffy rolls her eyes before glancing at her cousins, she gives them a nod letting them know to lower their weapons.

After a brief pause, Spike turns to the three of them, his focus on Buffy "I really need to talk to you."  
Jeremy glares at Spike "Can I shoot him?"  
"No!" Spike exclaims before moving towards Buffy "I got a bit of info you might be keen on knowing."  
Buffy stares at him uncomfortably "Sorry, all out of cash. Why don't you hit on Giles...hit up Giles?  
"I got a bead on the guy who killed those people. The ones on the train."  
Jeremy frowns in confusion "Wait what?"  
"Later." Buffy says before turning back to Spike "Do tell."  
"I'll do better than that. I'll show."

* * *

Stefan and Bonnie follow Dragomir through the market on their way to meet the Wizard's contact.  
"So you think this is actually gonna work?" Bonnie asks Stefan.

Stefan glanced at the witch before turning back to stare at the town before him "I hope so."  
"It's just-" Bonnie pauses, it just seemed like something bad was going to happen, it couldn't just be a simple deal, nothing was ever that simple. Especially in their lives.

"It just seems like this is way too easy. I mean these past few weeks, we've planned out how to get every ingredient, but it all just seems..."  
"I get it." Stefan tells her, he understood where she was coming from, and he completely agreed. The Black Market was not somewhere where deals went smoothly, there was always something. "Whatever you do, don't let your guard down. I've made that mistake here before."  
Bonnie glances at him curiously, she was about to ask something else however Dragomir pauses infront of an abandoned building "It's time."

* * *

"He actually told you?" Willow asks Buffy, as she sits opposite the blonde with Jeremy and Elena, still staring in shock "He said, I love you?"  
Buffy sighs "Well, I didn't let him get that far, but I could see the words coming."  
Jeremy just continues to stare at Buffy "What is it with you and vamps?"  
Elena's eyes widen and she immediately hits Jeremy across the back of the head "Jeremy!" She hisses before turning back to her cousin a worried look on her face.  
"Buffy? I hate to ask but...is there anyway you somehow, possibly, maybe lead him on in any way?" Elena asks hesiatantly.  
Buffy pauses shrugging slightly "Well, I do beat him up a lot."  
Jeremy chuckles in amusement "You do that to Damon." He points out.

Immedtely Buffy's eyes widen "Oh God." She says as she get's his point "Ew. This is eecky."  
Willow looks at Buffy, a look of worry covering her face "Buffy, I'm really worried."  
Elena nods in agreement "Me too."  
Jeremy turns to his elder cousin "God nows what he might do. I mean remember what happened when you said no to Damon?"

Buffy pauses for a second as she remembers Damon snapping Jeremy's neck, she sighs "That's not gonna happen. As long as it's still chips ahoy in Spike's head, he can't hurt me, or any of us. You know besides, this'll probably just blow over. You know? It's just a weird Spike thing. He'll have the hots for some gak demon before we know it." She says desperately trying to convince herself that what she was saying was in fact true.

* * *

 **TALAHASSE**

Mary groans in annoyance as her heel sinks into the sand "I hate California."  
Klaus who was currently lying on the sand with his eyes closed grunts in annoyance "You hate everything Marianna."  
The raven haired witch glares down at him before kicking the sand at her feet at him, covering his jeans in the wet sand.  
Klaus peeks an eye open only to sigh "I let you out of your cage, yet you act like an ungrateful brat."

Mary rolls her eyes, every nerve in her body wanted to make Klaus's head implode from the inside out but she was powerless because of that damn curse he had his witch place on her. She could only use magic when he let her and it was driving her insane, she was very close to tearing out her own hair as she was unable to give into the urge to use magic.  
"Oh my lord I'm so sorry." She says sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.

Klaus chuckles in amusement before standing and moving into her personal space making her have to glare up at him, he places a finger on her chin, tilting her head up so he can look her in the eye "My dear sweet Mari, you are still the same, impatient child."  
"And you're still the same, argoant, narcissistic burk."

Klaus chuckles again before backing away from the woman he had known for so long "How is she?" He asks changing the subject.  
Mary's eyes widen slightly "On track."  
"And the doppelganger?"  
Mary rolls her eyes before grabing Klaus' jacket and placing it on the sand before taking a seat "Safe."  
Klaus nods "Good, we will return soon. We just need to make a small stop in New Orleans first."  
Mary freezes, she glances up at him "Why there?"  
"We're going to check in on our family."

* * *

 **SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA**

Buffy blinks slightly as she feels a warm light shining on her face, groaning slightly she tries to move only to find herself restrained. Finally it all comes back to her. Drusilla. Drusilla was here. With Spike. Buffy groans as she remembers Drusilla tazering her.

Finally she manages to open her eyes only to spot Spike standing in front of her watching her intently "There she is."  
Buffy quickly tries to move again but when she finds herself unable to she looks to the side to see the chains on her hands, which currently had her trapped.  
As she struggles Spike continues to watch her "I was beginning to think you'd sleep the night away."  
Buffy finally turns her attention back to him and finally notices an absense in the room "Dru...Drusilla?" She asks still weak.

A smirk covers Spike's face and slowly he steps to the side allowing Buffy to see Drusilla who was currently tied to a wooden pole in the middle of the room.  
"Not nice to change the game in mid-play, Spike." Drusilla rambles "You've taken my chair and the music hasn't stopped."  
"Sorry, pet." Spike tells her as he turns back to Buffy "My house, my rules."  
"I think I shall be very cross with you when I'm free again."

Buffy rolls her eyes at the lunatic vampire and focuses on the other lunatic vampire in the room "What's going on?"  
"Simple." Spike says "I'm gonna prove something." He steps closer to her, again blocking her view of Drusilla and looks at her intently, his face full of emotion "I love you."  
Buffy immediately groans, her face scrunches up in disgust "Oh, my God."  
When she looks away from him, Spike forcibly grabs her chin, forcing her to look back at him "No, look at me. I...love you."  
Buffy ruthly pulls herself away and glares at him disgusted as he continues "You're all I bloody think about. Dream about. You're in my gut, in my throat. I'm drowning in you, Summers, I'm drowning in you."

* * *

Stefan and Bonnie watch as Dragomir pulls the Orb of Thesula from his rob, Bonnie frowns there was something so familar about that object, she just couldn't put her finager on it.  
Dragomir chuckles slightly "It was used to curse Angelous." He tells the young witch as he carefully places the Orb in Stefan's hands.  
Stefan's eyes widen at the mention of Angel's true name "Wait how did you-"  
"I helped the gypsies." Dragomir states simply before stepping towards a large grey metal door, before Bonnie had a second to question anything Dragomir's entire body goes tense "Something is not right." He whispers to the two.

Stefan quickly hands Bonnie the Orb before moving in front of her and the wizard, he looks back at them for a second before knocking on the door.

The door opens slightly, hesitantly Stefan steps inside, as he does he glances around the dark room "Where's he?" He asks Drgomir.  
Dragomir steps forward, closing his eyes for a brief second he takes a deep breath, suddenly his eyes shoot open and he steps towards another door in the corner of the room.  
Yanking the door open a creature falls out, crashing into the ground, blood seeping out of his stomach and head.

When Stefan looks at the blue creature and spots the horns, he glances back at the wizard "I take it this is who we are looking for."  
"Not anymore. Whoever did this took the blood."  
Stefan freezes, trying to contemplate what to do next however suddenly a small voice comes from behind him "Stefan."

Stefan and Dragomir both turn to see Bonnie with a knife to her thoat as a tall vampire held her tightly by the waist.  
"Looking for this?" The vampire asks as he raises the vile of blood that the three needed.  
Stefan growls but the vampire merely chuckles "No, no, no, none of that. I suggest you behave boy."

Bonnie groans but notices the vampire's arm loosen around her, she places her hand on his arm "vysušiť"  
Suddenly the vampire howls in agony, as the viens in his arms starts to shrivel up before his entire arm turns a dark grey, he shoves Bonnie to the ground and moves to escape however Stefan is faster and before the vampire can even blink Stefan has his hand buried in his chest.  
The vampire's eyes widen before his body turns to dust crumbling to the ground, Stefan quickly catches the vile of blood before it can hit the ground "One down."

* * *

 _"_ _Another psycho vampire huh?"_ Rick asks Damon as they speak on the phone.  
Damon chuckles slightly as he moves to sit on his couch, placing his feet up on the coffee table "Yet, little Gilbert filled me in. You know I'm starting to think it's a bit. Pyscho vampire's going after Buffy."

In Mystic Falls Rick chuckles, before sighing slightly, they still hadn't dicussed the elephant in the room "So, you and Buffy..."  
 _"_ _Rick."_ Damon says with a sigh, they had had this discussion so many times, the last time was right after he and Stefan left for Sunnydale, and each time the coversation ended the same way.  
"I talked to Elena. I think you need to take a beat with Buffy."  
Damon groans in annoyance " _We've talked about this Rick."  
_ "Yeah, and you told me you were over her. After talking to Elena clearly that's not the case. Look whatever it is you two have going on I think it's a bad idea. She just broke up with her boyfriend and she can't even remember her life."

Back in Sunnydale, Damon scoffs at the mention of Riley before rubbing his forehead "Rick no offence my dear drinking buddy but it's not your problem."  
" _I'm supposed to look out for her, just like Jeremy and Elena. Doesn't matter where they are, this is me doing that."  
_ Damon stands and begins pacing in frustration "You sure you haven't spoken to Stefan, cause this sounds like one of his speakes."  
 _"I don't need to. You may have said you're over her before you left but you are not. So you need to take a beat, Damon."  
_ Damon closes his eyes, yes he still loved her but there was something he knew deep down "Well like Mary said, I never get the girl. Especially, this girl. So even if I did care, wouldn't matter anyway."

* * *

Buffy walks down the street furious, after Spike finally released her she had bashed his face in, hoping that that would help him finally get the hint. But alas it did not as currently he was chasing her down the street.  
"Buffy?" He yells "Come on now, stop!" He yells as he runs up to her and walks beside her "You can't just walk away from this."  
"What part of punching you in the face did you not understand?" She asks, not even sparing him a glance.  
Spike merely shrugs not sensing the big deal "We had a fight. It doesn't change anything."

Buffy stops in her tracks and spins around to face him, a furious look covering her face "It changes everything, Spike!" She screams "I want you out. I want you out of this town. I want you off this planet. You don't come near me, my friends or my family again, ever! Understand?"

She doesn't give him the opportunity to answer as she turns on him and walks the rest of the way towards her house, however as she climbs the steps of her porch he follows her shaking his head, refusing to let this go "No. It's not that easy. We have something, Buffy. It's not pretty, but it's real..." As he continues to rant she opens the front door and steps inside before turning to stare at him as she leans against the door frame "...and there's nothing we can do about it. I'm in your life. You can't just shut me out." Spike freezes as he tries to cross the barrier into her house only to bounce back as he feels an invisible force shove him away from the door.  
His face falls and he looks at Buffy, a vunerable look covering his expression, the blonde merely steps away and closes the door in his face.

* * *

Mary watches as Klaus closes the gate in the basement of their temporary home in New Orleans where 5 coffins currently laid.  
"Why not let them out?" She asks as she walks along side Klaus, as they head back upstairs. Klaus stays silent until they walk into the large living room, grabbing a glass of bourbon he turns back to the witch "It's not the right time. My family will be reunited in time."

Mary merely rolls her eyes "I doubt the person in the spell bound coffin would agree with you on that."  
Klaus' eyes glaze over in fury "That doesn't matter." He hisses "She is dead. Nothing's going to change that."  
Mary snatches the bourbon out of his hands before jumping onto the oversized red velvet couch, as she places her feet on the couch Klaus clicks his fingers at her "Mari! Feet off the couch."

Mary groans in annoyance, before dramatically lifting her feet off the couch and flopping them on the ground.  
She drinks her bourbon in silence before glancing at the clock "So guess it's time to get back to my cage huh?

Klaus looks at the young brunette hesitantly, what could be the harm in giving her one night of freedom he thought to himself "Not tonight. Just stay in the house." He tells her as heads for the door "I'll be back soon."

Mary watches as Klaus closes the door behind, she sits there for serveal minutes listening as he walks down the street towards his car. The minute she hears the car speed off she stands, downing the rest of her glass she places it on the ground before heading downstairs.  
She kicks down the gate and as the doors swings open, she walks over to the coffin in the corner left of the room.  
Yanking open the lid she looks down at the vampire inside before pulling the dagger from their chest "Time to wake up, Elijah."


	78. I Was Made To Love You

"Spike!" Buffy exclaims in annoyance and disgust as she continues to throw Damon aimlessly around the training room "Spike wants me." She mutters as she punches Damon in the gut, she moves to punch his face, but he blocks the blow only for her to twists his arm before kicking him in the back, finally she spins around and slaps her other leg into his face knocking him down with a grunt.

Buffy pauses and waves her arms around frantically "How obscene is that?" She asks Giles.

Giles who was currently sat with Xander, watching in amusement as Buffy continues to take out her frustrations on the vampire turns to his slayer "Well, it is very strange. I can't imagine what he's thinking."

Damon who was currently attempting to stand gives Giles an odd look before having the blonde kick him across the room "Why did I agree to this?" He groans as he struggles to get back on his feet.

Giles quickly panics "Not that you're not...attractive..." He says awkwardly but luckily for him, Buffy was paying him very little attention as she continued to attack Damon who was now finally able to stand again.

She pauses and groans "I feel gross, you know, like...like, dirty." She says before shaking her body in disgust and tackling Damon to the ground.

At her words, Giles stands "That's ridiculous. You can't be responsible for what Spike thinks or feels."

Buffy who was currently struggling with Damon sighs, only to be pinned by Damon who smirks. Buffy rolls her eyes "Aren't I responsible?" She asks as she throws Damon off her before standing back up "Something about me had to make him feel that, right? Something that made him say 'Woof! That's the one for me"

Buffy moves to attack Damon again and he looks over at Giles and Xander incredulously "Seriously?!" He exclaims before turning to Buffy "Buffy, come on maybe you should calm it."

Buffy freezes in her steps and freaks as she sees Damon's bruised face "Oh! Damon, I'm sorry. I got...I guess I got carried away. Are you okay?" She asks as she helps him up.

He shrugs her off before forcing his broken jaw back into place "I'm fine."

Giles sighs "I'll get some blood, I should have some in the stock room." He says as he makes his way out the room.

Xander nods in agreement "I'll get the scotch and the puffy Xander suit."

Buffy chuckles in amusement before helping Damon sit down, the moment he is sat she goes right back to pacing around the room "So that's my secret to attracting men. Slap 'em around, torture 'em, make their lives hell..."

"Buffy..." Damon tries only for her to ignore him and continue to rant.

"Sure, the nice guys run away, but every now and then you meet a real prince of a guy like Spike who gets off on it."

Damon sighs before turning to face her "Buffy, look at me. Take it from me...the problem is not you. You are an extraordinary person, one that no one deserves." Buffy blinks slightly as she listens, knowing that she shouldn't be letting him continue "Trust me." Damon tells her as he stands in front of her, moving closer.

Buffy looks up at him hesitantly "I—" She pauses not knowing if he was the best person to talk to about this "I just wanna know that there's gonna be another good one. One that I'll remember."

Damon smirks slightly at the blonde "You never know Buff. Time changes things."

Buffy looks up at him slightly freezing as she realises how close the two of them were standing, she backs away quickly and luckily is saved as Xander hobbles into the room in the puffy punching bag costume "Saved by puffy Xander."

* * *

"Buffy, what is it?" Elena asks as she sits opposite Buffy at lunch, the blonde was staring at the wall completely dazed.

Buffy sighs before shaking her head "It's nothing." She knew she shouldn't lie but this was something she couldn't admit, something she wasn't ready to. When Elena notices Buffy playing with her necklace it was all made clear.

"You know you are Damon...you're spending a lot more time together. Weekly sparring sessions, working together..." Elena hesitates "You sure there's not something you're not telling me?"

Buffy's eyes widen "What, huh?" She laughs nervously "I—I don't know what you're talking about..."

Elena sighs, she knew this was hard, Buffy had been through this once before, hiding feelings that were there, and she couldn't even imagine how confusing everything was now that she didn't remember a lot of her life "He's getting under your skin."

Buffy stares at her cousin stunned before shaking her head "No. Look we're just..."

"Friends?" Elena finishes before sighing "You've said that before. Buffy, I hate to be the one to do this and I know you're mind is out of place with what happened with Riley, plus remembering your relationship with Stefan and now Damon...but you have to admit it...as much as I don't think you should you are attracted to him and all of his bad brother glory."

"No." Buffy says stubbornly as she takes a bite of her pasta shaking her head, she couldn't let it be true, she just couldn't.

Elena closes her eyes, even after 3 years she still couldn't admit it "Come on Buffy, I know you better than anyone. So don't sit here and lie to me admit it..."

"I can't." Buffy hisses before groaning in annoyance and running a hand through her hair in frustration "I was in love with his brother and I don't even remember it. It's not right. It's wrong. If I even admit it...if I even let the thought in for a second what does that say about me? What's wrong with me?"

Elena looks at her cousin sympathetically before tilting her head and taking her hand in hers "It says you're human." Elena closes her eyes and takes a deep breath "And I think, don't hate me for saying this but you need to stay away from both of them in your personal life. Look Stefan is my friend and I know he and Damon love you but...you are my sister so I think what's best for you is to clear your head. Stay away from vampires in your love life. At least till you know what you want."

Buffy takes a deep breath before sighing, maybe Elena was right, she needed time to think about what she wanted, she just wasn't sure what that was anymore.

* * *

Dark Dimensions

 _"Te spirits redeat as quod quid est."_ Bonnie chants as she sits on the living room floor of Dragomir's home. She was alone, Stefan and Dragomir had gone to get the second ingredient for the potion, so she was taking advantage of the time to try and see how far she could get in the breakdown spell now that she had the first ingredient.

Grabbing the lid of the potion she carefully opens it and places it next to the bowl which, was filled with pure blood.

 _"Invoco tenebris copias, revela mihi veram."_ She whispers only for the candles surrounding her to go wild, the flames moving madly and rising.

Bonnie opens her eyes and slowly watches as the potion begins to levitate in front of her _"Incida! Indica!"_

She watches as the potion begins glowing and shaking violently, glancing down she watches as the blood in the bowl slowly rises reaching for the potion. However, suddenly a familiar pain shoots through her head causing everything to come back to a halt.

"Dammit!" Bonnie exclaims as the candles blow out and the potion drops back down to the ground.

* * *

Sunnydale, California

"How ya doing?" Xander asks Buffy cheerfully as the two of them dance together at the party at one of the college campuses.

Buffy grins up at her best friend as they continue to swing left to right "You know, I am. Dancing with you is better than trying to hook up with some good-looking guy."

Xander looks down at her, his manhood now slightly bruised "I think I liked it better when you were kicking me in my puffy groin." He pauses "Actually correction I preferred it when you were kicking Damon around the room like a piñata."

* * *

Elena was walking over to Willow, Tara and Anya when the music stopped and the song Xander and Buffy were dancing to came to an end.

Elena smiles in amusement before grabbing her cousin as the next song comes on "May I?"

Buffy laughs in amusement as she and Elena begin to dance stupidly around the dance floor like they use to when they were kids.

"I take it you're having o-fun?" Buffy asks Elena as they spin each other around.  
Elena chuckles "It's nice to be out that hospital for a change."

Buffy nods in amusement; she wasn't the biggest fan of hospitals. Honestly, she hated them with a fiery vengeance but she put up with them when she goes to see Elena for lunch. But she will admit this was a much better alternative.

As they dance Buffy notices Elena spot something that had drawn her attention, she frowns wondering what had drawn her cousin away from their dancing only to pause as she spots Ben standing by the punch.

Buffy immediately can spot the wheels turning in her cousin's head "No." She says stubbornly when she spots the grin on Elena's face.

Elena pouts and continues to swing her arms around with Buffy "Come on, we talked about this. Human dating good."

Buffy groans in annoyance before glancing back at Ben "I guess...I guess he's kind of cute."

Elena shoots her hand out in the air "Success. Now go." She says as she practically shoves Buffy towards Ben.

Elena watches with a smile on her face before suddenly someone grabs her hand and spins her around.

Elena giggles as she comes face to face with Xander "Mini Gilbert." He says dramatically "Shall we?"

Elena grins and takes his hand "We shall." She laughs as he leads her into a very dramatic tango.

* * *

Buffy stands there awkwardly with Ben, cursing her cousin a million times over in her head as she does.

"Havin' a good time?" Ben asks her, sounding as equally nervous as she does.

Buffy smiles nodding slightly "Yeah, I am. I was dancing earlier, my friends and Elena are here...but not that it's all about me." She mutters quickly realising that she had been talking about herself for too long.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

Ben smiles enjoying her babbling, he honestly found it quite adorable "I am now."

* * *

After a very exhausting dance with Xander Elena moves to the bar to grab another drink, only to quickly hide behind the pillar as she spots Ben and Buffy seemingly getting along.

Elena smiles slightly as Buffy takes Ben's hand letting him lead her onto the dance floor.

Her smile however instantly drops as she spots the bleached haired vampire watching Buffy intently.

He notices her and immediately groans in annoyance as she approaches him "Small world." He says, when Elena merely continues to glares at him he smiles "Oh, Dear. If looks could stake. You having' fun, pet?"

"What the hell are you doing here, Spike?" Elena hisses "Stalking my cousin is getting a little played out now don't you think."

Spike smirks at the brunette before glancing back at the blonde, he was currently obsessed with "You and little cousin out on the town I see. Helping her troll for her next ex."

"Buffy told you to leave town Spike." Elena hisses really wanting someone to just throw him out of a 10-story window into the bright sunlight. Elena sighs to herself that normally wouldn't be her reaction but in rare cases like with Klaus and Spike, she was more open to violence.

"If she wants me to leave..." Spike says as he leers at the blonde currently dancing with the cute doctor "...then she can put her hands on my hot, tight little body and make me."

He picks up a snack from the table and glances back at Elena smirking as he placed the food on his tongue.

Elena looks at him carefully before tilting her head slightly "You sleep right?" She asks stunning him slightly by the dramatic change in the subject when he frowns in confusion she merely continues "Good. Well, let me make this clear, Spike. You go near my little cousin again, look at her, touch her..." As Elena continues she steps closer to Spike, invading his personal space "...well then one of these days. You're gonna wake up to the smell of something burning. You're gonna wake up with your flesh burning to a crisp."

Spike's eyes widen, he hated to admit it, but the little brunette woman was actually slightly scary, guess years of death and demons and vampires can harden you.

He swallows slightly before clenching his jaw and heading away from her.

* * *

After she was finished dancing with Ben and he had managed to give her his number after a very nervous speech, Buffy headed back over to Elena who looked like steam was coming out of her ears by the look of fury in her eyes.

"Lena? What's wrong?"

Elena doesn't say anything she merely gestures to Spike who was now talking to a young girl named April.

Buffy visibly tenses and crosses her arms "I warned him." Buffy hisses as she begins planning how exactly she was going to kill Spike.

Both women are quickly shocked to silence as they watch the girl April lift Spike off the ground with her bare hands.

"Hey, hey!" Spike exclaims.  
"That would be wrong!" April exclaims as she holds Spike over her head "You are not my boyfriend!"

Buffy and Elena then watch as Spike is thrown through the window. Elena covers her mouth, holding back the laugh, she glances over at Buffy who was doing the exact same.

Spike stands and turns to stare at the woman who had thrown him in shock "Bloody hell, you threw me through a window."

As they speak Buffy glanced at Elena "I'll be right back." She says before making her way through the crowd, Elena frowns before following her.

The two women stop just as the brunette girl turns to face the crowd who all back away "No one but Warren can touch me."

As the girl moves to leave Buffy blocks her path "Excuse me. Hi. Um...maybe you and I could talk, you know, cos..." Buffy pauses, she couldn't help the slight chuckle take comes to her as she speaks "...throwing Spike through a window...that's good. Um but you know, generally speaking..."

The brunette girl, April merely stands there her face blank before cutting Buffy off "Do you know my boyfriend?"

Buffy pauses and stares at the girl, there was seriously something off about her, she was so mechanical, her obsession with finding this guy was insane "Ok, I think you need to take a second and stop looking for your boyfriend."

April glares at Buffy before grabbing her arms and throwing her away from her.

Buffy flies through the air before landing painfully on the ground.

"Buffy!" Elena exclaims as she moves to approach her however Buffy gives her a look making it clear she was to stay clear of April.

April approaches Buffy as she clutches her arm "If I hurt you just now, I am sorry. And I hope that your boyfriend will take good care of you."

* * *

 _"_ _I don't know about you, but I've had it with super-strong little women who aren't me."_ Buffy says in annoyance as she speaks to Damon over the phone.

Damon who was currently reading one of the books The Council had given to Buffy regarding Glory pauses and adjusts the phone against his ear before smiling at her words.

"You tend to be the only little women I'm fine with throwing me around a room, so I'm with you on that." He says teasingly as he places down the book and stands from his seat; moving over to the bar.

As he pours himself a drink he thinks for a moment "So what is she?"  
 _"_ _A robot."_ Buffy says casually, making him pause _"Plus she threw Spike out a window."_

Damon stands there stunned for a moment. A robot? He asks himself, now that was different in all his years he had never come across one before. He then laughs at the Spike being thrown out a window part, that was just pure gold. As much as he wanted to rip the half-breed's heart out for going near Buffy.

"Sad I missed it, did the brit cry?" He jokes before taking a sip of his scotch.

Buffy chuckles _"I wish. Anyway, we're in research mode tomorrow. But when I'm going after she terminator, how'd you feel about a little double team."_

Damon smiles, "Depends... it won't be you and the robot trying to kill me right?"  
 _"_ _Nah. I like beating you up all on my own."_

* * *

"Dear God, Elena, Buffy there's only so much I can take." Giles says clearly exhausted as the two young women finally relieve him from watching Jeremy, who was still on house arrest after beating up his boss. "We'll have to change the system. I understand that Jeremy is still under punishment but an 18-year old's too old to be babysat, and it's not fair on him."

Buffy and Elena both glance at each other, it was very obvious that when Giles said it wasn't fair on Jeremy he was clearly speaking about himself.

Elena nods before glancing back at Giles "What did my brother make you do?"

As Buffy and Elena both grin, Giles rubs his forehead "We listened to aggressively loud music by people chosen for their ability to play air guitar. Played on that absurd x-box shooting zombies and then he gave me a lecture on the difference between California women and a woman in Mystic falls. Or the correct term as I was informed 'California babes'."

* * *

Elena jogs past the houses of the Sunnydale street the next morning, she had been trying to keep herself distracted after finding out about being the Key. So in between her training session with Buffy and Giles, she went out every morning for a jog. It helped her clear her mind.

As her beeper goes off she stops and smiles, she had made her target, moving to head back she freezes as she spots a hooded figure running in her direction. In the past few months that she had been in this town, she had met everyone on the street and he did not live here. She turns and begins jogging the other way away from him, however, when she hears him speed up it makes her panic, speeding up down the road towards the house she turns the corner and stops behind a tree.

After a moment she sighs in relief as he doesn't appear around the corner, she moves to head home only to crash into someone's chest.

She looks up and gasps as she spots the man who had chased her now stood in front of her.

He lowers his hood and smiles at her "Excuse me. Should have been watching where I was going."

Elena shakes her head "Don't worry about it." She says before watching him run off.

* * *

"I feel like I'm going crazy. I'm totally paranoid all the time." Elena tells Buffy as they sit in the kitchen later that morning.

Buffy sighs before looking at her cousin sadly, this was all too much, with Klaus using her as a human blood bag and Glory wanting to do god knows what with her, it was all so unfair.

"It's understandable." Buffy tells her sincerely "Bonnie's off somewhere with Stefan, so we don't have one of the only people to ever beat Klaus." Buffy huffs out a breath in frustration "And Klaus is still out there, wanting to take us both and lock us up, plus now with Glory looking for you."

"But he left." Elena says completely confused "And he hasn't made a move since, neither has Glory, we haven't seen her since Willow's spell. No sign of either of them." Elena shakes her head, she was going crazy she runs her hands through her hair before groaning "Don't listen to me, this is just my slow spiral into insanity."

"Join the club." Buffy tells her "Every time I close my eyes I get flashes. And I can't tell anymore what's reality and what is just a part of Klaus messing with my brain."

The two cousins sit there in silence both worrying for the other's safety. Elena worried about Buffy's sanity and freedom, as the barriers separating her real memories from those created by Klaus started to crumble making her reality so confusing, to the fact that one day Klaus was going to show up and try to take her away from eternity.

Buffy herself was worried about Elena's life and lack of a normal one, Glory wanted her, would do god knows what to her, likely kill her, and Klaus wanted to lock her away and just use her blood to sire a hybrid army.  
Buffy lets out a horse laugh "Our lives really are weird."  
Elena chuckles "You got that right, sister."

The two cousins laugh despite the horrors surrounding their lives, however, the phone ringing makes them both pause.

Buffy attempts to contain her laughter "That will be Willow with the info on our Dr Frankinstien."

Elena shakes her head in amusement however as she moves to wash the dishes she hears a glass shatter from behind her. Turning her head she spots Buffy with a furious look on her face as her now broken glass was shattered in her grasp, blood spilling from the wound.

"Buffy?"

Buffy raises her hand telling her to be quiet before turning her attention back to the phone.

 _"_ _Did you miss me, love."_ Klaus says to the blonde beauty as her breathing picked up, her anger fueling her.

"Klaus."

 _"_ _Hello, Dear, just calling to check in on my lovely Slayer and doppelganger."_

Buffy's fist clench, the anger in her not even registering the blood dripping down her fingers from the broken glass, which was burying itself further into her hand.

"Where are you?" She hisses the overwhelming urge to drive a stake into his heart compelling her.

 _"_ _Want to join me?"_ He asks flirtatiously.

"Hardly." Buffy answers flatly "More like wanting to beat you to a pulp. If that's what gets your motor running that's your damage."

Klaus chuckles, despite the fact that he was a psycho he did have a brilliant laugh.  
 _"_ _You're a shifty one, pet."_ Buffy rolls her eyes.  
"What do you want asshat?" She asks getting very impatient.

 _"_ _I just want to let you know that I have a few...let's use the word friends keeping an eye on you and that cousin of yours. So don't do anything stupid. I'll be seeing you soon love."_

As the line goes dead Buffy freezes and glances over at Elena who was staring in horror, "I don't think you're paranoid."

* * *

"Thanks, Wil." Buffy says before hanging up the phone and approaching Damon and Stefan's apartment. She hated that she had to get Willow and Xander and the gang to handle the robot problem but Klaus sending hybrids to her city had to take priority. Having the hybrids around would cause unwanted trouble which she really didn't need, she already had Glory's minions sniffing around for Elena she didn't need Klaus' lackeys here to do the exact same thing.

As she pushes the front door open not even bothering to knock she spots Damon walking around the living room shirtless. Her eyes widen slightly and she can't help but admire him, she quickly shakes her head and moves towards him.

Damon turns to the blonde and smiles "There is a thing called knocking you know."

When she rolls her eyes he merely chuckles before grabbing his shirt and slipping it on "Issues with the robot?" He asks.

"I'm not here about that. Willow's handling it." Damon frowns, she was never one to hand off a problem to someone else, without a damn good reason.

"Klaus called me today." She tells him.

Damon's eyes widen before he spots the bandage on her hand, carefully taking her hand he winces at the sight of the glass cuts.

Buffy holds her breath as Damon takes her hand, she looks up and ends up catching his eyes.

She gulps slightly before pulling her hand away, the room now felt too small. She steps away from him for a moment and clears her throat "Klaus has a hybrid in town watching me and Elena."

Damon's eyes widen before he groans in annoyance "You have got to be kidding me."

Buffy tilts her head "Wanna go Hybrid hunting?"

* * *

Willow and Xander stand awkwardly as they watch Warren and Katrina fight before finally, the tall woman storms out.

Willow and Xander step into the house not exactly feeling very comfortable. Xander clears his throat drawing Warren's attention "I'm Xander, this here is Wil. We all went to the hell that is Sunnydale High together. Do you know who we are?"

Warren nods "Yes, I know. Um...April, did she hurt someone?"  
Xander chuckles slightly remembering the sight of Spike getting chucked out a window "No one important."  
"She's looking for me. She followed me here."

"We figured." Willow says with a sigh, they didn't have time for this, they needed to find this girl before she actually hurt someone and contain her till Buffy could stop her.

"No there's more. There's something you need to know."  
Xander chuckles getting where he was going with this "Dude, trust me, we know."  
"No, wait. This is important. She's a robot."

Xander tilts his head "And your point?"

* * *

"A robot?" Jeremy asks as he and Elena follow Tara and Giles towards the exit of the magic box.

"Now that is awesome." Jeremy says before turning to Tara "Was she hot?"  
Tara frowns uncomfortable, Elena rolls her eyes before slapping her brother's arm "Quit it." She orders before turning to Giles.

"What about that Ted guy from before Buffy moved back to Mystic Falls. Was it like that?" Elena asks genuinely curious she and Buffy hadn't gotten a lot of time to discuss the robot, after Klaus' Buffy was shaken up and had taken off straight away.

Tara shakes her head "No, nothing like that. She was more obvious, well that's how Willow said it."

Giles sighs before cleaning his glasses "Willow and Xander are tracking this young man now, so I will take you both home. While Damon and Buffy are tracking the hybrid we have to make sure that you are home where they cannot enter."

Elena nods, hating this whole situation, things were never simple, they had moved halfway around the country and yet still things were just as complicated if not more so than in Mystic Falls.

As Giles moves to open the door he turns to face Anya who was currently cleaning one of the bookshelves "Anya mind the store till I get back."

"Sir yes sir." She answers enthusiastically before mumbling something about the cash register and the money.

"Coming through!" A voice exclaims shoving Giles out of the way as a hooded figure covered in a burning blanket storms into the Magic Box.

Everyone in the room freezes, as the man in the burning blanket, throws the blanket off his shoulders.

Immediately both Elena and Jeremy tense at seeing Spike as does Giles.

"Fire! Fire!" Spike exclaims as he throws the burning blanket on the ground trying to put out the fire.

After a long awkward moment, Spike turns to the group "Hello, all. What's goin' on, then?"

Giles glares at him and before Jeremy or Elena can say anything he steps towards the vampire "Spike, you're not welcome here." He hisses, the evidence of the ripper seeping into his eyes.

"Is there a way to de-invite him?" Elena asks as she reaches for her gun which was hidden under her shirt "I mean despite the public place thing."

Jeremy grins "No let him in, the I can throw him out into the sun. I've also wanted to see that Billy Idol fire trick live, this will be like the real thing."

"Oooh." Anya says cheerfully, enjoying all the threatening and violence "Can we throw him out the window like the robot did." She pauses "Well Jeremy can, he's all muscle and buff...no offence, Giles."

While Jeremy smirks slightly Giles doesn't seem to be listening to Anya's ranting as his full attention was on Spike who was yammering on about the robot.

"Robot?" Spike asks astonished "That's what she was? I knew somethin' wasn't right."

Spike turns to spot Elena glaring at him "I see where little miss sunshine gets the scariness from."

Tara steps forwards moving closer to Elena protectively and crosses her arms "I think you'd better go."

Spike sighs before tilting his head in annoyance, clearing Buffy had told them all what had happened the other night "Ok. Now, I was afraid of this..." He turns and points at Elena and Jeremy "Now before these two start shooting me with wooden bullets I can explain. Misrepresentations, misunderstandings, slurs and allegations. I don't know what Buffy told you, but..."

Jeremy steps forward and punches Spike in the face "Jeremy!" Elena exclaims as she pulls her brother back.

"Do not say her name." Jeremy hisses at Spike before pulling himself out of Elena's grasp.

Spike rubs his now sore jaw and turns to Elena "Thank you, finally someone who can listen now where was—" Spike is cut off again as this time Elena punches him in the face causing him to stumble against the bookshelf.

He groans shocked that the little bit had hit him.  
Elena rubs her knuckles, which were now slightly painful, but hell is was so worth it.

"I love all this violence!" Anya exclaims jumping up and down a bit.  
Elena rolls her eyes and grabs her gun aiming it at Spike "Spike I warned you..."

Spike stands back up raising his hands in defence, the slayer's damn family were all violent nut-chases like her "Now hold up...Slayer and I fought side by side against Dru..."

Giles steps around Jeremy and Elena, he lowers Elena wrist making her lower the gun before standing protectively in front of the brother-sister pair and glaring at Spike menacingly "Spike. Listen to me."

"It's just..." Spike stammers, "I'm just trying to explain. She might have said some things that sounded like I expressed some kind of..."

For the third time in less than five minutes Spike is again cut off as Giles shoves him back against the bookshelf before approaching him, Giles the Watcher now nothing more than a memory, the ripper had taken over "We are not your friends. We are not your way to Buffy. There is no way to, Buffy."

* * *

"And he would be here why?" Buffy asks as she and Damon trample through the forest looking for the hybrid "He spent his time following Elena around in town, I doubt he's gone to the woods."

Damon shakes his head before leading her up the hill towards the place he thought the hybrid would be held up.

"Klaus told you the hybrid was in town...I seriously doubt the hybrid is gonna be walking around town if he knows the Slayer is looking for him. Hybrids may be arrogant and stupid but they're not as stupid as your cousins."

"Damon!" Buffy hisses before slapping his arm and walking beside him in silence, as they walk she looks up at the sun before frowning the sun was setting and it was a full moon tonight, she frowns before glancing at Damon "Can they change at will?"

Damon nods "The only hybrid I met could when I was... nevermind anyway he tried to take a munch out of me."

Buffy freezes, pausing in her steps and turns to him shocked "What!" She exclaims waving her hands around "Why would you agree to come if one almost killed you?"

"I didn't have a choice then plus now I have backup that comes in a blonde bottle."

Buffy groans in annoyance and continues to glare at him angrily before frowning, what did he mean by didn't have a choice? "What are you talking about?"

Damon groans, clenching his jaw, he wasn't exactly in the mood for the blonde to be yelling at him or an emotional talk he just wanted to get this done. Searching for this hybrid was bringing up memories of when he was bitten the first time by Tyler, memories he would rather not be dealing with while in her presence.

"Damon." Buffy draws out before crossing her arms, making it clear he was to answer her "When?"

Damon sighs before shrugging and walking past her "When I was looking for you."

Buffy pauses and watches him as he walks for a moment, he had almost died again because he had been looking for her because she had handed herself over to Klaus.

Taking a deep breath and swallowing her pride she speeds up so that she can walk beside him "I'm sorry."

Damon frowns in confusion but doesn't say anything as he spots the look on her face, guilt, but the more interesting look of worry. He can't help the small smirk that crosses his face at the fact that she was actually worried about him.

Buffy and Damon both freeze as they hear footsteps coming from far ahead, the blonde turns to glances at the dark-haired vampire, the two give each other a nod before heading towards the sound.

Buffy hands Damon her bag before grabbing the blade from her jacket "There are ropes in there, whatever you do don't—"

"Ah! Ow!" Damon exclaims as he drops Buffy's bag, his hand now burning slightly "What the hell?!"

Buffy groans "I told you not to." She says before picking up her bag and shoving it into his arms "They are covered in Vervain and wolf's bane. I think before I hunt...most of the time. Just wait here."

Damon drops her bag again making her glare, that bag cost her a fortune "No way in hell!" He exclaims.

Buffy sighs "Look I'm just gonna draw his attention, he sees you and we're screwed. He won't hurt me."

Damon glares at her before storming towards the sound again "Nope. Not gonna happen."

"Damon!" Buffy exclaims before running after him.

When she catches up to him they were in the middle of a large clearing a large mansion in the middle "This smells like Klaus." Damon says with a shrug gesturing to the mansion.

Buffy rolls her eyes before glancing around the property before finally, her eyes settle on the man walking out of the mansion.

"Buffy Summers, surprised it took you so long."

* * *

"I felt like I deserved to have someone. Everyone deserves to have someone." Warren argues as Willow and Xander sit on his couch, listening to him ramble.

"And Manufacturing came to your mind?" Xander asks "Yes, that's the greatest idea. Sex toy for your very own use. Geez, there are this thing called playboy."

Warren glares at Xander, neither of them was understanding, this was more than that, it was something deeper "No... I made her to love me. I mean, she cares about what I care about, and she wants to be with me. She listens to me and supports me. I didn't make a toy. I made a girlfriend."

* * *

Buffy places her hands on her hips as she glares at the hybrid "So you're the one tormenting my cousin. Wow, Klaus' lackeys really are persistent."

The hybrid smiles before making his way towards Damon and Buffy, he circles the blonde watching her carefully, looking her up and down appreciatively.

Damon glares at the hybrid before shoving him away "Where's Klaus?"

The hybrid chuckles "Yeah, no."

Buffy glares at him before twirling the blade in her hand "Oh, you're gonna tell us? Nowish before we make you. Trust me I really don't need to ruin another good pair of shoes."

The hybrid laughs before pointing at the blonde "He said you'd be fun...he also said not to touch you or the doppelganger." His smirk grows deeper as his eyes land on Damon "But you...Klaus said to tear you and your brother's heads off." Suddenly he lunges forward trying to get to Damon.

However, Buffy grabs the back of his head and forces him onto his stomach landing painfully on the floor with a 'thud'. She then slams his head forcefully against the floor listening to the sound of his skull crack before his body goes limp.

Damon chuckles in amusement and admires the blonde "I forgot how good you are at this."

"Never forget it." She teases before watching as Damon throws the Hybrid over his shoulder.

* * *

"Elijah, stop!" Mary exclaims as Elijah slams her up against the stonewall of the mausoleum that she had been keeping him in since she had awoken him.

"Elijah!" Mary exclaims again as he slams her head against the stone once more causing her vision to blur, "Fine!" She hisses as her eyes glaze over, black filling every corner of her eyes till they were nothing but empty pits of darkness "Enough!" She screams her voice becoming distorted.

Suddenly Elijah finds himself being thrown across the room, his eyes widen as the room begins to shake violently and the glass windows shatter as the wind fills the room.

"Marianna!" He exclaims trying to get her to stop, this was getting out of hand, she was losing control, much like when she was a child.

Finally, the raven-haired beauty lowers her arms, slowly the room stops shaking and the storm from outside comes to a pause, however as she turns to Elijah her eyes were still black.

"You shouldn't have your magic." He hisses, knowing that Klaus would have had his witches bound her magic.

Mary smirks evilly as her waist length hair swings around her "Klaus seems to forget he isn't the only one with friends. I draw magic from death Elijah, Klaus seems to forget no matter how many witches he puts around me, the amount of death he causes just strengthens me."

Slowly the darkness fades out of her eyes and she looks at him softly, much like the young girl he had watched grow up. The girl who had been so much like a little sister to him, a best friend to his own sister and the witch in the family that his mother had always wished for. She had become the daughter that their father had lost, she was strong but much like Klaus, she was stubborn and relentless.

"Why did you wake me, Marianna?"

Mary looks up at him, her eyes glazing over in anger "I want Klaus dead and I know you do too."

Elijah pauses and watches the raven-haired beauty carefully "What are you proposing?"

* * *

"Those ropes aren't going to hold him that much longer." Damon tells Buffy as they continue to wrap chains and ropes around the hybrid they currently had pinned to the wall.

"Don't need them to." Buffy says as she steps around Damon holding the last of the Vervain ropes and wraps it around the hybrid "Just long enough to well..." She twirls her blade suggestively in her palms making Damon grin "Torture, maim...got it. Like it."

Buffy rolls her eyes in amusement before grabbing the bottle of wolf's bane out of her bag and pouring it over the hybrid's face.

"Ahhh!" The hybrid exclaims as he wakes to his face now in searing pain.

Buffy smirks at the burns on the hybrid's face before moving closer to him "Good you're awake. Now You are I are gonna have a little chat." She says sweetly to the hybrid as she runs a hand through her long blonde hair, which was flowing just past her shoulders.

"Now, before I start removing body parts and imitating a Game of Thrones torture scene, I'm gonna give you one chance...where-is-Klaus?" She says.

When the hybrid merely laughs Damon grabs him by the back of the head forcing him to look him in the eye "Listen, I don't care what dog treats Klaus is giving you, you're gonna be a good little pup and tell us what we want to know."

The hybrid chuckles again before suddenly a large cracking noise comes from him, he screams loudly as his thangs lower and he growls at Damon.

"Dammit." Damon exclaims "Afraid this would happen."

Buffy eyes widen as she watches the hybrid's bones break one after the other "Is he turning? Damon, we need to go now!" She says with a panic knowing that if they didn't move now the hybrid could bite Damon and kill him "Now, Damon!"

"Dammit!" Damon hisses before grabbing Buffy and running.

* * *

As they run through the forest Buffy tries to keep her eyes out for the wolf but she was struggling to see in all the darkness.

However when she hears sounds coming from the darkness to her left she pauses, turning her head she grabs her blade preparing for a fight.

"Buffy!" Damon exclaims as he runs over and tries to pull her with him.

Buffy shakes her head and pushes him away "GO!" She tells him when Damon stares at her like she's crazy, Buffy sighs "I am the reason you are out here, you've already been attacked and almost died once before because of me. I need to end this...if I don't kill that thing now, he'll keep coming after you..." Buffy pauses "And Elena."

Damon groans "No way in hell am I leaving you out here."

"You have to! Damon, you get bitten and you'll die!" Buffy exclaims however before she could say anything else out of the corner of her eyes she spots the wolf launching itself in Damon's direction.

Before she could even think about what she was doing Buffy pushed Damon out of the way and went crashing to the ground the wolf biting at her viciously "Ahhh!" She screams as the wolf buries its teeth in her neck.

She groans in agony before grabbing the blade and shoving it into the wolf's brain, as she shoves the creature off her Damon grabs it mid-air and rips it's head from its body, making sure it was dead.

"Double tap." Buffy lets out a small weak chuckle before her head flops back down on the ground and she groans in agony.

"Buffy!" Damon hisses as he runs over to her, crouching down beside her he stares at the bite on her neck before lifting her off the ground and into his arms.

"Ow." Buffy moans as Damon helps her stand, still keeping his arm around her. He was examining the wound carefully trying to make sure okay, pushing the hair out of her face her takes her face in his palm trying to assure himself that she was okay.

Before either of them could say anything else Buffy's phone starts ringing.

Damon sighs and pulls away from her as she answers her phone "Yeah?" She asks weakly as she keeps one hand pressed against her neck to stop the bleeding, she had had worse so it wasn't that bad and she could still move so that was a plus.

 _"_ _Buffy it's me."_ Willow says urgently _"Tell her!"_ Buffy hears Willow hiss before a male voice she didn't recognise comes through the speaker, who she could only assume was Warren.

 _"_ _Hi, yeah I'm Warren..."_

"You made April, got it. Tell me what's going on."

 _"_ _Her battery...it should have run out days ago...she must be recharging them somehow."_

Buffy pauses and looks up at Damon who was watching her with a worried frown, this really wasn't the best time "Warren, listen to me...is she dangerous?"

 _"_ _She's only programmed to be in love."_

Damon looks up at Buffy as he listens to her conversation and catches her eyes, Buffy sighs before moving towards her car, him following her. As she tries to avoid his gaze she turns her focus back to the phone "Then she's dangerous. Do you have any idea how to find her?"

 _"_ _Well, she's looking for me. My guess is she's pretty close."_

Buffy groans before climbing into her car "Meet me at the park." She hangs up the phone before turning to Damon "I have to..."

"I know." He says before climbing into the passenger seat as she puts the car into drive.

* * *

Spike rips the photos of Buffy off his crazy wall of obsession, tossing them into the box nest to him before yanking the blonde wig off the mannequin "All right, I'll move on." He hisses before slamming the rest of the things he had stolen from Buffy's house into the box.

* * *

"If she hears my voice, then she'll answer." Warren tells Buffy as they walk through the park in search of the robot girl.

At his words, Buffy's lip frowns in disgust "She's voice-activated?"

Warren shrugs nervously, this woman was seriously scaring him, despite her tiny stature "I made it so that if she heard me and didn't answer, it causes feedback."

Buffy stares at him disgusted, this guy was seriously sick "Wait, so if you call her and she doesn't answer, it hurts her? You're one creepy little dweeb."  
Warren sighs before looking around the park "April!"

* * *

Damon slams his front door open after leaving Buffy with Warren. She had been so stupid pushing him out of the way like that, the wolf hadn't been after her, it had been after him and now she had a mean wound on her neck.

He groans in frustration before slamming a glass of the table into the fireplace, listening to the glass shatter around him as he leans his head against the wall.

This was all so confusing if things were different the fact that she had pushed him out of the way...well to say it made things between them confusing was an understatement.

With a groan, he pushes himself away from the fireplace and moves towards the leather chair in the corner of the room.

As his phone begins ringing he grabs it off the table before sitting down, trying to get comfortable "What?!" He hisses, really not in the mood to speak to anyone."

 _"_ _Oooh, you two love birds fighting already?"_ Mary's voice comes through the phone as she teases him.

Damon rolls his eyes before clenching his fists "What do you want Mary? I'm really not in the mood."

 _"_ _Ooh, something did happen between you and blondie. Please do tell..."_ When Damon stays silent she could tell he was fuming already so she merely sighs _"Fine be that way. Look just thought you should now I put phase two into gear."_

Damon frowns in confusion, phase 2? He thinks to himself, Mary had only mentioned the fact that she had basically sent Katherine on a wild goose chase to find some mystery vampire hunter that could supposably kill Klaus.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

 _"_ _I brought an old friend back into the game."_ She says. As she speaks Damon could imagine her grinning evilly at the fact that she was the only one with all the pieces in this puzzle.

At her words he freezes, there was no way she could mean who he thought she did "You didn't."  
 _"_ _Oh, I did. Elijah is back."_

"You have got to be kidding me."

* * *

Buffy groans in agony as April wraps a hand around her neck, her nails digging into her wound, as the robot yanks her off her feet Buffy gasps for breath.

"You took my man." April hisses furiously "I'm going to kill you. I'm going to..." April freezes as she finds herself unable to crush Buffy's windpipe "I can't...can't crush So...tired."

As April weakens Buffy pushes herself away from the robot and clutches her now heavily bleeding neck, she groans as she pulls her hand away from her neck and spots the blood covering her hand. Pressing her hand back against her neck to try and slow the bleeding she turns to the robot who was looking absolutely heartbroken as she called out for Warren.

"Warren? Where are you? What's happening to me?"

* * *

"I can't help but feel for her." Buffy says as Elena places the disinfectant on her neck, making her wince slightly at the stinging feeling.

Elena frowns in confusion before pulling the wet cloth from Buffy's neck and dipping it in the bowl of water "Really, Buffy she was a robot..."

"I know..." Buffy pauses trying to think of how to explain what she was feeling "She devoted everything to making this one person happy. And then it was, like, with him gone, there was just no reason for her to exist anymore."

Elena sighs before slowly trying to remove the dirt and mud from the wound on Buffy's neck, pushing the hair out of the way she starts pulling the dirt out, hating the fact that Buffy winced as she did. "Robots are the strangest people. And that's saying something considering our lives."  
Buffy chuckles slightly before shaking her head slightly "No. People are the strangest people. I mean, look at me."  
Elena frowns pulling away slightly she looks at her cousin/best friend "What do you mean?"

"I mean the fact that I just broke up with Riley and I'm still confused about how I'm supposed to feel about Stefan...and then there's this thing with Damon." She pauses sighing slightly, when did her life get so complicated "I think for now...I need to focus on remembering me and who I was and how that affects who I am now. Not my relationship status. I need to get comfortable with Buffy and being me again."

Elena smiles liking this, although she had pushed her cousin towards the doctor she knew where Buffy was coming from here, and partially the reason she had done it was due to the fact that she herself was still hurting after her break up with Liam and was trying to live through her cousin.  
"Well, she's a pretty cool person to be alone with."  
Buffy smiles as Elena places the bandage on her neck "Thanks."

* * *

After cancelling her date with Ben, Buffy was in her bathroom getting ready for bed, after Willow and Giles had seen the wound she had gotten from the hybrid they had been adamant that she go home and rest.

With a sigh, she runs a towel through her wet hair before moving past Elena's room and into her own bedroom, as she closes the door she hears the window open.

"What you did was incredibly stupid." Damon says.

Buffy rolls her eyes before turning to face the vampire who was leant against her bedroom window staring at the wound on her neck before focusing on her face "You could have been killed."

"Could've but didn't." Buffy tells him as she throws the towel on the bed before crossing her arms "You, on the other hand, would be. The venom doesn't affect me, it would have killed you and I doubt Klaus would have given us the cure."

Damon sighs before stepping towards her "Doesn't matter. You almost died...for me. Something you shouldn't do."

Buffy sighs before approaching him "Damon you're my friend...my pain in the ass friend, I wasn't going to let you die like that."

Damon frowns, wondering for a slipt second if she remembered that night he was bitten and she had kissed him. He shakes his head before focusing on her "Elijah's back."

Buffy's eyes widen in shock "What?!"

"Mary may be an evil bitch who we are gonna kill but one thing is clear she will do anything to kill Klaus."

Buffy nods, she may hate Mary and planned on killing her very slowly and painfully for what she had done to her family but at the moment she was useful, and as none of them knew where Klaus was Mary was their only option until this Glory thing was dealt with.

She sighs, clearly not liking this but accepting it nonetheless. Glancing up at Damon who was still watching her carefully she frowns "What? Is that all?"

"No." He says after a brief moment of hesitation "What made you change your mind?"

Buffy frowns in confusion as she tightens the robe around her and starts pulling pillow's off the bed "What do you mean?"

"You were so hell-bent on torturing that Hybrid till he cracked, yet the minute he started turning you changed your mind. Why?"

Buffy chuckles slightly and lets out a huff of amusement before gesturing to her neck "We were being attached and unlike you, I didn't feel like becoming food more than I already did."

Damon smiles slightly not believing her "You're the slayer, you had a bag of weapons and more patience than anyone I know. You could have kept going."

"It was too dangerous." She tells him stubbornly "And trust me you don't want one of these bites, they hurt."

Damon chuckles slightly "Yeah. You pushed me out of the way, told me to run. You say it was too dangerous but it was too dangerous going out there in the first place, so what changed your mind."

As he moves closer to her invading her personal space her breathing picks up and she panics slightly "Damon, I saved you because you're my friend. Why are you being like this? What else do you want me to say?"

"What changed your mind Buffy?" he persists as he takes one final step closing the distance between them so they were almost touching.

Buffy groans in frustration as she looks up at him and before she can stop herself she blurts out "I didn't want to see you get hurt. That's why I pushed you out of the way, I was worried about you."

A small smile graces Damon's lips before he heads towards the door "Thanks."

Buffy groans before turning to face him "I worry about you." She says making him pause in his steps and turn to her "I don't get the big deal, Damon. You know I worry, clearly I worried enough back then, so why do you need to hear me say it."

Damon turns to face her fully and approaches her "Because this is now Buffy, I don't know how you feel about anything since Klaus. And because when my brother comes back and tries to get you to remember everything from before..." As he speaks he places both hands on her cheeks running them through her hair before cupping her face in his hands "I want you to remember all the things you felt while he was gone. The things you feel you now, not what you felt in past."

Buffy takes a heavy breath before glancing up at him as he smiles at her before leaving the room.

Her eyes follow him as she stands there stunned before spotting Elena in the hall, as Damon passes her Elena glances at Buffy "You know what you're doing there?"

"No." Buffy breaths, struggling to find her voice "I really don't."

Elena gives her a worried frown before saying goodnight and heading into her room. Buffy sighs before quickly closing her door and leaning against it, this was getting her all kinds of confused.

She shakes her head trying to ignore all the thoughts running through her head, however, that familiar pain comes seeping into her brain, sending waves of pain through her.

Buffy crashes to her knees clutching her hair as images start filling her vision and blood begins running down from her nose.

 _Buffy walks towards the staircase and waits, trying to keep her nerves under control "Ms Buffy Summers, escorted by Mr Stefan Salvatore."  
Once Buffy hears the applause she plasters a smile on her face and walks down the stairs, as she walks she notices Stefan is not there. She panics and looks around the room, her eyes landing on Damon who quickly moves to stand in front of her "Where's Stefan?" Buffy asks as she takes his hand._ _  
_ _"I don't know." Damon whispers. The two make their way outside and get into position to start the dance. As they bow Buffy whispers "I think we need a what to do plan. Right about now."_ _  
_ _"Right now we just have to get through this." Damon whispers back. Buffy nods and the two step back. She looks up catching him in the eyes before raising her hand towards him feeling the electricity as they dance around the floor._

Buffy cries out in agony but tries to swallow her screams to keep Jeremy and Elena from hearing.

She groans in agony as her body collapses to the ground more blood dripping from her mouth as she cries out, the pain becoming too much.

 _Buffy pauses "But Willow knows me, I always just dive in head first, worry later." Buffy takes a deep breath before continuing "But really I'm just making up excuses. It's something that I do when I'm scared. And that's what I am...I'm scared like a character in a horror movie. I'm scared that if I let myself actually feel something for even a moment that everything is just going to fall apart like it did the last time and I barely survived that time and I don't know if I can go through it again and come out on the other side still in one piece."_ _  
_ _Stefan looks at her "Do you want to know what I would say?" Buffy nods "I met a girl. We talked. It was epic. But then the sun came up and reality set in." Buffy begins to smile as he continues, "Well, this is the reality. Right here." They look into each other's eyes and both slowly lean in, Stefan kisses her softly and then they pull back, Buffy looks up at him and smiles and leans up and kisses him again._

Buffy shakes her head trying to stop the visions from coming but again the pain continued forcing her mind to open up to this old life. She coughs violently blood pooling from her mouth and over the carpet as she does.


	79. Intervention

_A/N: We are almost at the end of this season hope you are all excited for the finale, I know I was terrified writing it because I really don't want to dissapoint anyone. Please guys keep reviewing I miss my reviews they always brighten up my day. Hope your all excited and if you have any questions just PM me. Enjoy! Here we go..._

* * *

 _"_ _What's tomorrow?" Angel asks_ _  
_ _"That's exactly what I don't know. Up until now, I've had a road map, things to do every minute having to do with mom."_ _  
_ _"Tomorrow, the stuff of everyday living resumes."_ _  
_ _"When I was in Sunnydale everybody expected me to know how to do it...because I'm 'so strong'."_ _  
_ _"You just need time. I'm sure they all understand that."_ _  
_ _"Time's not the issue. I can stick wood in vampires, but like I told Jenna, Mom was the strong one in real life. She always knew how to make things better, just what to say."_ _  
_ _"You'll find your way. I mean, not all at once, but—"_ _  
_ _"I don't know. I can't stop thinking about it – when I found her. If I had just gotten there 10 minutes earlier._ _  
_ _"You said they told you it wouldn't have made a difference."_ _  
_ _"They said probably ... It wouldn't have made a difference. The exact thing they said was "probably."_

Buffy blinks slightly forcing her gaze away from the photo of her mother which had stirred yet another memory. Shaking her head she runs her hands through her hair pulling and tugging at the ends before staring at herself in the mirror.

Her eyes widen as she spots the blood dripping from her nose, in a panic she grabs a cloth and quickly cleans herself up before sighing. It was getting worse, any small thing was beginning to trigger the flashes now and it was making her feel weaker and weaker every day.

Running a hand through her hair she ties it up in a plate before moving downstairs where Elena was waiting so they could head to the magic box together.

* * *

"Good." Giles says as he watches Elena and Buffy spar in the training room at the magic box. He frowns, however, something was off with Buffy, she wasn't doing any of the techniques properly, she may not use her full strength when she fights Elena or Jeremy but her form and technique was always flawless. Today it was off, scruffy, uncontrolled, she just wasn't focusing.

Buffy ducks under a blow from Elena standing up behind her, she spins around attempting to land a spinning kick, however, Elena spots it, she drops to her knees and sweeps Buffy's feet out from under her.

Buffy crashes down to the ground slamming her head down on the mat as she lands on her back, both Elena and Giles stare in shock. Elena had never been able to knock Buffy down not in all the years they had trained together.

"Buffy!" Giles exclaims as Buffy hits the mat with a groan.

Elena quickly bends down to help her cousin with a panicked look in her eyes "Buffy, I am so sorry!"

Buffy shakes her off as she stands "It's fine." She says flatly before sighing, she runs her hands through her hair before pausing and turning to Giles who was watching her with a worried frown.  
"Buffy, is everything alright?" Giles asks as he approaches.

Buffy glances at her watcher and cousin before shrugging "I'm fine."  
"Are you sure?" Giles asks sceptically "You've been off for the last few weeks, missing training not focusing."  
Elena frowns and places a hand on her cousin's shoulder trying to be comforting "What is it? Glory, Klaus? What's bugging you?"

"I..." Buffy freezes, her words catching in her throat "I don't know...I just think that I..." She pauses again her hands shaking nervously as she begins pacing, after a moment she looks over at Giles, she didn't want to tell him about the visions or about the fact that she was feeling weaker every day, she knew he would panic as would Elena and right now with everything going on there was enough panic in their lives "I'm thinking...well I was thinking about taking a break or something." She rushes out before moving off the mat and towards the store.

Elena and Giles glanced at each other both stunned with confusion, that had been the last thing they had been expecting.  
Elena turns to Giles "Let me." She says gesturing to Buffy.

Elena follows Buffy into the empty store and moves to sit next to her as the blonde sits on the table "What's going on Buffy?"

Buffy sighs and turns to her cousin, she didn't want to worry her, she was already so terrified of having an episode during a fight and not being able to protect her, she didn't want to worry Elena she had so much going on already.

Buffy frowns, trying to ignore the nagging in her mind that was telling her this was about more than just the visions "I just want to ease off for a while. Not get into full slay mode." Buffy tells her calmly "I want to spend more time with my family, you, Jer."

Elena frowns Buffy near enough spent all her spare time with her and Jeremy there was something she wasn't saying "Buffy, come on this is me. Giles says you've been doing great...that's what you wanted."

Giles who was standing in the doorway sighs as he watches Buffy and Elena talk but continues to merely listen this was a conversation for just the two of them, he had no right to interfere.

"I'm just...things are so complicated right now...and I'm starting to feel uneasy about stuff." Buffy admits truthfully to her cousin.  
Elena frowns in confusion "Buffy, what is this about?"

"Training." She answers "Slaying. Having two sets of memories. All of it. It's just so much. I mean, I can beat up the demons until the cows come home. And then I can beat up the cows. But I'm not sure I like what it's doing to me. Remembering another life is hard enough and confusing but now I feel like I'm three people and I just..." When Buffy finds herself at a loss for words Elena sighs sadly for her cousin and wraps a hand around her shoulder allowing the blonde to rest her head on her shoulder.

As the blonde takes comfort in her older cousin Giles steps further into the room and looks at Buffy questioningly "Are you sure?" He asks "You've mastered so much." He says proudly "I mean, your strength and resilience alone..."

"Yeah." Buffy says as she sits up and looks at Giles "Strength, resilience. Those are all words for hardness. I'm starting to feel like having my memories of all of this grief come back to me...the Slayer in me is wanting me to shut it down. All of it...it feels like it's turning me into stone."

Elena turns to Buffy and looks at her seriously Buffy was one of the most bubbly people she knew, so full of life "You are not stone...that's not you. It has never been."

Buffy sighs and moves off the table away from both Elena and Giles "Just...think about it. I was never there for Riley. Not like I was for Angel..." She groans in annoyance at her memory affliction "...or for Stefan. Apparently, I was there for him in more way than anyone I have ever been there for."

"In a time like this..." Giles tries to argue but she cuts him off "No."

Giles sighs "Buffy given everything you are going through at the moment reliving all of those loses and your confusion over what you should be feeling you're bound to feel emotionally numb."

Buffy sighs "Before that. Before I started getting my memories back, it started then. Riley left because I was shut down. He's gone. My mom is gone, I relieved her death and I loved her more than anything. And now I don't know if she knew."

Elena stares at her cousin sympathetically, tears fill her eyes as she takes a deep breath, she completely understood where Buffy was coming from. Standing she approaches her cousin "Buffy, your mom, aunt Joyce she loved you so much and she knew you loved her."

"I don't know." Buffy says sadly "To slay...to kill...it means being hard on the inside. Maybe being the perfect slayer means being too hard to love at all. I already feel like I can hardly say the words."

Giles looks at her carefully "Buffy..."  
"Giles...I love you. Love...love, love, love, love. Giles, it feels strange."

Giles smiles slightly "Well, I shouldn't wonder." He says before putting on his glass and sitting next to Elena who had sat back down at the table.  
"How serious are you about this?"  
Buffy shrugs before sitting opposite Giles and Elena "Ten. Serious to the amount of ten."  
"There is something...in the Watchers' Diaries. A quest."  
Buffy and Elena both frown in confusion "A quest?" Buffy asks "Like finding a grail or something?"  
"Not a grail. Maybe answers. It would take a day perhaps two."

Buffy instantly shakes her head at that and looks over at Elena "I'm not leaving you and Jeremy. Not with Glory looking for you."

Elena sighs and looks at Buffy carefully "Buffy, you need to do this. For yourself. You do everything for me and Jer, it's time you do something that can give you peace of mind. Plus we have Damon the self-serving sociopath to protect us." When Buffy gives her an un-amused look Elena sighs "Look you need this." Elena turns to Giles not giving Buffy room to argue as she gives her the big cousin glare, basically going ' _I'm the oldest you have to listen to me'  
_

"So what is this quest?" Elena asks drawing attention back to Giles.  
Giles finishes cleaning his glasses before focusing on the two young women before him "Some slayers before Buffy found it helpful in regaining their focus, in learning more about their role. There's a sacred place in the desert. It's...it's not far."

"But I can't go." Buffy argues before glaring at Elena "Don't you give me the big sibling look, I'm not leaving you."  
Elena smiles softly at her cousin "You need to do this, we have the gang and Damon. We'll be fine."  
Buffy lets out a small chuckle "You know I love and hate you at the same time."

* * *

"I have it." Stefan tells Bonnie as he stumbles into Dragomir's home clutching a large jar containing the demon heart they needed for the spell.

"Oh my god." Bonnie breaths as she spots the blood covered shirt that was clinching to Stefan's chest and the still healing wounds on his face and arms.

When she moves to help him he shakes his head "It's Buffy." He tells her "We've already been gone too long."

Bonnie sighs, he was right, it may have only been a few days for them but for the outside world, he had been weeks if not months. She needed to do this separation spell and now.

Bonnie grabs the glass of salt and surrounds herself with a circle before sitting in the middle of the circle with the three ingredients and the memory potion.

Raising the blood of the pure and the snake venom she pours them into the stone bowl in front of her before grabbing the heart of the pologra demon and holding it in her hands.

Squeezing the heart over the bowl she lets the blood spill over her hands and into the bowl _"Te spirits redear ad quod quid est."_ She chants as she raises the memory potion levitating it off the ground, the flames around her rise violently as she continues _"Invoco tenebris copias, revela mihi veram."_

The three ingredients in the bowl seem to merge together into one as a black mist rises from the bowl and surrounds the potion.

Bonnie feels blood dripping from her nose but ignores the pain, the power she was feeling was so strong and different from anything she had experienced.

Letting go of the heart she raises her hands the flames rising with her _"Indica! Indica!"_ She exclaims as her eyes go black for a slip second.

She looks up to see the black mist surround the memory potion seemingly ripping it apart _"Incenda!"_ She exclaims finally before the mist disappears.

Stefan approaches carefully "Did it work?"

Bonnie takes a heavy breath before glancing down the memory potion was gone and now in its place laid several ingredients, she lets out a happy breath of relief she had done it "It's worked." She says happily "It shouldn't be long now. I should have the cure in a few hours."

Stefan smiles a true smile for the first time since he had come here, they had done it, they could go back to Sunnydale. He could see the woman he loved again.

* * *

"The Slayer and the Key are connected." Glory tells her minions as she paces in her luxurious penthouse apartment.

"She's going to have contact with it. Find out who's new in her life who's...special, who's different." She orders "Watch her."

The minions nod as they admire her "We can do that, O...thou." One of them says only to get a glare from one of the others.

Glory rolls her eyes she was still furious, Ben knows who the key was and he refused to tell her and her minions making her life much more difficult "I want to hear about everyone she has contact with! That girl has my key and I'm trusting you to get it for me. If you love me..." Everyone one of the minions stares at her adoringly, smiling lovingly at her "Get it for me."

* * *

Elena sighs as Buffy leads her and Jeremy up to Damon's house while Giles stays parked around the corner "You need to do this Buffy."  
Buffy sighs and turns to her cousins "I know. I just...I feel less human and confused about everything. I'm just worried about leaving you both alone."

Jeremy who was next to Buffy sighs, he had been thinking for weeks about what was happening to all of them again and it was beginning to piss him off.

"We will be fine Buffy." He says before kissing the top of her head and forcing the door of Damon's house open ignoring Damon's cries of annoyance as he approaches the door.

Buffy sighs as she and Elena watch Jeremy "You worried?" Buffy asks her cousin.  
"Absolutely." Elena says "He's been moody and angry for weeks now. I'll talk to him."  
Buffy nods and watches Elena enter the house before turning to Damon who was smirking at her, Buffy rolls her eyes "Protect them."  
Damon looks at her seriously "I promise."

* * *

Elena walks into the gym in the basement where she found Jeremy pounding on the punching bag in the corner violently "Jeremy?" She asks hesitatingly only for her eyes to widen as she spots the blood dripping from his hand.

Jeremy ignores the presence of his sister and continues to pound angrily on the punching bag ignoring the pain in his wrists.

"Jeremy!" Elena yells causing him to growl and turn to her. He glares at her before turning back to the bag "Not now Elena."

* * *

Buffy climbs out of Giles's mid-life crisis convertible and moves to the truck, which he was opening "What's in the truck?"

"Supplies." He says simply before reaching inside.

Buffy tilts her head, she had just realised that they hadn't brought any water or food so clearly Giles was ahead of her "Supplies? I was wondering about that. Like food, water, maybe a compass?"

As Giles stands back up she frowns at the objects in his hands, that was confusing her so much "What about a book, a gourd and a bunch of twigs?" He asks sarcastically before slamming the trunk shut.

Buffy frowns before shrugging "I don't think I'll be that hungry."  
"They're for me." Giles tells her before walking further into the desert "Come on this way."

As they walk through the desert Giles continues to explain to Buffy what she would experience while doing this quest "The location of the sacred place is a guarded secret I can't take you there myself. I have to perform a ritual to...transfer my guardianship of you, temporarily, to...to a guide." Giles comes to a stop at the top of a sandy hill "This'll do."

Buffy frowns in confusion none of this was making sense to her "A guide, but no food or water? So it leads me to the sacred place, and a week later leads you to my bleached bones?"

* * *

Xander looks away from Tara who was currently placing a protection spell around Damon and Stefan house and focuses on Elena. There was something off about her today more than usual.  
"You alright little Summers?"

Elena sighs and turns to Xander, glancing behind him at her brother she groans in frustration. Xander notices the look of despair on her face as she watches her brother "Ahh this about the littlest Gilbert."

"He's spiralling." Elena tells him as she flops onto the couch next to him "Ever since we got to Sunnydale and Glory showed up he's moody and he's not really talking to anyone."

Xander smiles reassuringly at the young woman next to him, she had such a big heart, she and Buffy may not look alive but it was like they had the same heart and soul. They both worried more about others than themselves.

"You summers women are always thinking of others." He says as he nudges her slightly making her smile, Xander smiles before turning to face her properly "Look, Elena, he's a teenager..."  
"Who's seen ghost and has lost everyone that he cares about."

"Not everyone." Xander argues "He still has you and Buffy. Look, Elena, he's most probably moody because when he finally had his family reunited it was near enough yanked out from under him again by Glory and Klaus. He'll come around. He's just angry."

Elena frowns, hating it, hating that her brother had to keep suffering for all of this, he had been through so much and the negative effect it was having on him crushed her.

* * *

"Is that your best Slayer?" Spike asks as he pins the Buffy-bot that Warren had made him, pulling her up against his body.  
The Buffy-bot shakes her head "No."

"Why not?" Spike grins enjoying himself immensely.  
"I wanna hurt you." She says as she looks up at him before a lustful smile covers her lips "But I can't resist the sinister attraction of your cold and muscular body."  
Spike grins wider enjoying every second of this "Maybe I should repay you for your gentleness and let you go."  
"No." She panics "No! No Spike never let me go."

* * *

As Giles chants in his circle of twigs, Buffy wanders through the desert. As she moves further and further away from him his words seem to fade into the back of her mind and she can hear nothing besides from the calming wind.

As she strolls aimlessly a strange feeling makes her pause, turning her head she spots a beautiful lion cub standing 10 feet across from her, watching her carefully.  
"Hello, kitty."  
As the lion moves closer to her it begins to lead her through the desert.

Buffy frowns it was all so confusing but she felt as though she had to follow the creature.  
So she walked not noticing the sun lower as the creature continued to lead her through the desert.

After a long walk, she pauses sitting on a rock that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, however as she relaxes something comes to her, a sense of familiarity "I know this place."

* * *

"Ok. Morning spell's all set." Tara tells Damon, Elena and Jeremy as she enters the living room after finally finishing the spell.  
Turning away from the TV where he was currently watching some lame reality TV show Xander focuses on Tara "So that's it?"  
"We're all protected up for the night?" Elena asks yawning slightly, it had been a long day and she just really wanted to crash.

Tara nods as Xander helps her collect her things so that he could give her a ride home "Well it's probably not as good as Willow could do. Or Bonnie they're both naturals with magic."  
Damon arches a brow "And said naturals are not doing the spell because?"  
Jeremy rolls his eyes "Quite being a dick."

"Jeremy!" Elena hisses, only for him to storm out into the back room, Elena sighs running her hand over her face before turning to Tara with an apologetic look on her face "I'm sorry, Tara."  
Tara smiles sympathetically "It's fine. I'm sure Willow will come by at some point tonight while Xander and Anya are patrolling."  
Xander turns to Damon at this point "I take it you still refuse."

Damon merely smirks and raises a glass of bourbon towards him "Exactly."

Xander groans in annoyance he really disliked this vampire bad boy attitude. With a shake of his head, he turns to Elena "We'll be back later."

Elena stands to move towards Xander and Tara while Damon moves closer to the window not noticing the creature lurking outside.

"Thanks, guys." Elena says giving them both a hug before waving goodbye as they head out.

Elena sighs and moves to talk to Jeremy only to be blocked by Damon who had a smirk on his face "I'll talk to him."  
Elena frowns unconvinced before crossing her arms when Damon gives her a serious look however she sighs "Goodnight Damon." She says before making her way up to the spare room.

Damon walks out onto the porch where Jeremy was stood, Damon rolls his eyes before walking over to him "I'm a teenage boy, life sucks so I'm going to be a moody dick till people pay attention me." He says sarcastically.  
Jeremy turns his head and glares at the vampire "You're an ass." He says before moving to head inside the house.

Damon stops him grabbing his arm only to have Jeremy take a swing at him, Damon ducks the blow and shoves Jeremy against the wall "Don't try that again." Damon hisses his temper boiling.  
Jeremy glares at Damon "Don't pretend that you give a crap about me or Elena. All you and Stefan want is Buffy, well you know what you can both stay the hell away from all of us. It's your fault that we're in a death situation again, so you can both get bent!" Jeremy yells before storming inside the house and slamming the door behind him.

* * *

Buffy wobbles slightly on her rock as she tries to keep herself awake, closing her eyes slightly she finds herself dosing off quickly she forces her eyes open and huffs. This was taking too long it was dark out now and there was still no sign of the guide.

The Buffy-bot strolls through the graveyard smiling brightly as she skips spinning the stake in her hands as she does. Her smile brightens as she spots two people approaching her "Hey there!" She says cheerfully.

Xander and Anya both frown in confusion no one had told them Buffy was back from her quest "Buffy."  
"Xander!" She exclaims happily before staring at him for a moment, Xander frowns there was something odd about her behaviour.

Slowly the Buffy-bot turns to Anya "And...Anya." She says after a brief pause "How is your money?"  
Anya chuckles enjoying the fact that someone cared about her money "Fine. Thank you for asking."  
"Isn't it a beautiful night for killing evil things?" The bot asks as she swishes her arms side to side playfully.  
Xander frowns she really was acting seriously odd "I guess."

* * *

Bonnie raises her hands as she stands in the middle of the circle of candles, _"Indica!"_ She yells out to the sky as she raises her arms above her head. The room begins shaking and the flames around her surge powerfully while the ingredients, which formed the original memory potion rise from the ground.

 _"_ _Indica!"_ She exclaims a final time as the flames disappear from the candles and swallow the ingredients in a bright yellow flame.

"Bonnie!" Stefan exclaims as he runs over just as she begins to fall, the spell had weakened her largely.

He catches her and quickly places her on the couch as she coughs violently before blinking. Her eyes quickly fill with worry, she was terrified that it hadn't work however as both she and Stefan turn to look where the ingredients had once been they were now faced with a white vile.  
Stefan smiles "The cure."

* * *

"I wish Giles told us they were back from the desert." Xander tells Anya after they had left Buffy and Spike to finish the patrol. Xander sighs worried about Buffy "I wish I know what went on there?"  
Anya shrugs not understanding the desperate need to know "Oh, you know, slayer/watcher stuff. Probably some silly ritual with an enchanted prairie dog or something."  
Xander shakes his head, there was something off about Buffy, he had known her long enough to notice when she was acting strangely "Whatever it was, I think she's still a little spacey."  
Anya tilts her head "She fought OK."

"Yeah." Xander says before pausing as something hits him, he stops walking and turns to face his girlfriend "Hey, she never asked about Jeremy and Elena."  
At that Anya nods that was weird "It's true."

"Something's wrong." Before he could finish however Xander is cut off as he and Anya hear moaning coming from nearby.  
Moving closer they hear the moans grow louder as they approach, peering from behind the bush they are both horrified but what they were witnessing.

Buffy was on top of Spike riding him while he moaned in pleasure "Oh Spike. You're the big bad. You're the _big_ bad."

* * *

Elena walks downstairs only to find Jeremy pouting in the kitchen while Damon stood opposite practically fuming.

"What happened?" She asks exhausted, she was tired and thirsty and so not in the mood for this.  
"Your brother's being a pain in the ass." Damon says before downing the rest of his bourbon.

Jeremy glares at Damon and stands "At least I'm not being delusional!"  
Elena frowns in confusion "Jeremy what is going on?" She asks placing a hand on his arm trying to calm him but he shrugs her off.  
"Come on Elena, this is his fault. And Stefan's if they had just stayed out of our lives none of this would have happened."

When Damon scoffs Jeremy glares at him "You are the reason Buffy lost her memory maybe if you hadn't been such an idiot she wouldn't have had to save your ass."

Damon's eyes darken and a murderous look covers his face, that had pushed him over the edge.

Elena moves forward raising her arms to keep them apart she turns to Jeremy "Jeremy stop, look I get your angry and worried about Glory but..."  
"It's not just Glory Elena!" Jeremy yells making Elena step back she had never seen him this way, "It's Klaus, hell one of his hybrid's almost killed Buffy because she was protecting him!"  
Damon groans in annoyance well Elena sighs.

Damon turns to the brother and sister pair "Klaus was trying to send us a message. He wanted you and Buffy to know he can come whenever he wants."  
Damon circles the two of them and moves to grab another drink as he speaks "All we have to do is deal with the God bitch then we can handle Klaus."

Jeremy shakes his head incredulously, he couldn't be serious "Wait, that's your big plan, let Buffy go up against a God who is stronger than she is, then go up against Klaus. That's your big plan to make sure no one else dies."  
Damon arches a brow at the teenager "You got a better idea?"

"Yeah!" Jeremy yells before taking a deep breath he turns to his sister looking her straight in the eye hoping that she would understand and agree with him "Let's get the hell out of here. You, me and Buffy, we pack our bags and go."

Elena's eyes widen as the words leave his lips that had not been what she had expected but a part of her couldn't help but agree maybe they should run, it would be their best chance but it would also mean a death sentence to all their friends and the people that had helped them.  
"Jeremy..." She says softly trying to calm him "Calm down."

"No. No, I'm not going to calm down, Elena. This happens every time no matter what we do—you can get on my case about college and work but who cares. None of us are going to make it out of this town alive."

Jeremy glares at the two of them before grabbing his jacket he moves to leave the house, Elena's eyes widen "Jeremy!" She yells as she speeds after him.

However, before Jeremy could open the door someone beats him to it Xander and Anya walk in both looking as though they've just seen something truly horrific.

Damon comes out of the kitchen only to groan as more people enter his house, this was getting insane, god the things Buffy got him to agree to.

Jeremy and Elena both frown as Xander merely bursts out right with it "Buffy's gone insane."  
Elena frowns in confusion, where the hell had that come from "What? What'd she do? She's supposed to be on her quest with Giles."

Xander groans slightly at the memory before looking at the three faces in the room, he frowns at Damon that was going to be an interesting reaction.  
"Brace yourself..." Xander warns them "You're not gonna believe it."  
Jeremy sighs in annoyance "Man just lay off, it's Buffy, girl's smart..."

Before Jeremy could finish Anya cuts him off "Buffy's boinking spike."  
Everyone in the room freezes in shock including Damon who was beginning to get really angry really fast.  
Xander's eyes widen at Damon's reaction, not good was all he could think.

Elena gulps in shock and disgust before shaking her head this couldn't be true, and if it was there had to be some kind of explanation "Um...Buffy's going through a lot we shouldn't judge..."  
Jeremy glances at his sister "What are you kidding, she's nuts." He says before shaking his head angrily "I'm gonna kill him."  
"Get in line." Damon says from behind everyone.

"Wait." Xander tells everyone "Look as much as I agree and trust me if I have to see her straddle Spike again, I will definitely knock myself unconscious, but I'll go talk to her. Once she comes to her senses then we kill him."

* * *

Buffy was sleeping peacefully against the large rock when a loud sound causes her to stir, shooting up she looks around only to find a large fire now in front of her illuminating her in a bright orange glow.  
"Hello?" She calls out "Who's there?"  
Buffy freezes as she spots a familiar figure crouched in front of the fire staring at her.

"I know you. You're the first Slayer." Buffy says hesitantly watching the woman pace near the fire.  
The First Slayer turns to her "This is a form." She says, her voice so soft that it contrasted her tough exterior and violent nature "I am the guide."

Buffy nods before getting straight to business, she needed answers and quickly she had already been away from Elena and Jeremy longer than she was comfortable with "I have a few questions, about being the Slayer. What about...love?" She pauses it was true that with all the memories coming back in pieces that she was starting to feel like she couldn't love but there was something else about the word that just felt off to her "Not just boyfriend love."

"You think you're losing your ability to love." The first Slayer says, taking the words out of Buffy's mouth before she couldn't even realise that they had been in her mind at all.

"I...I didn't say that." She stutters before rolling her eyes, she knew she was lying to herself "Yeah."  
"You're afraid that being the Slayer means losing your humanity."  
Buffy frowns "Does it?"  
"You are full of love. You love with all your soul. It's brighter than the fire. Blinding. That's why you pull away from it."

Buffy frowns in confusion, that had not been what she was expecting "I'm full of love? I'm not losing it?"  
"Only if you reject it. Love is pain, and the Slayer forges strength from pain. Love...give...forgive. Risk the pain. It is your nature. Love will bring you to your gift."

At that Buffy frowns in complete confusion, this guide was nuts "What?"

* * *

Elena looks over at Damon who was pacing angrily in the room, she could tell he was angry and obviously jealous, she actually found it quite amusing she hadn't seen him acting this way since before the whole Klaus incident.

Glancing over at Jeremy she sighs, her brother had passed out an hour after Xander had left, she was worried about him. He shouldn't have to live like this, everyone around him close to death, it wasn't fair to him.

At that moment there is a knock at the door, Elena stands relieved it must be Xander, he had been gone several hours and she had begun worrying. Opening the door she is shocked to spot Buffy standing there for one she hadn't even bothered to tell her she was back and the fact that she in a bright pink skirt and shirt something that she would never wear.  
"Spike's gone." The blonde says sadly as she pouts at her cousin.  
Elena sighs "Buffy..."

Damon looks over at the cousins before glancing down at Anya and Jeremy who were fast asleep next to Tara and Willow who had appeared after Xander had gone to look for Buffy.

Damon grabs both women and drags them onto the porch outside, once the door was closed he turns to Buffy "One: Are you insane!" He exclaims, "I mean come on Spike! What were you thinking, Spike! I mean I get Klaus he has that whole destiny thing but Spike!"

Buffy just continues to pout sadly and turns to Elena, Elena sighs "Buffy did Xander find you? He was looking for you."

Damon watches Buffy carefully as she listens to Elena when something strange catches his eyes, it didn't actually look like she was breathing, something odd was going on here and he didn't like it one bit.  
"I don't know where Xander is." Buffy tells Elena "I haven't seen him. And when I came out of the tunnel, Spike was gone. I need to find him."

Elena groans in worry "Um...Buffy, this thing with...Spike. It's not true right?" She chuckles nervously "I mean you didn't sleep with him?"  
When Buffy shakes her head both Elena and Damon take a relieved breath "No...I had sex with Spike."

Damon groans, watching her make out with his brother had been bad enough but this...this was some new form of torture "I need a drink." He says before grabbing the half empty bottle of scotch that he had been drinking earlier off the bench and downing a few gulps.

Elena gulps in disgust before taking the bottle off Damon and having a drink of her own. After a moment of liquid courage, she hands the bottle back to Damon.

"I'm sorry if that bothers you." Buffy tells her cousin "You're my family. My best friend." Buffy then glances over at Damon "You're my vampire person."

Damon frowns while Elena sighs "Yes Buffy, I am. Always will be I just don't understand...yesterday you were so confused about everything and now this thing with Spike. It just doesn't add up, I mean I get it was a one time..."  
"It wasn't one time." Buffy tells them effectively making the bottle in Damon's hand shatter under his grasp "It was lots of times...and lots of different ways I could make sketches."

Elena groans in disgust "No!" She exclaims before looking at Damon for help but spotting the look on his face she turns back to her cousin "Buffy, look something is wrong here. You must be under a spell or something...this isn't you..." Elena shakes her head this was so wrong.

"Look, I understand that you've been with vampires before, but Angel had a soul and Stefan...he was good and you loved him..." As she speaks Damon walks back into the house intent on getting another drink he was fuming and needed space before he ended up breaking something.

Elena sighs before turning back to Buffy who merely shrugged "Angel's lame. His hair goes straight up and his bloody stupid, and Stefan has weird hair, he looks like a squirrel."

Elena lets out a shocked breath, this was unbelievable if she didn't say so herself this girl was...Elena freezes as it hits her, the obsessive attitude towards the man of her affection, the girly getup, the lack of concern over her family, the way she spoke that ignorantly...she acted just like that Robot April they had dealt with a few weeks ago.  
Elena shallows and smiles "Look, Buffy..."

Before she can say anything else, however, the lights in the house switch on, Buffy turns to spot Xander now standing in the living room now covered in bruises.

* * *

Buffy sighs in confusion, nothing the first Slayer was telling her was clear, it was like a riddle one she couldn't figure out "I'm sorry, I...I'm just a little confused. I'm full of love, which is nice, and...love will lead me to my gift?" She asks sceptically.  
"Yes." She answers not making anything clearer regarding this gift.  
Buffy shakes her head "I'm getting a gift?" She asks hoping for some form of answer "Or do you mean that I have a gift to give to someone else?"

The first Slayer looks at the blonde through the flames, a serious look on her face "Death is your gift."

Buffy's eyes widen as a sense of horror and dread fills her, no that couldn't be it, death wasn't a gift, maybe this had something to do with the prophecy but right now those words had left her confused and terrified "Death."  
"Is your gift."

Buffy scoffs "Okay no. Death is not a gift; everyone in my family is dead. I know this. I don't care what some prophecy says about me being the queen of evil not gonna happen. Yes if I have to kill demons because it makes the world a better place, then I kill demons, but it's not a gift to anybody."

"Your question has been answered." The first Slayer merely says before her and the fire disappears leaving Buffy alone in the dark desert alone with her confusion and internally fear.

* * *

After finding out that Spike had been taken by Glory everyone headed back to Buffy's house.  
Elena sighs as she enters the living room before turning to Jeremy "Jer, go pack our bags if Spike told Glory we need to go."  
As Jeremy runs upstairs Buffy walks past all of them smiling brightly "This is my house."

Xander moves past Buffy and Elena straight to the weapons chest "If we're gonna stop Spike from blabbing about Dawn, we're gonna need these."  
Damon scoffs "Nope. I'm just going rip off his head."

Xander tilts his head as he grabs an axe "That works too." He says before tossing Anya a weapon. Xander turns to Elena when he gives her a worried frown she nods "We have the car, Jeremy's grabbing essentials. If we have to run we will." She says hating the fact that Buffy had convinced her of this contingency plan a few weeks ago after Glory had gotten into the house.

"Those are my weapons." Buffy says cheerfully "Give me something big and sharp."  
Elena sighs and turns to Buffy "Buffy, why don't you go get changed into something more...fighty."  
"Okay." She says happily before heading upstairs.

Elena sighs before turning to the gang and Damon "Anyone else figure it out yet?"  
Damon nods "The fact she's not breathing and she smells off was a big hint."  
Anya, Willow and Xander all stare in confusion, "What's going on?"

Damon groans in annoyance "The girl thinks we are rescuing Spike...Buffy's not that demented" He sighs yet at first it had taken him a moment but after that slowly he had realised that wasn't his Buffy. His Buffy was strong and always thought of her family first she wouldn't put a vampire like Spike's safety before Elena's.

Elena watches the looks of confusion cross over all three of their faces, none of them seemed to be getting it, she groans "Buffy is not having sex with Spike!"  
"The who-whatting-how-with-huh?" A voice says from the doorway.

The group turn to spot their Buffy now standing in the doorway with a horrified look on her face.  
Elena sighs in relief only to turn to the gang who were all frowning while Damon was smirking in amusement.  
"Man you change quick." Xander says noticing the dark brown outfit Buffy was wearing.

Elena sighs and moves over to her cousin, Buffy frowns "What is going on? Are you are Jer alright, and why does everyone think I'm having sex with Spike?"  
Damon crosses his arms as he leans against the wall "This will be good."  
Anya shakes her head before turning to Buffy "That's denial."  
"I am not having sex with Spike!" Buffy exclaims.  
"Thank God." Damon mutters, still trying to get the look of horror out of his face.  
Anya turns to Xander "Anger."

Elena shakes her head, they seriously were not getting this and it was getting damn frustrating now "She's not...you guys..."  
"No one is judging you." Xander says cutting Elena off as he focuses on Buffy "it's understandable. Spike is strong and mysterious, and sort of compact but well-muscled."  
Damon arches a brow at that before turning to Buffy "Anyone starting to think he's the one having sex with the idiot."

Xander chuckles nervously before shaking his head, he was confused how could she be arguing about this he had seen them together, and permanently had his brain scarred.  
"We saw you and Spike, with the straddling." Xander argues but before Elena could tell them about the robot said Buffy-bot strolls into the room "Spike's mine. Who's straddling Spike?"

Damon's eyes widen "Man it's like you and Mary being in the same room again." Damon pauses as a very odd fantasy comes to his mind "Stop it!" Buffy yells as she catches the grin on his face.  
Buffy turns to Elena who had the same look on her face, it was like a few years ago all over again but yet so different at the same time.

"I was trying to tell you..." Elena says turning to the other "Robot."  
Xander looks between them before glancing at Damon "Is this what it was like when she and Mary were together?"  
"Very much so." Damon confirms while the Buffy-bot smiles at the real Buffy.

At that moment Jeremy walks into the room only to freeze "Please tell me that's a robot and not Mary."  
"It's robot." Buffy confirms as the Buffy-bot continues to babble on about how pretty they were, at that moment Buffy realised that only Elena and Damon had realised that it wasn't actually her.

She turns to them annoyed "She acts just like that girlfriend-bot Warren made. You guys couldn't tell me apart from a robot?"  
The other Buffy tilts her head, she didn't understand "Oh, I don't think I'm a robot."  
Anya grins appreciatively at the robot "She's very well done."

Jeremy and Elena continue to stare at the robot, the constant déjà-vu becoming more apparent.  
Xander at this moment was finally putting the dots together "Spike must have had her built so he could program her..."

Buffy's visible pales in disgust while Damon's hand clenches against the bookshelf denting and shattering the wood.  
"No, Imagining." Buffy orders "Any of you."  
"Already got the visual." Xander points out, looking sickly.

Buffy groans as does Jeremy and Elena who looked seriously disturbed and disgusted but all this information.  
The Buffy-bot who was still slightly confused shrugs "People, friends of mine, you're forgetting the most important thing. Glory has Spike and she's going to harm him."

Buffy's eyes widen in horror she looks over at Jeremy and Elena with a look of panic just beneath the surface "Make sure your bags are packed." Buffy tells them before turning to Xander "Glory has Spike. Grab your weapons, we're going now. I'm going to kill him."  
"I got dibs." Damon says as he comes to stand next to Buffy, Buffy shakes her head "Willow, stay with Elena and Jeremy if we don't stop Glory you make sure they go."  
Elena shakes her head as does Jeremy "Buffy, we're not leaving you."  
"No way in hell." Jeremy says in agreement.

Buffy turns to her cousins a serious look on her face "If Spike tells her she could be on her way any minute. I need you two to be safe."  
"That means nothing if you're not safe." Elena tells her before hugging her tightly.  
Buffy smiles at her cousin before turning to Xander "We don't even know where to look." He points out.  
"I know where to start."

* * *

"Glory's Key sniffing snake was about here when I killed it." Buffy tells the gang as they stand in the large park.  
"Do hell beastess gotta be somewhere." Damon says as he turns to Buffy.  
Buffy nods before moving next to him "Can you track her?"

Damon shakes his head, he had only gotten her scent once and that was too long ago "No."  
Buffy sighs turning to spot Giles admiring the Buffy-bot, she rolls her eyes, she was used to having a double in the past, the robot double not so much. Honestly, she preferred Mary, at least Mary hadn't slept with Spike, that was just nasty.

"You missing the mistress bitch of hell right about now?" Damon asks as he nudges her smirking slightly.  
"Oh, yeah." She agrees before clearing her throat trying to get Giles' attention off of the robot.

The Buffy-bot takes notices "I really think we should be listening to the other Buffy, Guyles. She's very smart and she's going to save Spike."

Damon snickers at the Guyles comment while Buffy merely glares at her double "Listen, skirt girl, we are not going to save him. We're going to kill him. He knows who the key is and there's no way he's not telling Glory."

* * *

"We can't just sit here." Jeremy says frustrated, he hated this, having to wait around, waiting to see if Buffy will survive.  
Elena sighs she was just as worried and frustrated as her brother, Buffy was once again out there risking her life and the two of them were waiting for the call, one that everything was fine or the horror that Buffy was dead and Glory was coming.

"I know, Jer, but there's nothing..." Elena pauses as she hears a loud noise from outside, Elena frowns, Willow was upstairs working on a cloaking spell.  
Jeremy grabs the axe out of the weapons case and pushes Elena behind him before walking towards the door.

* * *

"It's icky." Buffy tells Damon as they walk through the park in search for Glory's house. They had spilt up with the group, Giles had gone with it, while Anya and Xander had gone together, leaving her with Damon.  
Damon chuckles in amusement "Yeah, gotta say though. I wasn't impressed."

Buffy frowns at that as they begin to climb up the side of a large building, this looked like it might possibly be the one, it was big fancy and tacky ergo Glory's type.  
"What do you mean?"  
Damon pauses and glances at her "Buffy I've known you a long time, I've seen you at your best and worst if you really think I'd be fooled by some robot your crazy. Yes, I was fooled by Mary a few times, but the robot, not a chance."

Buffy smiles slightly "Thanks." She says before the two of them land on the top floor of the building. Both pause as they here the crash come from inside, glancing at Damon Buffy nods "Bingo."

* * *

Jeremy moves towards the front door and pulls it open, only to instantly spot the creature trying to escape.

Jeremy takes off running, that creature fit the description of one of Glory's minions, he couldn't let it get away God knows how long it had been out there and what it had heard.  
"Jeremy!" Elena exclaims as she runs outside in search of her brother.

* * *

Buffy kicks down the door as she and Damon enter Glory's penthouse "The Slayer!" One of Glory's minions exclaims as it spots the two of them.

As minions begin filling the room Damon speeds forward effectively decapitating three of them "Impressed?" Damon asks smirking at Buffy,

Buffy chuckles before shooting her crossbow at one of the minions which was coming up behind Damon holding a stake "Not so much, show off."

Buffy finds the crossbow knocked from her grasp she turns and swings her leg around kicking the minion in the face knocking him to the ground before ducking under the blow of another.  
She grasps his arm and backhands him across the face sending him crashing to the ground, Buffy leaps up sending a spinning kick to the face of another minion before kicking the next in the gut.

* * *

"Jeremy!" Elena exclaims as she stands outside the house searching desperately for her brother.  
"Elena!" Willow yells as she comes running down the stairs "What happened?"  
Elena shakes her head panicking "One of Glory's minions..." She stutters out in a panic "He—he was out-outside and Jeremy ran after him."  
Willow's eyes widen in panic, she grabs Elena's arms and pulls her back inside the house "There is a protection spell around the house. Stay here I'll find him." Willow says before walking off.  
"No!" Elena yells only to find herself stopped at the door by a barrier.

* * *

"Buffy, we're here!" Giles calls out as he and the Buffy-bot join in on the fight.  
Buffy kicks the demon in front of her causing it to flip through the air before landing painfully, turning she spots Giles fighting one of the demons, more currently getting his ass kicked.  
"Buffy!" Giles exclaims as the demon attempts to choke him.

The Buffy-bot attempts to help only to get knocked down, Buffy does a front aerial landing right in front of Glory's minion and backhands him across the face.

* * *

"Come on." Elena yells as she swings the axe at the front door only for it to bounce back.

Elena's eyes widen though as suddenly she spots Jeremy carrying a creature over his shoulder, Elena backs away in horror as Jeremy drops the creature on the porch and forces the axe to it throat "Did Glory send you!" Jeremy hisses.  
"Jeremy!" Elena yells, he shouldn't be doing this, this wasn't him.  
Jeremy ignores Elena's cries and punches the minion repeatedly in the face before kicking him in the gut.  
The minion glares up at Jeremy "There are many of us and the great Glorificus will not stop until you are all dead and she has the key..."

The minion is cut off as Jeremy swings the axe bringing it down, Elena gasps in horror and turns away as Jeremy removes the minion's head.

Elena turns shaking slightly in shock as she spots the blood on her brother's face, she stares in shock as Jeremy walks past her "We're safe." He says before making his way upstairs.  
Elena lets out a shaky breath trying not to cry, she reaches into her pocket and dials Willow's number "Willow, Jeremy's home...but um...I need you to get Buffy."

* * *

"Is it weird?" Tara asks Buffy as they all stand around the magic box minus Damon, Xander and Giles who were all tossing Spike back at his crypt.

Buffy glances down at the robot before shaking her head "I don't know. I mean I remember being around Mary and she and I looked exactly the same but this..." She crouches down lying her head next to the robots "I mean at least it's not a very good copy."  
Tara glances at Anya and the two look at Buffy oddly, the robot was an exact match, "Sure."

At that moment the bell goes off Buffy stands and turns to see Giles and Xander "What did you guys do with Spike? Please let the story have a dusty ending,"  
"Not sure." Xander tells her "We dumped him back in his crypt. Damon's with him. He's gonna find out if he told her anything."  
Buffy chuckles "If anyone can convince Spike I'm gonna go with me or Damon."

At that moment Willow runs into the store in a panic, as she spots Buffy she runs over "It's Jeremy."

* * *

Damon glares at Spike watching as the idiot laid there on the stone tomb breathing heavily.

"You know what I can't figure out." Damon says as he walks around the crypt groaning at the sight of the dust and dirt "First, this place is disgusting, you should really do a spring cleaning." Damon pauses and turns to Spike who was adjusting himself to sit up properly.  
"What's that?" Spike asks, clearly annoyed.

"Why?" Damon asks "Why let yourself be tortured, why not give it up straight away, I mean I get you would but why wait..."  
"I didn't." Spike says quietly, so quiet that Damon almost didn't catch it, Spike looks up and for the first time since Damon had met him, he actually found himself thinking that the bloody idiot was being honest with him.  
"I wouldn't." Spike tells him "Cos Buffy. Anything happened to Elena and Jeremy...it would crush her. I couldn't live with her bein' in that much pain. I'd let Glory kill me first."

Damon watches Spike for a moment as much as he hated to admit it, he believed Spike because it's the exact same thing either him or Stefan would do "You love her."  
"Do you?" Spike challenges before lying back down.  
Damon sighs "Yeah, I do. So understand this, I'll let you live for now. That's all you get." He warns before storming out of the crypt.

Damon steps outside into the harsh air and clenches his jaw, he stands in silence for a moment only to spot 5 missed calls from Buffy.

* * *

"Did you get rid of him?" Elena asks Buffy as she walks back into the kitchen where Elena was currently trying to get the blood off her sponge so she could finish getting the rest of it off the porch and dumps the shovel on the side.  
Buffy sighs, she hated burying bodies "Yeah. One more of Glory's minions is now rotting."

"What about Spike?" Elena asks knowing that if Spike had screwed them it would be over they'd be on the run for the rest of their lives.  
"Damon's dealing with him. Are you okay?" She asks worried as she watches Elena continue to scrub.  
Elena nods refusing to turn to her as she lets out an exhale "I think I got most of the blood off the porch."

"Elena." Buffy says sadly, she felt the examine same as she imagined Elena did right now, scared, worried, terrified, those were all things Elena shouldn't have to go through alone "Lena, look at me."  
Elena sighs dropping the sponge from her hand into the sink and turns to Buffy tears finally falling from her eyes.  
Buffy sighs before moving forward and wrapping her arms around her cousin tightly "It's going to be okay."

Elena shakes her head and pulls away from Buffy "Buffy, Jeremy just cut off someone's head. It's not right. It's not fair. He's 18 years old. He shouldn't have to live like this."  
Elena continues to shake her head and moves away from Buffy "There has to be another way."

Buffy takes a deep breath before finally allowing the thought she had been forcing down out, it may suck but it may also be their best way of keeping Jeremy safe "I may have one. I texted Damon. He's coming over..."  
Elena's eyes widen as she contemplates Buffy's idea before she takes a shaky breath, Buffy steps forward and places a hand on her cheek "This is your choice."

* * *

"Hey. Can we talk?" Elena asks as she and Buffy walk into Jeremy's room, an hour later after a very long discussion.  
Jeremy turns to the girls with a sigh "What did I do know?" He jokes before glancing at Buffy "Glory?"

"Spike didn't give us up." She tells him happily "Guess there are benefits to his obsession."

Jeremy chuckles in amusement before sitting down on the edge of his bed, as he does Elena and Buffy glance at each other before moving inside "I've been thinking about what you said earlier." Elena says softly "About how we should pack up and go."  
Jeremy tilts his head, shaking it slightly "Elena, I didn't mean any of that."  
"Doesn't matter." Buffy tells him "You were right. Sunnydale is not exactly a safe place. And you shouldn't have to give up a normal life because Elena and I are stuck with all this."

Jeremy frowns in confusion, his confusion rises as he spots Damon walk into the room "Your sisters think we should have another one of our talks."  
As Damon sits in front of Jeremy, Jeremy glances at Elena and Buffy, although both were technically his cousins they were his sisters through and through and the fact that they were about to send him away upset him, despite understanding their reasoning.

"Here's the thing, Jeremy." Damon says drawing the boy's attention "You're going to go home." He compels him "Leave Sunnydale, you're going to go back to Mystic Falls. Stay with Rick. Hang out with girls, normal girls, take an art class. You can do whatever you want."

Buffy watches for a moment before clenching her jaw "Tell him he's going to leave Sunnydale behind and never think twice about it."

Damon looks over at Buffy who had tears running down her cheeks, he offers her a small smile before turning back to Jeremy "You're not going to think twice about it. You're going to have a better life, Jeremy."

* * *

Buffy walks out onto the porch, she needed air, the house had become too claustrophobic. She just couldn't be in there, listening to Jeremy packing with Giles' help, knowing that she had to give up the family she had just gotten back.

"I hate this." She breaths out as she hears Damon come outside.  
"You just saved his life, Buffy." Damon tells her "Take it from me—estranged is bad. Dead is worse."

Buffy shakes her head "This shouldn't be happening...this is my fault." When Damon frowns in confusion she sighs watching as he closed the front door before approaching her "No..."  
"Yes, it is." She argues "If he and Elena hadn't come after me they could have had normal lives..."  
"That's not your fault." Damon tells her as he moves to stand in front of her keeping her from pacing along the porch "They came after you because they are your family."

Buffy sighs and turns to face Damon who was now standing opposite her, Damon smiles down at her "You have literally put your head on the chopping block to keep them safe, Buffy. Even without your memories. He is so lucky to have you as a sister."  
"Cousin." Buffy corrects.

Damon chuckles, yes biologically she was his cousin, but in the past few years, they all knew that Buffy, Elena and Jeremy were closer than could be "You're his sister. Just like Elena."  
Buffy smiles slightly pushing the blonde hair out of her face as she looks up at him "Thank you."  
Damon smirks slightly "No problem."  
"Not just for this, dummy." She says hitting his shoulder slightly "For everything. I really needed someone by my side, and you were there."

Damon looks down at Buffy his face softening as he looked down at the beautiful woman before him but he steps back after a brief hesitation and looks at her "You should know this, Buffy. Stefan is trying to get you the cure. For your memory."  
Buffy's eyes widen "What? But I thought..."  
"There was no cure? There is. He's risking his life to get it for you. He literally went to the Dark corners of the dimension so that you could have a choice." He says shaking his head.

Buffy lets out a shocked breath, she wasn't sure how she felt about that, that he was risking so much just so that she could have a choice.  
"What does that mean?"

Damon lets out an annoyed breath "What does it mean? It means I'm an idiot. I thought after all his Ripper crap that we were even but then he saved my ass while on a bender and now he's doing this." Damon who was staring off in the distance turns to face Buffy refusing to look her in the eye "Cause I thought for one second that I wouldn't have to feel guilty."  
Buffy frowns at that, Damon didn't seem like the type to feel a whole lot of guilt especially when it came to his brother "Huh? Why would feel guilty?"  
Damon turns to face her fully looking deep into her eyes as he speaks "For wanting what I want."

Buffy looks into his eyes nervously gulping slightly, this really wasn't helping with all her confusion, at that moment she realised in fact how close the two of them were actually standing.

"Damon..." She says hesitantly.  
"No. I know. Believe me, I know." He says sadly "Brother's girl and all." He gives her a small smile before moving down the steps of the porch.

Buffy stands there frozen for a moment as she takes a deep breath trying to process everything, however that moment was cut short as Damon turns back to face her.  
"No." He says mostly to himself before facing Buffy "No. You know what?" He says before making his way back up the steps towards Buffy "If I'm going to feel guilty about something I'm going to feel guilt about this."

Before Buffy could do anything Damon steps over to her and cups her cheeks in his hand pulling her into a kiss.  
Buffy's eyes close as his hands wrap around her neck, slowly she finds herself responding to the soft kiss as her hand moves up holding onto his wrist.

Slowly after a moment Damon pulls away from her still cupping her face in his hands as he does, slowly a smile creeps onto his face "Goodnight."

* * *

Buffy walks into the living room still stunned to her core about the kiss, she had not been expecting that. She closes her eyes trying to push down all the different feelings hitting her.

As she attempts to zone out from the world, she doesn't notice Giles walk into the room, he had come over to make sure that her Elena and Jeremy were okay and had been upstairs with Jeremy helping him pack.  
"Buffy?" Giles asks hesitantly as he touches her arm, Buffy gasps in shock and jumps slightly stunned.  
As her eyes focus on Giles she sighs "Sorry." She says "You startled me."

Giles smiles softly at her before giving her a comforting smile "You did the right thing, Buffy." He tells her "Jeremy will be safe."  
Buffy sighs "I know." She turns to him and smiles, however suddenly she panics that familiar pain was hitting her hard and fast "Oh no."  
Seeing her eyes glaze over Giles's eyes widen in worry "Buffy?"

Buffy grasps her head in agony before crying out as blood begins seeping from her nose and mouth.

 _Damon speeds over to her and slams her against the wall "Don't you dare."  
Buffy shoves him "Stefan's in there, Damon! How could you let this happen?"  
"What are you talking about? I was too busy trying to make sure you didn't bleed to death while saving your cousin from her crazy kamikaze mission."_

 _Buffy shoves him again and raises her leg to a kick but Damon blocks it, he grabs the leg and twists it so she falls to the ground again. Buffy flips herself up kicking him in the face in the process. Damon quickly recovers and moves to block her before she get's to the door, he slams her against the wall by the door and places a hand on her injured side forcing her to stay. Buffy groans in pain "Dammit! I didn't ask for your help, you should have made sure they didn't go in there. It was supposed to be me in there in the first place."  
"It was the right call, Buffy! You would have bled to death in the middle of the road. Then we're out a slayer."  
"Right call?! Have you completely lost your mind?! I don't need protection, Damon."  
Buffy tries to push him away again but he forces his hand on her side more "Damon, let go of me. Damon, let go of me! Or I swear to god I'm gonna kill you."  
Buffy stops trying to shove him away after a minute "Please."_

"Buffy!" Giles exclaims as he catches her to keep her from falling to the ground, his eyes widen in horror as he watches blood drip from her nose and mouth as well as her ears. Buffy cries out again clutching her head painfully, clawing at the stands of her hair.

 _Damon turns to Buffy and sighs "Uh—all right, I know this is probably the last thing you want to do right now, but we should talk about what happened last night."_ _  
_ _Buffy nods "Yeah, Stefan called me when I was in Sunnydale, what's with the whole vampire getting into the house and attacking John thing?"_ _  
_ _Damon looks at her shocked "What—when? What are you talking about? After I left?"_ _  
_ _"Okay now I'm the one confused, what were you doing at my house?"_ _  
_ _Damon rolls his eyes "Come on, Buffy. You know why."_ _  
_ _Buffy looks at him even more confused "Yeah, I'm still coming up blank here, when were you at the house?"_ _  
_ _"Really? Earlier. On the porch. We were talking, all cathartic, feelings exposed. Come on, we kissed, Buffy."_ _  
_ _Buffy laughs "Very funny. But I don't have time for this, I just spent the past 24 hours fighting I'm exhausted and one of my friends is in the hospital."_ _  
_ _Buffy starts to walk past him but Damon grabs her arm "Hey. If you want to forget it happened, fine. But, I can't."_

Buffy's eyes widen as the pain becomes too much, looking up at Giles she coughs violently, blood falling from her mouth as she attempts to speak "Don't tell Jeremy or Elena." She whispers harshly before the pain becomes too much and darkness consumes her.


	80. Tough Love

"Why didn't you tell me?" Buffy asks Elena as she drives Elena to the hospital.  
Elena sighs, trying to think of how to explain it, yes they had all originally agreed to keep the cure a secret because Buffy had made it clear that she had no interest in remembering, but for the past few weeks, Buffy had been more open to learning about the past.

"I'm sorry." Elena tells her honestly "It's just at first when you said you didn't want your memories back, we figured that it didn't hurt to have the cure for if you changed your mind...I should have told you there was a cure." Elena sighs before something comes to her, she had expected Buffy's reaction to the cure to be closed off, she had not wanted it, yet Buffy was curious.  
"Do you want the cure?" Elena asks, making Buffy's jaw clench.

Honestly Buffy had considered it, her memories not only would help her understand more about Klaus but...she couldn't stop the curiosity...the flashes had only shown her so little of her life before, two years of her life was missing, didn't she deserve to know. But then there was the obvious problem, Damon and Stefan. She was already confused enough adding two years of feelings and memories onto her may make it worse, she already felt guilty about the fact that Damon and she had kissed despite the fact that she felt a strong connection to Stefan. Much like the one she had felt towards Angel.  
Glancing over at her cousin she exclaims softly before focusing on the road "I don't know. There's an appeal, I mean it's my life and I would like to know it. But then there are things that I'm okay with not remembering, like what happened to Jenna, or John, or Caroline. Taking that cure means allowing my mind open to all of that."

Elena smiles sadly at her cousin she understood where she was coming from and that she was scared but overall it was her decision, no matter how much she herself may want Buffy to remember it wasn't up to her.  
"Okay." Elena says "Let's change the subject." Arching a brow she glances at her cousin "Can we talk about you and Damon instead?"  
"I'm not talking about it." Buffy says instantly only to get an arched brow and sly smirk from Elena, Buffy rolls her eyes "He kissed me it's not gonna happen again."

Elena shakes her head, Damon had been very happy to tell Elena when she came to thank him for speaking to Jeremy, whereas Buffy had refused to talk about it.  
Elena shakes her head before looking at Buffy curiously "I mean...was it good?" She asks surprising Buffy who hesitates.  
"Doesn't matter."  
Elena chuckles "That means it was."

* * *

Damon smiles happily as he moves the showerhead over his shoulders, she had kissed him back. Honestly, he had half expected Buffy to punch him in the face, but it seemed like the attraction wasn't one-sided.  
His smile almost fades at that fact that they would have the cure soon, which might change things drastically between them, she would likely go running back to his brother.

He shakes his head refusing to let it ruin his chipper mood as he wraps a towel around his waist. Walking into the living room he pauses as he spots a familiar face standing by the fire holding a picture of Buffy.

"Hello, Brother." Damon says causing Stefan to turn away from the fire and face his brother.  
"Damon." Stefan says before tucking the photo back into his pocket and focuses on his brother, spotting the chipper look on his face Stefan frowns "Why are you so chipper?"  
Damon merely continues to smile "No reason. So...we've got some catching up to do."

* * *

After dropping Elena off at the hospital Buffy walks into her professor's classroom after class, ignoring the dreading feeling, she knew she had to do this.  
Walking up to him as he attempted to get one of the slides out of the old fashioned projector she smiles nervously "Professor Lillian?"

"Buffy." He addresses drawing his attention away from the projected for a second to focus on her.  
"I'm sorry that I missed the lecture today. Was it good?" When he glares at her she winces "Um, of course, it was." Glancing down she notices him still struggling "Do you want me to try?"  
"Yes. Thanks. The slide is stuck in the thing." He stutters.

Buffy nods before focusing on him "I just came by to tell you that I have to drop this class." At his shocked expression, she panics "All of my classes, actually. I'm not finishing the semester. I wish...um...I just...I can't be in school right now. I have to take care of my cousins."  
Her professor nods "Yes, I thought you might. I heard about the trouble your younger cousin has been going through, after the death of your aunt. I'm sorry for your loss."

Buffy freezes the grief still so fresh in her mind and smiles at him softly before reaching for the forms she needed him to fill out.

* * *

Stefan sits in the leather chair his elbows resting on his knees as he listens to Damon, who was filling him in on what had been going on during the few months he had been in the Dark Dimensions.  
"Okay." Stefan says softly once Damon was finished "So Riley's gone..."  
"Yep." Damon says smirking slightly at the face.  
Stefan shakes his head not amused and merely continues "Watcher's Council showed up..." Stefan wasn't too happy about that, the Watcher's Council almost killed Buffy "And Glory this demon woman is actually a...a God." He says hesitantly still unable to believe it.  
Damon nods "With the unholy-ness and all that yep. That's one demon...God."

Stefan shakes his head so much had happened since he had left. It was odd, while for him it had been barely a week for everyone else it had been more than two months.  
"And you're working with Mary?" Stefan asks clearly not happy.  
Damon shakes his head "Like hell I am. I'm just letting her do all the heavy lifting with the Klaus while we deal with the God."  
Stefan pauses standing from his chair he moves over to the window glancing outside before turning back to his brother "And Elena...she's..."  
"The Key." Damon finishes "Mystical energy shoved inside the doppelganger's body for preservation and protection."

Stefan exhales he couldn't help but feel for Elena after everything she had gone through, losing her family, herself dying at the hands of Klaus and now monks had forced her to be the container of some mystical evil force.  
"Anything else?" Stefan asks, honestly he was hoping not.  
Damon pauses for a moment before a look of amusement covers his face "Oh, yeah Spike's in love with Buffy."

Stefan's eyes widen in shock and his jaw slackens slightly, he had not been expecting that; he shakes his head "Honestly did not expect that."  
"He also built a robot that looked exactly like her, man it was like having Mary and Buffy back in the same room again. Talk about creepy..." Before Stefan could even digest that Damon continues "Oh and Mary woke up Elijah."  
Stefan freezes "What?!" He practically yells. That wasn't good. Damon merely shrugs before leaving the room.  
Stefan shakes his head in annoyance, he grabs his jacket and heads out the house, he needed to see Buffy.

* * *

Buffy sighs as she exits the register's office. It was over, she was now officially a college drop-out and it sucked. Glory was really taking over her entire life. Sighing she glances at her watch, Jeremy was leaving today to head back to Mystic Falls, she should probably get home so she could spend some time with him before he left, god knows when or if she would see him again.

As she shoves the paperwork the office had given her back into her bag she steps out of the main building and pauses, she frowns a strange sensation coming to her, one that she hadn't felt in months. She glances around the college campus before sighing, she must be going nuts.

:

Stefan waits outside of UC Sunnydale waiting for Buffy, however, the moment he sees her he freezes, it had been so long but she looked the same. He smiles slightly at the sight of her, watching as she herself freezes looking around for something before continuing down the path towards the exit.

* * *

Elena laughs at one of the jokes her fellow classmates tells her as they walk down the hall, glancing at her watch she smiles at him "I'll see you later Jesse."  
Jesse smiles at her sweetly "You too, Elena." He says before giving her a wave as he heads down to the surgical wing.

Elena sighs before moving towards the pharmacy, however, she stops straight in the hall as she spots one of the doctors that taught her speaking to a familiar face "Ben." She breaths, she moves to say hello only to stop herself as she spots the look on Ben's face.

"You can't be late to a job you don't have." The doctor tells Ben shocking him to his core.

Elena frowns in confusion, she hadn't expected someone to fire Ben.

"Interesting enough, I've decided to give your job to someone who'll actually do it. Honest to God, Ben, I've been calling you for two weeks. Where have you been?"  
Ben frowns in confusion at that "I haven't been...I haven't been here in two weeks?"

Elena frowns in confusion herself, however, before she could think about it anymore her pager goes off.

* * *

Buffy walks through the campus for what she could only imagine may be the finale time, sighing she grabs her phone and dials Elena number.  
 _"_ _Hey."_ Elena answers clearly in a rush.  
Buffy shakes her head, she didn't know how Elena did it, from the stress of being the Key and the doppelganger plus pre-med classes.  
"All done I am officially dropped out." Buffy tells her sighing slightly.  
Elena chuckles, knowing Buffy wasn't too pleased _"You'll go back."_ Elena assures her.  
Buffy frowns as she hears voices in the background before finally, Elena comes back on _"Buff sorry gotta go."  
_ "It's cool, I'm gonna pop by the magic box before heading home. See you later."  
 _"_ _Bye."_

Buffy hangs up the phone however she pauses, that sensation was there, it was so familiar turning her head her eyes widen as she spots a familiar face standing a few feet away from her smiling brightly at her, "Stefan." She breaths out lowering her phone as she stares at him, the smile growing on her face.

"Two months and no phone call?" Buffy teases as she walks over to him.  
Stefan chuckles, god he had missed the sound of her voice "Couldn't exactly get reception where I was."  
Buffy chuckles "I'll bet." She says before stepping closer and hugging him.  
Stefan smiles and wraps his arms around her holding her against him.  
After a moment she pulls away before punching his arm "Welcome back."  
Stefan chuckles in amusement "Ow." He mocks before shaking his head and focusing on the beautiful woman in front of him "I know I missed a lot..."  
"Understatement of the year."  
"Well come on..." He says offering her his hand for her to take "...Damon's told me some of it. Why don't you fill me in on the rest?"

Buffy flinches at the sound of Damon's name and she finds a small wave of guilt hit her, she shakes her and looks at Stefan's hand sceptically before giggling slightly and taking his hand.

* * *

After her class at the hospital Elena glances at her phone, she had an hour till she had to get back to UC Sunnydale for her chem lab class. Heading down the hall she walks towards the cafeteria only to freeze as she spots a familiar face walking towards her "Bonnie?"  
Bonnie turns and instantly a bright smile covers her face "Elena." She exhales happily before running over to her friend.

The two embrace holding onto each other like it was the last time they were going to "I'm so glad your back." Elena says as she pulls away slightly to look at her best friend.  
Bonnie smiles "I missed you too." Bonnie smiles before reaching into her pocket and showing Elena a small vile of white liquid.  
Elena's eyes widen as the reality of Bonnie being back hit her and what that truly meant "Is that...?"  
"Yeah." Bonnie says happily water filling her eyes with joy "We got the cure."

* * *

"So what did Damon tell you? Buffy asks Stefan as the two of them stroll through the park by the college.  
Stefan chuckles "Everything, Elena, Glory, Key, Mary..." Stefan pauses to smile at her "Spike."  
Buffy's eyes widen before she groans in embarrassment and disgust "Oh God..." She shakes her head, a look of revulsion covering her features.

Stefan laughs slightly before placing a hand on her shoulder, waiting as she slowly calms "It's not that bad."  
"Not that bad?" Buffy asks scoffing out the words as she does "Not that bad, you did not have Spike build a robot Buffy to play checkers with."  
"Checkers?" Stefan asks with a raise of his eyebrow.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "That's what I tell myself, it keeps all the bad out." She tells him making him laugh slightly. Buffy glares at him for a moment but can't help but smile "You're enjoying this." She hisses.

Buffy shakes her head as he moves to walk beside her again "I really do attract vampires don't I?" She jokes getting a small smile out of him.

As they walk Buffy can't help but find herself falling into the comfortable silence, it was peaceful and rare for her to that comfortableness around anyone. After a few minutes, Buffy turns to him "How was your trip to the Dark Dimensions?" She asks deciding to bite the bullet and get this part of the conversation over with.  
Stefan's eyes widen in shock and he turns to her; Buffy smiles sensing his panic "Damon spilled about the cure."  
Stefan scoffs, of course, Damon had forgotten to mention that "Buffy..."

"It's okay." She tells him as she stops walking and moves to sit on a small bench waiting for him to sit beside her, once he was sitting she adjusts herself to face him "You risked a lot going there Stefan...you could have been killed, it's not worth it."

Stefan takes her hand in his making her take a breath as she feels that familiar electricity flow through her "Giving you a choice is what matters." He tells her honestly. As much as he would love to have her remember everything they have shared if she didn't want that he would accept it. He would fight for her, rebuild what they had and try and start a new with her.

Buffy looks down for a moment only for her gaze to go back up to Stefan's as he speaks "Would you want it?" He asks her hesitantly, almost fearing the answer.  
Buffy turns away from him letting go of his hand as she does, looking across the park she sighs "I don't know." She says honestly "I thought about it..." Glancing at him she takes a deep breath "A part of me wants to remember, wants to remember those experiences especially the happy ones. But at the same time, I'm scared of the darker moments."  
Buffy takes a deep breath and glances at him once more "But I know one thing..."  
"What's that?" Stefan asks her genuinely curious.

"I feel you." She says softly "Even when I can't see you...when you're around I feel you. I don't know how but I know you're there before I even see you."  
Stefan smiles slightly at that, they had been like that before, either of them could just sense the other one walk into the room.  
Before he could say anything, however, Buffy's phone rings, Buffy glances down at her phone "It's Giles..." Buffy tells him "I was supposed to go to the Magic Box."  
Stefan looks away and nods, that was it she had opened up for that moment and just as quickly she had shut him back out.  
"Can I see you later?"  
Buffy nods "Sure. I better go."

* * *

After explaining everything to Bonnie and Bonnie getting over the initial shock regarding Glory and The Key Elena decided to get to the topic she had been avoiding.  
Honestly, she hadn't expected Bonnie to come back the same day that Jeremy was leaving, she had partially wanted Jeremy gone as soon as possible so he would be safe.  
"Bonnie..." Elena says hesitantly "...I need to tell you one more thing. And I don't think you're going to like it."

"What happened?" Bonnie asks curious, after everything Elena had just told her she couldn't see it getting any worse.  
Elena takes a deep breath before looking her best friend in the eyes "Jeremy's going to be leaving town. He's going back to Mystic Falls till this whole Glory situation is over."  
Bonnie frowns in confusion, there was no way the Jeremy she knew would agree to just up and leave town while the two most important people in his life were risking their lives, something wasn't right here.  
"Jeremy wouldn't just leave you and Buffy to deal with Glory on your own."  
Elena looks down "I know. Buffy and I talked. I decided to ask Damon to compel him."

Bonnie's eyes widen and her jaw clenches, she clearly wasn't happy with this, she couldn't believe that Elena of all people would condone compelling Jeremy "You what?"  
"I know, Bonnie. But it's not safe for him here anymore. We were never supposed to be in Sunnydale this long, and with Glory around...she's already threatened to kill him I can't risk it. The only reason I'm telling you is because I know you two still haven't really worked out your stuff, you guys barely talked when we got here let alone before you left to get the cure. I thought maybe you'd want to say goodbye."

* * *

As Buffy walks into the Magic Box Xander and Willow look up from the books they were reading, well in Xander's case a magazine.  
"Hey, what's up..." Xander says "...It's the Buffster by her lonesome, where's Ellie Montoya?"  
Buffy looks up from the ground and releases the necklace around her neck that she was currently playing with and looks over at Xander "Hospital."

"I trust everything went well at the university?" Giles asks drawing Buffy's attention as she takes a seat at the main table.  
Buffy nods "Yep. I'm all dropped out."  
"Good on you." Xander tells her, grinning slightly, he was happy to no longer be the only member of the group not in college anymore "Welcome to the real world. A lot of fun to be had on the outside. You'll see."  
Buffy smiles softly, the smile not reaching her eyes "It's just for now." She tells him "I think that I'll probably go back next semester."  
"And that's cool too." Xander tells her being supportive "Whatever you choose, you've got my support. Just think of me as..." Xander pauses unable to find the right word "...as your...you know I'm searching for supportive things, and I'm comin' up all bras, so something more manly. Think of me as that."

Buffy smiles in amusement, she really enjoyed Xander's banter "Seriously." He tells her "Whatever you need." Buffy smiles.  
"Thank you. Actually um...just so you guys know..." Buffy looks around everyone in the room hesitantly before speaking "Stefan's back."

Xander whistles as the room goes quiet, everyone was staring at Buffy examining her facial expressions "Hero hair." Xander says.  
Buffy smiles slightly "Yeah, he's back. Actually, something he told me is important. So I need to talk to Giles alone for a minute."  
Giles looks over at her in worry, they had not spoken of her visions hurting her after last night when she collapsed.

* * *

Chicago 

"Mari!" Klaus exclaims as he storms into her room in search for the raven haired woman. When he slams open her bedroom door only to find it open he frowns in confusion she couldn't just leave the house without him knowing.  
"Marianna!" He yells as he storms down the hall.  
"My god Nick." A voice says from behind him "Could you stop with the bloody yelling."  
Klaus turns and pauses as he spots Mary lying on the couch holding her head, he frowns in confusion before spotting the empty bottle of tequila next to her on the floor.  
Klaus rolls his eyes "I told you to stay put."

Mary rolls her eyes back at him before sighing and rubbing her now sore head "Problem is...Nik...my best friend is on the run I have nothing left so I drink and you keep all the booze down here, therefore, I cannot stay put in one room. Plus I was going stir crazy."

Klaus glares at the raven haired woman before yanking her off the couch and pushing her towards her room, she was such a pain in his arse that sometimes he wished that he had just killed her, but luckily for her, she was useful. Being one of the most powerful witches in history made her valuable.

"Niklaus you really must learn to control your temper."

Klaus freezes on the spot as a cold chill goes through his spine at the sound of the familiar voice, turning slightly while still keeping hold of Mary his eyes widen as they fall on his older brother "Elijah."  
Mary smirks up at Klaus "Did I forget to mention that?"

Klaus growls before shoving Mary against the concrete wall before turning to Elijah who immediately grabs him and throws him against the wall before fixing his suit.  
Elijah looks down at Klaus sighing as he helps Mary stand "Marianna please give us a moment, brother and I have things to discuss."

* * *

Giles stands near one of Buffy's punching bags waiting for an explanation, yet she had remained silent since they had entered the training room, she merely sat on the pile of mats staring at her hands nervously.  
Buffy sighs she could feel Giles watching her, taking a deep breath she looks up at him "It's the visions."  
Giles nods rubbing his chin slightly "How long?" He asks knowing she would understand what he meant.

Buffy gulps "The bleeding and the pain started a few weeks ago. It's been getting worse, I'm having trouble staying conscious during them."  
Giles sighs in worry, had he had known about this he could have been researching and trying to find a cure to help Buffy "You said the visions were becoming more common." He rubs his forehead in worry as he moves to sit down next to her "Why didn't you come to me?"

Buffy closes her eyes sucking down the emotion threatening to break free "It's making me weak Giles. Every day every time I have another vision I feel weaker like my body is shutting down..." Buffy takes another breath and turns to Giles "...Giles, Jeremy and Elena cannot find out no one can. We can't lose focus. We have to stop Glory that's what matters."

Giles exhales loudly as he moves to stand, he paces the room slightly trying to figure out what to do, after a moment of contemplation he turns to Buffy "Buffy, I will try to find something to stop this, I'll look into it but you will have to take things easy."  
Buffy shakes her head and stands "I can't do that. Not with Glory out there."

Giles glances at the door before stepping over to Buffy, removing his glasses he cleans them, his nervous tick making him do so, as he places them back on he turns to her "Buffy, god knows what these visions are doing to you, it could be killing you..."  
"I know." Buffy says quickly cutting him off before giving him a look of despair "But I need to do this."  
She grabs her bags and moves towards the door "I'm gonna head home see Jeremy before he leaves."  
Giles sighs before taking a step towards her "Buffy..." Buffy stops in her tracks and turns to face him "What about Stefan and Damon? They are major triggers for the visions, shouldn't we tell them?"

Buffy clenches her jaw slightly before shaking her head "No."

* * *

"Brother, you have to understand..." Klaus tries as Elijah shoves him up against the concrete wall again, as his head slams painfully against the wall Klaus growls "I think you made your point."

"We're is our family Niklaus?!" Elijah hisses as he shoves Klaus away from him.  
Klaus huffs in annoyance and frustration Mary must have been filling Elijah in on the stories of their siblings. "They are safe, trust me."  
Elijah scoffs "You daggered me Niklaus and left me to rot like you have done to every other member of our family. You have tortured and keep Marianna prisoner..."  
"You are really going to defend that witch?!" Klaus yells "Over your own brother!"

Elijah glares at him before stepping forward and pointing a finger at his chest in warning "I may have wanted Marianna to punish for betraying you but...after all you have done to her I cannot blame her. You killed the man she loved, and due to your temper and lack of control she had to become something of pure evil just to survive."

Klaus glares at his brother before adjusting his leather jacket and grabbing the bottle of blood from the bar and taking a small drink.  
Elijah stands there waiting for Klaus to tell him where their family was.  
Klaus chuckles in amusement as Elijah stands there patiently "Always the patient lad, Elijah."

"I have eternity Niklaus."  
Klaus thinks for a moment before smiling at his brother "I will reunite you with our family, it's almost time to wake them however...we need to go somewhere first."  
Elijah frowns in confusion "Where?"  
"Sunnydale."

* * *

Buffy walks out of the training room intent on heading straight home, however, Willow and Xander's voices of worry make her pause "Buffy? What's wrong?" Willow asks.  
"Yeah, what's up Buffster?" Xander asks the same look of worry on his face.  
Buffy shakes her head and moves towards the exit "Nothing I have to go."  
Willow glances at Xander before standing and moving towards Buffy "Buffy, hey what's going on?"

"Willow it's nothing." Buffy says, her emotions were everywhere right now and she really wanted to get out of here.  
Willow frowns in confusion "Come on spill, does this have something to do with Stefan being back because I think..."  
"Willow." Buffy says cutting her off "Stop. Please. Look it's a personal issue. I really don't want to talk about it. I gotta go." Buffy walks right by her giving Xander and Anya a quick wave before heading out the front door.

As she does Willow frowns in confusion, something wasn't right here, Buffy always told her personal stuff, she never evaded things like that in such a stand-offish way.

* * *

Bonnie stands nervously outside the Summers household for several minutes before gaining the nerve to actually knock on the front door. Taking a deep breath she rings the doorbell only to immediately panic.  
However, before she could back out of her decision Jeremy opens the front door and freezes as he spots her "You're back...wait does that mean you got the..."  
"The cure?" Bonnie finishes the sentence before nodding "Yeah we did."

Stepping around him to stand in the foyer she sighs "So you're going back to Mystic Falls, huh? Were you going to say good-bye?"  
Jeremy looks down nervously for a moment before shrugging "I didn't think you were coming back yet and...I wasn't too sure if you would care."  
Bonnie's mouth drops open in shock, the fact that he thought after everything they had been through that she wouldn't care really upset and hurt her "Of course I care. I was hurt by what happened between you and Anna last year, Jeremy. That doesn't mean I don't care."

Jeremy sighs and looks away from her not able to handle looking directly at her "With everything going on with Glory this is good. Elena and Buffy will keep getting into trouble if I am here because they will be too busy trying to protect me. Glory's already used me as a pawn to control Buffy, I won't let that keep happening Bonnie. This is for the best."  
Bonnie sighs, hating this, she hated that he had been compelled and that all this crap with Glory was destroying their lives.

* * *

"She was just so closed off and crabby." Willow complains as she continues to get ready for the fair that she and Tara were going to.  
Putting on her earrings she sighs "She's never like that. I mean come on personal family stuff. She always talks to me about that stuff. And this whole sending Jeremy away thing, I don't get it she can protect him."

Tara who was by the sink turns to Willow, she hesitated slightly, for Willow it was different Willow hadn't lost anyone, it was understandable that Buffy was being closed off, from losing near enough her entire family to having her cousins life being threatened by a God she completely understood why Buffy was acting the way she was.  
"It understandable." Tara says softly as she grabs the hair moose off the sink and walks back over to Willow.  
"What is?" Willow asks confused.

"Buffy. The crabby and closed-off-ness. She's got two lives in her head. Two separate worlds fighting for domination. Before Jeremy and Elena came to town she was alone. She had years without family but now...she has it again. She has to look after Jeremy and Elena."

"Yeah." Willow says as she pulls on her jacket "I get that but why does she need to send Jeremy away I get he killed a demon but we all do that every day and..."  
"It's not that." Tara says "Buffy just got her family back. She lost her mother both her aunts, her uncles. Jeremy is being sent away for his protection because she's worried she can't do it. After all that loss...I mean I had to deal with a lot when...I mean, you can't really know what it's like to..."  
Willow rolls her eyes and looks away "Yeah, I know that."

* * *

"Hello?" Bonnie answers as she walks out of Jeremy's house and moves towards her car.  
 _"_ _Oh, yes. Bonnie, it's Giles. I heard you were back."_

Bonnie smiles she had come to like the Magic Shop owner/Watcher, "Hi Giles, what can I do for you?"  
 _"_ _Actually it's for Buffy. She asked me to do some research into...the potion that took away her memory. Elena mentioned that you had the spellbook, I was wondering if you could bring it by so I could have a look."_

Bonnie frowns in confusion as to why Buffy had asked Giles to look into the potion, she could have just as easily asked her.  
"Sure I have it with me I'll be there in 10."  
 _"_ _Brilliant, thank you."  
_ Bonnie smiles before hanging up, tossing her phone in the backseat she puts the car into drive and heads towards the Magic Box.

* * *

Buffy walks up the porch only to freeze as she spots Damon standing on her porch waiting for her.  
Buffy gulps, she had not spoken to him since the kiss and after seeing Stefan this morning she was so confused about how to feel.  
"Elena's inside with Jeremy." He tells her as he takes a step towards her "They are waiting for you. Big goodbye and all."  
Buffy nods before looking at him carefully "I saw Stefan." She says cutting straight to it trying to get the awkward part over with.  
Damon chuckles "Yeah baby bro the hero." Damon pauses and looks at Buffy carefully she looked paler than normal and had a worried frown on her face "Hey are you okay?" He asks as he steps forward and places a soft hand on her chin tilting her head to look at him.

Buffy sighs and looks up at him catching his eyes, it was then she spotted the look in his eyes "You can't kiss me again." She tells him softly.  
Damon nods, smiling slightly at her "I know."  
Buffy shakes her head and pulls away "You're my friend. And I can't...I don't know who I am right now...this...it's not right."  
"It's right." Damon tells her "Just not right now."  
Buffy sighs and steps away "I need to go say goodbye."  
"I know." He tells her as he takes a step down the porch before focusing on her "I'll see you soon."  
Buffy chuckles "Likely I may need a babysitter for Elena."  
Damon groans before chuckling and heading off.  
Buffy watches for a second before shaking her head "Not good." She mumbles to herself before heading into the house where Jeremy and Elena were waiting.

* * *

After their massive fight, Tara sat on the bench watching the fair from afar, she had come alone and was now realising the mistake she had made. She and Willow had planned to come together and without her here it just wasn't the same.  
Closing her eyes she takes a deep breath trying to keep the tears in, she hated fighting with Willow, she loved her so much and it crushed her.  
Hey eyes open as she feels a soft hand wrap around her own, fingers curling around her own, a small smile breaks onto her face, she turns her head expecting to find Willow only to be terrified but what sat before her.  
Glory smiling at her brightly "Is this seat taken?"

* * *

"You guys are gonna have to let me go eventually." Jeremy tells his sisters as the two of them clutch to him refusing to let go.  
"No." Buffy says as Elena chuckles, however when Buffy tightens her arms Jeremy gasps in pain slightly making the two girls chuckle.  
Jeremy glares at them as they pull away "Show off."  
Buffy smiles slightly before holding onto Jeremy's forearm "Be safe, ok?"

Jeremy looks at both of them seriously "I'm more worried about the two of you." He tells them honestly "Take care of each other."  
Elena smiles slightly at her brother before hugging him once more before opening the door "Go before I change my mind."

Buffy and Elena stand in the doorway watching as Jeremy moves outside, Jeremy turns glancing at his family once more before smiling and making his way to the car where Xander was waiting to give him a ride to the airport.

Buffy glances at Elena who was close to being in bits, Buffy takes a deep breath before wrapping her arms around Elena "He'll be okay. He'll be safe."

* * *

Bonnie walks into the Magic Shop only for Willow to come running past her in a panic, Bonnie frowns in confusion before turning to spot Giles and Anya standing with some weird looking demon creature who was tied to a chair.  
"Giles I brought the grimoire..." Bonnie says as she walks in "What's going on?"  
Giles turns to her in a panic as he rushes to the telephone "Glory thinks Tara is the Key."  
Bonnie's eyes widen as she runs over and drops Mary's Grimoire on the table "Oh, my God."

* * *

"Agh..." Tara cries out as Glory crushes her fingers, as she feels the bones break she tries to cry for help but Glory leans in closer "Don't make a sound."  
When Glory spots Tara looking around for help she chuckles "Nah. They won't help you. I'd kill them. You know that. There's no one here that can stop me." Glory looks around analysing the differing people in the crowds "I'll kill her and...and them...I'll kill him and her and her. And it'll all be your fault."

Tara holds her breath as she feels Glory tighten her grasp on her hand, she winces as she starts to feel blood dripping from her hand.  
"Kind of funny, isn't it?" Glory asks "All these people here and...no one who can do a thing, not a person who can help you. But that's people for ya. They're pretty worthless. But keys, on the other hand. Keys are worth a very lot."  
Glory smirks before raising Tara's bloody hand to her lips, swiping her tongue over the wound she smiles as the blood hits her lips.

However, the minute she tastes it she groans in disgust and disappointment "You lying little tramp. You're not the Key. You're nothing. Just another worthless human being! I hate being lied to. It makes me feel so betrayed." Glory looks away for a moment before a thought comes to her "Hey." She says sweetly as she turns back to Tara "You wanna make it all better? If you tell me who the Key really is, I'll let you go."  
Tara groans in pain again as Glory continues to squeeze before throwing threat after threat at her. At the sound of the brain damage, Tara tries to swallow the fear, as she continues to wince in pain.

She cries out again as Glory tightens her hold but she wouldn't give her what she wanted, she wouldn't do that to Elena. Glaring at Glory she shakes her head refusing to give in.  
Glory sighs before smirking raising her hands to Tara's head she digs her fingers into her brain sucking her dry.

* * *

After hearing about Tara Buffy immediately panics, hanging up the phone she runs upstairs to Elena's room "Pack a bag." She tells her.  
Elena frowns in confusion as she stands up from her bed "Buffy what is it?"  
Buffy sighs, she was tempted not to tell Elena, Elena would blame herself, but she had a right to know "Glory went after Tara."

Elena's eyes widen in shock before filling with worry and guilt "oh, my God." Buffy instantly spotted the wheels of sorrow and guilt as they started spinning in Elena's head, walking over she placed her hands on Elena's shoulders "This is not your fault. Just pack a bag. We're going to Stefan and Damon's now."

* * *

"Well, that was sooner than expected." Damon comments as he spots Buffy standing on his front porch with Elena.  
Buffy rolls her eyes and shoves Elena's bag into Damon's arms before walking past him, leading Elena into the living room Buffy pauses as she spots Stefan.  
"What happened?" Stefan asks as he walks over.  
Buffy sighs and turns to him "Tara was hurt. Glory. She's in the hospital." Buffy glances down at Elena before grabbing Stefan's hand and pulling him into the other room gesturing for Damon to join them.

"Okay, what the hell happened?" Damon whispers in a harsh voice.  
Buffy sighs "Glory thought Tara was the Key. When she found out she wasn't she did something to her...it's a fate worse than death."  
Stefan runs a hand through his hair in worry Glory was dangerous more dangerous than Klaus even, at least Klaus had weaknesses.  
Buffy sighs "I need to go to the hospital. But you two are her best option if Glory gets to her." Buffy glances in-between the brothers "Protect her. Please."

* * *

"This is my fault." Elena tells Stefan as they sit in the living room while Damon leant against the bar keeping an eye out the window for any sign of Glory's minions.  
Stefan sighs and looks at Elena sympathetically "No it's not. Look, Elena, no one is going to hurt you."  
"Have you seen Spike?" She asks.  
Damon turns to her and his brother "I have he looks like a bruised peach."  
Elena shakes her head "She did this to Tara, she almost killed Spike."

Damon shrugs before downing his drink "Hey upside maybe this super villain doesn't want you dead like the last.."

"Maybe it's something worse." Elena finishes as she stands from her seat and goes to stand by the window, she couldn't believe this was happing all over again, people were in danger because of her. People were dying because of her "Right now Glory thinks Tara is the Key. But the Key was put inside of me...and anything that happens to Tara is because of me. Buffy has been beaten and hurt protecting this secret. She almost died during Klaus's ritual, Jenna did die. I'm like a lightning rod for pain and hurt. And everyone around me suffers and dies." Elena turns to them "It shouldn't be like this...what they put in me is causing evil and mayhem."

Elena sighs and takes a deep breath, burying the tears she looks at Damon and Stefan, she needed to talk about something else, to get her mind off this "The cure. What do you think will happen...if Buffy takes it? Things can't just go back to the way they were can they?"

Both Damon and Stefan freeze at the unexpected question. Stefan sighs, things could never be the same he had killed and left bodies across a whole state after losing Buffy, and god knows what experiences Buffy had gone through since she left Mystic Falls. Things were so different now, nothing about their lives would ever be the same "No it can't."

* * *

"You cannot even think about going after Glory." Buffy tells Willow as she catches up with her in the hallway of the hospital.  
Willow turns to Buffy, reasoning wasn't going to work with her, she was far passed angry, she wanted vengeance "You saw what she did to Tara. I can't let her get away with it."

"No." Buffy tells her, yes she hated that they couldn't fight back but none of them were a match for Glory if Willow went up against her and angered her she would die "You have to let her get away with it. Even I'm not match for her. You know that."

"But maybe I am." Willow points out, she was getting stronger every day with her magic, she might be able to stand a chance.  
"You're not." Buffy says grabbing her arm refusing to let her go on a suicide mission "And I won't let you go."  
Willow glares at Buffy angrily "This is not your choice. It's mine."

Buffy sighs, yes she wanted to kill Glory for what she did to Tara but they couldn't do this not now, they weren't ready "This is not the time."  
"When, Buffy? When is? When you feel like it? When it's someone you love as much as I love Tara? When it's Elena or Jeremy? Is that it?"

Buffy bites down her anger at the way her friend was attacking her and takes a deep breath looking at her seriously, begging her to understand "When we have a chance. We'll fight her when we have a chance. You wouldn't last five minutes with her Willow she's a God."

* * *

"This is remarkable." Giles tells Bonnie as he sits surrounded by a pile of old books, completely ignoring them as he gazed at Mary's grimoire.  
Bonnie sighs as they stand in the backroom, Giles had wanted to look at the book there, knowing it's power he didn't want to risk any customers seeing it.  
Flipping through the pages Giles continued to be astonished by the range of spells "She wrote all of these spells?"

Bonnie nods "From what we know she was one of the original witches a thousand years ago. Hand picked by the spirits the guide the next generation."  
Giles opens his mouth intent on asking another question however the doorbell in the main area of the shop goes off.  
Placing the book in the safe him and Bonnie walk into the shop only to frown, the place was empty.

"Giles..." Bonnie says softly as she feels something odd, someone had used dark magic here, recently, glancing up the stairs to the closed off section her eyes widen, books were thrown across the floor and it was clear that some were missing.  
Turning to Giles she spots the same look on his face that she had on her own "Dear lord, Willow."

* * *

Buffy was walking around Damon and Stefan's house searching for Elena when she realised something, she had never been anywhere in this house other than the living room. So she was completely lost.

"She's asleep." A voice says from behind her, Buffy turns her head and spots Stefan walking towards her, he holds a finger over his lips before pushing the door to her left slightly ajar.  
Buffy tilts her head to see inside and sighs in relief as she spots an exhausted Elena asleep on the bed.  
Stefan takes Buffy's arm and leads her into another room.

As he closes the door behind him Buffy looks around the room, there was something so familiar and comfortable about this room, she looks at the hundreds of books aligned on the walls, walking over to them her hand hovers as she looks at the dates on the ends of the books.  
"She finally passed out an hour ago." Stefan tells her as she turns back to face him.  
Buffy nods "That's good."

"How's Tara?" Stefan asks noticing the worried look on her face, Buffy blinks up at him before looking away "She's hurt. Lost." She says simply as she turns to face away from him.  
Stefan frowns, something was bothering her, hesitantly he steps forward and places a hand on her shoulder turning her back towards him "What's wrong?" When she refuses to speak he smiles at her slightly "I know you better than anyone, Buffy. Something is bothering you."

Buffy closes her eyes tightly and takes a deep breath trying to avoid the tears, she hated this, all of it "This is my fault." She says softly "The guide told me death is my gift. That's all I am. And look what happened, Tara's hurt, Willow's on a warpath."  
As tears start to fall Stefan tilts his head and takes a step towards her cupping her cheeks in his palms "This is not your fault. Death...it's not a gift, especially not yours. There is a light in you, Buffy, death could never be your gift."

Buffy looks up at him and starts to feel a wave of old feelings rush to her as she stares into his eyes, however almost instantly that sense of guilt hits her, pulling away she looks at him carefully "I need to tell you something..."

Before she could, however, Stefan makes her pause "Wait." He tells her as he walks towards one of the cupboards and opens it. Buffy frowns as he pulls out a large wooden box, watching as he takes out a small box she shakes her head in confusion.  
Stefan walks back towards her and holds out the small box towards her "I wanted to give you this on your birthday...but obviously..." He says with a small chuckle.

Buffy frowns in confusion before taking the small box, her eyes instantly fill with tears as she spots her mother's charm bracelet "That's my moms." She breaths as she takes her eyes off the bracelet to look at Stefan  
Stefan smiles at her softly "It must have fallen off when Klaus took you...I found it kept it with me. It was a small part of you that kept me going, from turning it all off completely. This gave me hope."  
Buffy exhales a happy breath before allowing Stefan to fasten the bracelet for her, "Thank you." She says softly as she squeezes one of his hands but again the guilty feeling was digging at her to tell him the truth.

Buffy swallows slightly before blurting it out "Damon kissed me." She says shocking him so much that his hand drops to his side and he stares with wide eyes of hurt, Buffy blinks slightly before sighing "I let him." She looks up at him seriously "I hate myself for it because a part of me that remembers how much I loved you feels guilty but then...I don't know what I'm supposed to feel anymore Stefan." She sighs and takes her eyes off him for a moment to catch her breath "I don't want to lie to you, that's why I told you."

Stefan clears his throat, his body ached as he moved away from her, a strong sense of anger and jealousy filling him, not anger at her but Damon. He should have known that Damon would try something...but he had never thought she would kiss him back.

Looking back at her he sighs, he loved her so much but sometimes he forgot that she doesn't remember everything they had, he had left her alone with Damon for months God knows how close the two of them had grown.

After a moment Stefan steps back towards her "You need to figure out what you want to do, but...go help, Willow. This can wait."  
Buffy smiles at him relieved for a moment before nodding "Yeah I should probably go, she was looking to go all payback-y on Glory for a minute. I cooled her down a little, but I better go make sure she's okay."  
Stefan frowns at that "Wait so she's not going to do anything."  
Buffy shakes her head "No I explained there was no point."

Stefan runs a hand over his jaw but before he could say anything Damon appears in the doorway leaning against the frame.  
"Yeah, sure she's not."

Buffy rolls her eyes while Stefan's fist clenches as he resists from pummeling his brother.  
"Why not?" Buffy asks.

Damon shrugs as he steps into the room looking at the bracelet on Buffy wrist before focusing on her face "So you're telling us that a mega powerful pissed off witch was plannin' on going and spillin' herself a few pints of God blood until you...what? Explained?"  
Buffy glances at Stefan who seemed to be in agreement with his brother, but she couldn't believe that wasn't Willow she shakes her head "You think she'd...? No. I told Willow it would be like suicide."  
"I'd do it." Damon tells her causing Buffy's eyes to widen while Stefan's fill with anger "For the right person. Person I loved. I'd do it."  
Stefan grabs Buffy's arm getting her to focus on him "Buffy what if she had done it to Jeremy or Elena?"  
Buffy's eyes instantly go wide and she speeds out of the room as fast as she can leaving the brother's alone.

* * *

Giles had been staring at Mary's Grimoire for what felt like an eternity, he was starting to feel as though there was nothing he could do to stop the affect these visions were having on Buffy.  
Just as he decided it may be best to try some other resources something on the next page catches his eyes.

Cleaning his glasses quickly he places them back on the bridge of the nose, his eyes widen as it all becomes clearer, this was it, the potion Mary had developed.  
"Remarkable." Giles breaths as he stands from his seat with the book in his hands and heads behind the counter to grab his magnifier, as he spots a small inscription below the illustration of the potion which Mary seemed to have drawn at least several hundred years ago.

Giles would be lying if he said that this woman's work was not magnificent, she seemed to have a brilliant mind filled with knowledge regarding dark magic things hat he had never known.

 _"_ _Cogere se perdidit, quae est judicii mortis."_ As he reads it the magnifier drops from his grasp and shatters on the ground while he stands there in shock "Oh dear lord."

* * *

Buffy runs into Glory's penthouse just as Glory moves to stab Willow with one of the witches' own blade. Buffy runs forward and grabs Glory's wrist stopping her before she could bring the blade down.  
Glory turns to spot Buffy who merely smiles "They used to bow down to gods." Buffy says gaining a laugh out of Glory.

Buffy rolls her eyes before lifting her leg and kicking Glory in the stomach making her release Willow.  
As Willow drops to the ground Buffy twists Glory arm away from her and slams it down on her knee causing her to drop the dagger before she punches her in the face causing her to stumble away "Things change."  
Buffy tells her before leaping into a side aerial kicking Glory in the face as she flips. Once she lands on her feet Buffy sends an uppercut to Glory's jaw before spinning around and backhanding her across the face, Buffy swings her leg out and kicks Glory causing the god to grunt, Buffy moves to throw another hit, however, Glory blocks the blow and punches Buffy in the face.

Buffy allows herself to go down, throwing her body into an illusion, her foot connecting with Glory's jaw as it swings through the air.

As Buffy stands back up Glory manages to hit her in the gut causing her to roll back against the couch, Buffy groans before running over and grabbing the back of Glory's head forcing her against the wall.  
"That witch really slowed me down." Glory says in annoyance only to grunt as Buffy kicks the end of the long curved couch causing it to hit her knocking her against the wall.  
Buffy quickly uses the distraction to run over to Willow and get her up onto her feet, as they run towards the door Willow turns and raises her hand "Thicken." She chants causing a field to block Glory from following them.  
Glory growls in anger "This isn't over, you hear me? It isn't over!"

* * *

Stefan walks downstairs and spots Damon standing by the fireplace "Buffy called Elena. Willow tried to take her on, she actually managed to do some damage. They are safe now. Buffy's heading to the Magic Box."  
Damon chuckles "If we're banking on the redhead to save us all, we're screwed." He says before downing the rest of his drink.  
Stefan nods his jaw clenched as he turned away from his brother "Maybe, but tonight's been full of surprises."  
Damon frowns instantly worrying "Is Buffy alright?"

Hearing his brother say her name with such worry and care caused Stefan to snap, tilting his head he turned and punched Damon across the jaw causing him to stumble.

Damon groans in both shock and pain as he realises what Buffy must have told him "I take it Buffy spilled her guts." He stands running a hand over his sore jaw before turning back to his brother who was glaring daggers at him "I take it you don't want to talk about it. Noted."

* * *

Buffy walks into the magic box after getting a panicked call from Giles, after making sure Willow would be okay she had dropped her off at the hospital to see Tara before heading straight here.  
"Giles?" Buffy calls as she enters the shop, she frowns, it was empty, which normally was normal but no Xander, Anya hell not even Bonnie who had a habit of staying in the shop.  
"Buffy." Giles breaths as he spots her coming into the shop, he looks at her worried before running a hand through his messy hair.

Buffy frowns as she looks at Giles before looking around the shop, books were everywhere, the coffee pot was completely drained and Giles looked close to passing out.  
"Giles was is it?"  
Before he could say anything though his eyes widen as Buffy groans in pain before grasping her head.

Buffy's eyes widen as she feels the familiar pain before suddenly it was unbearable, her whole body shook in agony as she coughs out blood splattering from her mouth over the floor.

 _"So what we doing here?" Buffy asks as she and Stefan walk around the now bare Carnival. Stefan turns to Buffy "I compelled the guards to go on break, so I could kiss my girlfriend at the top of the Ferris wheel."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "What are you doing?"  
"Look, your right. We are never going to be normal. But that doesn't mean we can't have these small moments where is seems like we are. After everything that has happened from Katherine, Mary to Angel and the Ascension, I think we deserve that one moment."  
Suddenly the lights on the Ferris Wheel turn on, Buffy smiles but shakes it off "Stefan...with what happened to Caroline, this is only just the beginning and we still have no idea what Mary's after maybe now isn't the time."  
"If you say that now, then you'll always be saying that. You're the slayer and I'm a vampire, there are always going to be dangers but we need to have these moments to keep us sane." Stefan pauses as he places a hand on her cheek "I came back to this town to start a life with you. We can't forget to live it."  
Buffy takes his hand in hers and nods. She looks up at the Ferris wheel "You're not gonna make me climb up there by myself are you?"  
Stefan shakes his head "Hold on tight." He tells her as he wraps his arms around her._

 _A moment later the two of them are sitting in the carriage at the top of the Ferris Wheel Buffy giggles "That is so much more fun, when I'm not the one doing the jumping."  
Stefan smiles and tucks her hair behind her ear.  
Buffy notices Stefan smiling at her "What's with the happy face?"  
"It's just so nice to see you laugh." Stefan then leans forward and kisses her softly._

"Ahhhh!" She finally screams for the first time as it becomes too much, her vision blurs and she wobbles slightly. Somewhere in the background she vaguely hears Giles yelling her name but the pain was too much. Her feet trip over each other and as her body falls her head connects with the top step crashing onto it painfully before finally, darkness consumes her leaving her lying on the ground blood dripping from her mouth, ears and nose while Giles cries out trying to help her.

* * *

"Oh, come on Stef." Damon teases as he attempts to follow Stefan who was still fuming heavily and was still tempted to hit him.  
Damon arches a brow "You wanna hit me again. Go ahead I kissed Buffy, you most probably want a few more shots in."  
"Shut up Damon." Stefan hisses as he attempts to walk past him, only to have Damon grab his arm "Look..."  
Stefan yanks his arm free and punches Damon in the face again "I knew I shouldn't have trusted you around her."

Before Damon could argue back his phone starts ringing "Not a good time." He answers only to freeze as he hears a familiar voice.  
 _"_ _Don't care, Damon."_ Mary says urgently as she speaks in hushed tones.  
Stefan's eyes fly over to Damon as he hears Mary's voice, something was wrong.

"Evil mistress what can I do for you?" Damon asks curiously, she sounded almost worried which for her was something different entirely.  
 _"_ _Klaus and Elijah are coming to Sunnydale, now."_ She rushes out in a panic.  
Stefan's eyes widen and he turns to Damon who had the same look on his face, this wasn't good.  
"How long?" Damon asks the witch.  
 _"_ _Soon, I have to go Elijah is calling me. See you soon."_ Before he could argue she hangs up leaving the brother's stunned to silence.

Stefan sighs before running a hand through his hair "We need to call Buffy."

Just as the words leave his lips Elena runs into the room in a panic, both brother's turn to her freezing as they spot the look on her face. Elena was breathing heavily her eyes were bright red and filled with panic and horror "Buffy's in the hospital."

* * *

"Where is she?" Elena asks in a panic as she spots Giles and Bonnie, as well as the others who were asleep in their seats waiting in the waiting room of the hospital, Giles stands and walks over to Elena who was practically crying "Through there, we can't see her yet."  
Elena takes a shaky breath before looking up at the older man "What happened? Was it Glory?"

Giles sighs before spotting Damon and Stefan standing behind Buffy. Giles sighs before sitting next to Bonnie and handing her Mary's Grimoire from his bag.  
Bonnie frowns in confusion as Giles opens the book for her and points to a small inscription.

"What the hell happened?" Damon asks Giles getting rather impatient.  
Giles sighs and runs a hand over his head before looking at the brothers "Buffy collapsed in my shop, she was bleeding from her nose and ears and she was coughing up blood."

Stefan frowns with worry Buffy had seemed fine on the phone when they had spoken earlier "She was fine and I don't..."  
"It's been happening for months." Giles tells them after a brief hesitation.  
Elena's eyes widen "What, she never mentioned..."  
"She didn't want to worry you before she knew what was happening to her."  
"What is happening to her?" Stefan asks.

Giles takes a deep breath "The visions...getting her memories back forcing two lives into her mind, it's more than any mind can take even a slayer. It's a side effect of Mary's potion."

As his words begin to sink in both Stefan and Damon are stunned to silence as guilt hits them, they had been trying to force Buffy to remember things and it had been hurting her, it had almost killed her.

At that moment Bonnie gasps she looks up at them tears in her eyes "This is our fault." She says gesturing to herself Elena, Damon and Stefan.  
Looking over at Elena she takes her best friend's hands in her _"Cogere se perdidit, quae est judicii mortis."  
_ Elena frowns in confusion "What does that mean?" She whispers trying not to cry for worry over her little cousin.

Bonnie takes a shaky breath before glancing back at Damon and Stefan "It's killing her. The punishment for forced memories is death, that's what it means."  
Stefan's eyes widen and as Bonnie and Elena embrace Stefan backs away from them moving to the wall, closing his eyes he tries to bury the tears. He had done this he had been so desperate to get her to remember that instead of waiting for her to get the cure he had tried to force the memories and she had been suffering.

"Ms Gilbert." Doctor Nolan says as he spots Elena standing in the waiting room.  
Elena turns to her professor and quickly wipes the tears from her face "Buffy..."

"I know." He tells her offering her a comforting smile "She's okay. But...Miss Summers suffered a cerebral haemorrhage. Bleeding on the brain, and for someone of her health and age, that's very odd. We think it was caused by some form of head trauma." The doctor turns to face Elena again after addressing the group and offers her a small smile "She's healing remarkably quickly. Your cousin is a miracle."  
"Sister." Elena corrects as she takes a shaky breath "She's my little sister."  
The doctor smiles before placing a comforting hand on her shoulder "Would you like to see her?"

* * *

Stefan storms into the house the door slamming open behind him as she walks in Damon following.  
Damon watches as his brother spirals, trying to control his emotions.  
Stefan walks over to the table and after a moment slams his hand down on it before tossing it across the room causing it to shatter to pieces as it crashes into the wall.  
"Stefan." Damon says feeling the same urge to smash things as his brother but not wanting to do it in his brother's presence.  
Stefan turns to his brother, and the complete broken look on Stefan's face was so clear, he still loved her more than anything on the planet, she was his world.

"This is our fault." Stefan tells Damon "We pushed because we didn't want to wait for the cure. We saw her after all this time and lost all sense. We lost patience and she almost died...because of us."  
Damon takes a deep breath holding back his own grief before moving over to his brother and hugging him. It was such an odd move for him but in that moment they both needed the comfort.

Stefan after a moment pulls away "If she gets her memory back she'll die. This is it."  
Damon groans before grabbing a bottle of bourbon off the bar, after a few gulps he slams the glass bottle into the fire listening to it shatter around him for a moment before he turns to his brother.  
Both of them in that moment come to a realisation, this was it, them being around her was killing her.

Before either of them could speak however a knock at the door disturbs them, Damon groans before heading to the door Stefan following him.  
As they open the door they freeze as another set of brothers is standing before them, the two of them focus on the younger one who had caused them so much trouble over the past few years "Klaus."

* * *

"How you feeling really?" Bonnie asks Buffy as they sit in Willow's dorm room, after getting released from the hospital they had decided to come here instead and relax, if Glory was going to come after them it was least likely she came here.  
Buffy smiles "I'm okay. It's weird I feel perfectly fine. Maybe it was those herbs."

Willow frowns and glances at Bonnie both of them knew that the herbs couldn't be the only thing that had made Buffy heal so quickly. Willow shakes her head it must have to do with the whole slayer healing thing.  
Elena glances at Buffy still worried "I wish you had told us."  
Bonnie nods in agreement she was feeling so guilty, she had had the book the whole time and not once had she noticed the warning at the bottom. She felt like such an idiot "I could have been looking for a way to stop it."

Buffy squeezes both women's hands tightly, a sign of gratefulness "I know and I love you both for it but I didn't think it was that bad. I had Giles looking into it so I could focus on finding and dealing with Glory."  
Elena sighs and pushing the hair behind Buffy's ear, Buffy smiles slightly at the sweet gesture before shaking her head "I'm fine guys."  
"Buffy, you had a cerebral haemorrhage if Giles hadn't gotten you to the hospital when he did you would have died."  
"And I didn't." Buffy tells them as she looks at all of her friends, trying to re-assure them that she was fine "The power that be aren't done with me yet."

Willow, Bonnie and Elena all giggle slightly before turning to watch Tara who was staring at the bed in fascination.  
"Okay." Buffy says as she reaches into her bag and pulls out the little makeshift picnic "Food time."  
"Chicken salad." Buffy says as she hands Willow's hers, "Eggplant one and two." She says grabbing one for herself before tossing the other to Elena "And beetroot...ew. Bonnie."  
Bonnie chuckles as she takes the sandwich "Hey I dated Jeremy for a year he got me into weird food."  
"What's Tara got?" willow asks.  
Elena smiles and reaches into the bag "Tuna. Best of the bunch." She says sweetly before moving over to Tara "Tara? Here you go."  
Tara looks at the sandwich pitifully before looking at Willow a lost look on her face "Plastic and their six sisters. Sick six sisters."

Elena sighs before leaning her head against Bonnie's shoulder as the three of them watch the way Willow comforts Tara helping her the best she could.  
"I'm the med student..." Elena says to Willow "So anything you need..."  
"Thank you." Willow tells her gratefully "They gave me a lot of stuff to keep her calm I don't understand a lot of it, so help much appreciated. They said I might have to restrain her a night." Willow whispers the last part, the fact of it hurting her so much "But sometimes she's fine. She looks at me and...she's fine."

Buffy looks at her best friend sadly, guilt filling her "I'm sorry I couldn't..."  
"It's okay." Willow tells her honestly "I'm gonna take care of her. Even if she never...she's my girl."  
Buffy smiles at her best friend before glancing at Elena and Bonnie "I understand."

Bonnie and Elena smile before turning to Willow "We do too."  
Willow smiles gratefully at Buffy and her two newer friends "I know."

As Willow kisses, Tara on the forehead Buffy smiles, however, their moment of peace is quickly trampled on as the wall to Willow's room crumbles to the floor right before them.

Buffy stands and she and Bonnie instantly move in front of Elena, as they glare at Glory.  
Glory smirks at the women "I told you this wasn't over."  
"No!" Tara cries out "The place is cracking! It's cracking! No! No!" She cries out hysterically.  
Elena's eyes widen "Tara, it's okay."

Tara's panic stops as her eyes land on Elena "Oh, look at that." She whispers dreamily "Look at that. Oh, the light! Oh, it's so pure. Such pure green energy. Oh, it's so beautiful."  
Buffy's eyes widen as do Elena's while the smile of Glory's face just grows, she had found the Key.


	81. Spiral

Buffy's eyes widen as Glory smirks at her and Elena, grabbing Elena's arm she pulls her towards the door throwing them both through the wooden door and crashing to the ground in the hallway.

Bonnie and Willow both stare with wide eyes before turning to each other, both nodding they both raise their hands creating a force field blocking Glory from chasing after them.

As Willow keeps the force field going Bonnie swings her arm out sending Glory away from the broken wall and causing her to crash into a nearby building. Quickly standing, Willow Tara and Bonnie run trying to escape and find Buffy and Elena.

* * *

Buffy pulls Elena through the hallway past the other students in the dorms before kicking the double doors down and off the hinges she then pulls Elena outside.  
"Buffy." Elena hisses as she and Buffy continue to run as fast as they can, Buffy shakes her head and continues to pull her cousin faster "We can't stop. We have to keep moving."

Elena nods in agreement, however, she looks over her shoulder and her eyes widen as she spots the blurry figure moving towards them "Buffy!"  
Buffy's eyes widen she grabs Elena lifting her into her arms before leaping into the air over a bench, running as fast as she can she speeds towards the road, however, she wasn't fast enough.

In a blur Glory appears in front of the two of them, fury filling her face.  
Buffy freezes and places Elena back on her feet before standing protectively in front of her.  
"Last words, slay-runt?" Glory hisses.

Buffy glares at her before something in the corner of her vision catches her attention "Just one." She tells Glory "Truck."

At that moment a truck speeds forward hitting Glory full force and knocking her away from the cousins giving them a chance to escape.

* * *

"We'll isn't this well..." Klaus pauses and looks around the Salvatore living room "I must say I did prefer your home in Mystic Falls much more."  
"You and me both." Damon says as he glares at Klaus who continued to look around the room.  
"I must say..." Elijah says as he enters the room "Sunnydale does a have a small charm, despite the hell-ridden inbreed creatures."

Stefan keeps his face void of emotion as he watches the Original brothers walk around their temporary home examining all the features.  
The room was filled with silence before Klaus smiled "I take it my Slayer was here earlier."  
Stefan clenches his jaw before crossing his arms, he opens his mouth to speak but Klaus cuts him "Don't think I don't know where she goes, Stefan." Klaus warns "I happen to know where she is always. Including the fact that she was in the hospital tonight." Klaus turns to the Salvatore brothers, an annoyed expression on his face "You two have made quite the mess."

Elijah sighs before turning to the brother's himself, deciding to use a more polite approach to the conversation "We all have a few things to discuss clearly, how about a dinner tonight? Perhaps the young Miss Summers could join..."  
"She can't and wouldn't but thanks." Damon says with a smirk before noticing the glare Klaus had thrown his way.  
"This is not a request." Klaus tells Damon as he suddenly appears in front of him, "We will be staying in the mansion on the outside of town. Join us there at 5 for drinks."

Klaus offers both brothers a smile before he and Elijah make their way out of the house leaving Damon and Stefan furious and worried in their wake.

* * *

As Elena explains what happened with Glory they all stand in Xander's apartment, the group all seem to come to the same conclusion, one which was far from the truth "Go, Buff!" Xander exclaims.  
Buffy ignores him as she continues to stare out the window, her gaze not once wavering from the outside, as she kept a look out for Glory and her minions.  
"I knew you'd best Glory." Giles says proudly "Our years of training..."  
"A truck hit her." Buffy says quickly cutting him off leaving him standing there shocked "Oh."

Anya frowns before she turns to Buffy "You threw it at her?" She asks enthusiastically.  
"No." Elena tells them signing, they really had veered off in a different direction when she had attempted to tell them what had happened "A truck hit her. Literally. Gave us time to escape."  
"We shouldn't have." Buffy tells them all her eyes still glued to the window "That truck couldn't have slowed her down for more than a second."

Giles shakes his head "Well, how isn't important. All that matters is that the two of you are safe."

Buffy scoffs, he had not just said that, she and Elena were the furthest away from safe as could be. Finally turning away from the window she turns to her watcher her arms still crossed "Safe? We've barely been able to manage not getting seriously dead every time we've crossed paths with Glory. Now that she knows the Key is inside Elena..."  
At Buffy's cruel tone of voice, everyone leans back slightly not expecting her harsh response to Giles' words.

Giles sighs trying to come up with some sort of plan "There must be something in the Book of Tarnis that we missed, something we can use against Glory."  
"Piano!" Anya exclaims suddenly making everyone pause.

Bonnie sighs before turning to Buffy "We still have Mary's grimoire...it's one of oldest books out there...Mary's a 1000-year-old witch, that's a thousand years of spells maybe I can find something to hold her off till...we can find a way."  
Giles nods in agreement, it was an idea, "We could reassemble at the magic shop, see if..."  
"Can't fight her." Buffy tells them shocking everyone to silence, including Giles who frowns in confusion "Well, not yet, no..."

"No." Buffy tells him stubbornly as she turns to face them all, a truly broken look on her face, she had given up hope of defeating Glory, she knew she couldn't beat her and she had accepted it "Not ever. She's too strong, Giles. She's stronger than anything we have ever faced even Klaus...we won't win this with stakes, or spells, or pulling out some uranium power core..."

Elena and Bonnie both frown in confusion at that, clearly that was something that had happened when they had been looking for Buffy.  
Buffy glances at her cousin before making her final decision "She's a god and she's coming for us. So let's not be here when she starts knocking."

* * *

"Get dressed." Damon tells Stefan as he walks into Stefan's room where Stefan had just gotten out of the shower.  
Stefan steps out of his bathroom in his jeans with a towel over his shoulders and walks right past his brother who was holding out two of his shirts "Not gonna happen." Stefan tells him "We are not meeting with Klaus."  
Damon scoffs "Like he's giving us a choice. Look it's an old-fashioned sit-down, a way for us to keep Klaus distracted and away from Buffy."

Stefan drops his towel on the table before sighing "Yes dinner with the man who is the whole reason I lost her in the first place, sounds like a blast."  
Stefan turns to his brother sighing before grabbing his shirt "Klaus is going to see right through us Damon."

"Doesn't matter this buys us time, to keep him away from the blonde...and maybe just maybe he might cough up a few details about whether or not giving Buffy the cure now would kill her."

Stefan pauses at that before shaking his head "So what we distract Klaus long enough to what...and how long before he kills us and him and Elijah go straight after Buffy and Elena? I won't let him take her away, not again."  
"He won't." Damon says, the serious need to protect Buffy evident on his face, the exact same expression that was covering Stefan's "Anyway Mary was smart waking Elijah, she may be a manipulative bitch but she's a smart manipulative bitch. After what Klaus did to him, he's in vengeance mood and from Mary, it seems like they both wanna take Klaus down."

Stefan scoffs, he refused to put his faith in Mary or Elijah both of them had screwed them over, if it wasn't for them, they wouldn't even be in Sunnydale right now "There is nothing smart about trusting Elijah, Damon. Especially trusting Mary. They have both screwed us over."  
"Well then trust me..." Damon says only to pause as he spots the distrustful look on Stefan's face as he looks at him.

Damon smiles slightly shaking his head in amusement "Oh..." he realises as he watches Stefan take a drink out of the bourbon "...This is about me kissing Buffy. Just remember if it wasn't for Klaus, Mary wouldn't have made the potion, you wouldn't have turned into a ripper dick for three months and Buffy wouldn't be here in Sunnydale, ergo that kiss never would have happened."

Both brothers stand there for a long moment of silence before Stefan sighs and pulls on his shirt, as Damon smiles successfully he pauses as Stefan's phone starts ringing.  
"Speak of the Slayer." Damon whispers as he grabs the phone and answers it putting it on speaker before Stefan could stop him.  
Stefan groans in annoyance before focusing on his phone "Buffy, hey now isn't..."

 _"_ _Glory knows."_ She tells them, her voice flat and empty of emotion.

Stefan and Damon both freeze, that couldn't possibly mean what they thought it did "You mean..." Stefan starts only for Buffy to cut him off.

 _"_ _Elena and I and the gang we're leaving town. Now."_ Buffy tells them urgently _"She's gonna come for us, we need to be as far away as possible."_

Damon pauses, Buffy was running away, that didn't sound like her, glancing at his brother he spotted the same worried frown. The battle with Glory had truly broken the Slayer, she didn't have that hope in her anymore.

" _Are you coming?"_ She asks almost hesitantly.

Stefan groans, he wanted to be there with her helping protect Elena but if they left know it would just make it clear to Klaus that something was wrong.  
"Klaus is here, Buffy. In Sunnydale."

There is a long silence on the other end of the line before a horse voice whispers _"What? Why? How? I can't deal with Klaus right now, I..."_

"We'll handle Klaus." Damon tells her "We can distract him long enough for you and Elena to get somewhere safe, away from him and Glory. We can get you that time."  
Damon looks over at his brother who nods in agreement, there was really no choice they had to make sure Buffy and Elena could escape, if Klaus knew they were leaving town he would try and stop it and he couldn't let that happen.

Stefan takes a deep breath before exhaling "Go. We'll meet up with you as soon as we can. Just take care of yourself."

 _"_ _Thank you, both of you."_ Buffy seems to groan in annoyance for a second _"I better go to my contingency plan."_

"Contingency plan?" Damon asks.

 _"_ _Trust me, you wouldn't like it any more than I do. But it's all I got."_

* * *

"We can't just run." Elena tells Buffy as she and Bonnie sit opposite the blonde in the back of Spike's RV.  
"We have to." Buffy says as she continues to look out the window before looking down at her newspaper.  
Elena sighs, she didn't want to run, Glory was going to kill god knows how many people searching for her "Buffy..."

Bonnie and Buffy glanced at each other both spotting the familiar look in Elena's eyes, it was the same one she had when she tried to hand herself over to Klaus.  
"Not a chance." Bonnie tells her best friend "We are not handing you over to Glory, Elena we don't even know what she wants with the Key, but whatever it is it won't be good."

Elena sighs, hating the truth of it all, she couldn't hand herself over without people dying but the idea of people dying to protect her all over again killed her.  
Elena takes a deep breath, the room was starting to suffocate her, so as they pulled up next to the Magic Box she stood and walked into the small bedroom closing the door behind her.

Buffy and Bonnie were going through Mary's Grimoire as they heard the others climb onto the RV "Where are Stefan and Damon?" Willow asks as she moves to sit opposite Buffy with Tara.  
"Distracting Klaus." Buffy tells her as she hands the grimoire back to Bonnie so she can focus on the map in front of her, sensing Willow staring at her in shock she looks up and sighs "Long story."

Buffy turns to look back at Bonnie "Will it work?"  
Bonnie glances back at the book before nodding, "I can do it, but it's Mary's spell it won't take long for her to realise that. Then she'll be able to break through the glammer."

Buffy nods, they needed to make sure that Mary couldn't find out where they were, with Klaus back in town Buffy knew it was only a matter of time before he would order Mary to track her "Do it."  
Bonnie nods and places a supportive hand on Buffy's shoulder before pricking Buffy's finger to get some of her blood, her eyes then close and she begins chanting quietly to herself.

"Gotcha." Xander breaths as he tears his gaze away from Spike who was sat in the driver's seat with massive black goggles on to protect himself from the sun while tin foil covered the glass except for the small opening so he could see out.  
Giles had yet to tear his angry gaze from Spike "What's he doing here?"  
"Just out for a jaunt." Spike tells him "Thought I'd swing by and say howdy."  
"Out." Giles orders as he prepares to throw Spike out by force.

Buffy sighs in frustration and lifts her head from the maps and turns to Giles "Stefan and Damon are distracting Klaus so we can get out of town. Spike is here because we need him."  
"The hell we do." Xander argues.  
"Without Stefan and Damon here he's the only one besides me with any chance of protecting Elena." Buffy hisses.  
Xander shakes his head "Buffy, come on..."

At that Buffy loses her temper, she was sick of the arguing, they didn't have time for this standing she turns to Xander "Look, this isn't a discussion! He stays. Get over it." She hisses before storming into the other room where Elena was lying on the bed writing in her journal.

* * *

"Delicious." Klaus says with a smirk as he licks the blood off the wrist of the waitress that he had compelled in the mansion, "Thank you, Vanessa."

The young woman smiles before making her way back into the kitchen, as she walks by the hall Mary appears in the doorway and smiles at the woman before glancing at Klaus "Really?"  
Klaus chuckles before raising a glass of scotch towards the raven haired witch and smiling "Please Marianna, leave your negative attitude outside. It's ruining my mood."  
Mary rolls her eyes before walking over and stealing the glass from his palm and downing the rest.

Klaus shakes his head, old habits die hard, she had always had a habit of stealing when she was a child, he had just assumed it was because when his mother had found her she was an orphan stealing to get by.  
"Why are you so peppy?" She asks as she places her feet on the couch.

"Feet off the couch Marianna." Elijah tells her as he walks into the room from the kitchen.  
Mary rolls her eyes before dramatically pulling her feet from the couch and placing them on the floor.  
Elijah smiles before turning to Klaus "Mari does make a good point Niklaus, why are you in suck a pleasant mood. I take it this has something to do with the prophecy."

Klaus merely grabs himself another glass of scotch before raising it towards his brother "In a matter of days the prophecy will be fulfilled and then dear brother, once we return home with Buffy and the doppelganger, then you will be reunited with our family."

Mary scoffs; she didn't believe a word he said when it came to reuniting Elijah with his family, honestly, she knew that if she hadn't woken Elijah then Klaus would have left him rotting there.  
Klaus glares at the raven haired beauty before rolling his eyes at her "Where is my lovely slayer, Marianna?"  
Mary rolls her eyes before closing them, however as she attempts to search for Buffy she frowns, there was nothing it was dark and foggy.  
"Hmm." She breathes out as she opens her eyes "She must be over the Hellmouth, I can't sense her there due to all the magical energy."

Klaus sighs before running a hand through his hair, slowly a smirk covers his face "Let's have so fun than tonight."  
Elijah sighs knowing what Klaus wanted to do "Must you Niklaus?"  
"Why not, a bit of entertainment for our guests." Turning to Mary Klaus smiles before gesturing to her face "You know what to do."

Mary huffs she hated this, hated that he made her do this over and over again, slowly she runs her hands over her face mumbling a small chant under her breath. As she pulls her hands away from her face Klaus smirks "Much better."

* * *

Elena leans forward and places a hand on Buffy's shoulder nudging her slightly, Buffy stirs before sitting up straight away. She examines the room and glances around looking for any sign of danger however as her eyes land on Elena she calms.  
Elena smiles "You always do that."  
"I do not." Buffy jokes as she moves to lie next to her cousin on the bed. Buffy turns her head "So what's with the rude-ish interrupter?"

Elena chuckles in amusement "I thought I would warn you that Anya was going to try and cook. As a pre-med student, I'd say prepare for the worse."  
Buffy smiles for a brief moment before it falls and she closes her eyes, Elena sighs and takes her cousin's hand "Thank you."

"For what?" Buffy asks genuinely confused, she hadn't done anything worthy of thanks in her opinion.  
Elena exhales in disbelief "For everything." She tells her.  
Buffy scoffs "Yeah cause I'm doing a bang-up job."  
"Buffy..."  
"I'm the Slayer." Buffy says sadly "The Chosen One. All mythic nasties are supposed to flee from me, not the other way around."

Elena smiles slightly "Buffy, I believe that you would never do anything unless you believe you didn't have another choice. You're not running away you're doing best to protect me like you have always done. You handed yourself over to Klaus to protect all of us, you risked your life for me...you were the one that brought me and Jeremy back to life after we lost our parents. No matter what I will always be on your side."

Buffy takes a deep breath and finally lets the emotion take over "It just keeps coming..." She says softly her voice breaking as she does "Glory, Klaus...mom..."  
Elena nods in understand "I know. But...at least it can't get any crazier. Right?"

At that moment an arrow goes through the wall landing right by Buffy's head, Buffy and Elena both gasp in shock.  
Buffy stares at the arrow before turning to Elena who had sat up "This is so your fault."

"My fault?"  
"You jinxed!" Buffy yells as she moves Elena out of the way of the window.  
"I did not jinx." Elena argues.  
"Did too." Buffy argues back as she pulls back the curtain only to be shocked as she spots tens of knights chasing after them on horses holding weapons.

* * *

Stefan and Damon step into the large mansion both high on alert, Elijah who was leading them stops in the dining room where Klaus was stood by a luxurious table with two waitresses stood to his sides.  
"Damon. Stefan." Klaus greets happily as they enter the room "Glad to see you two decided to join us."

Stefan and Damon both stay silent, everyone in the room knew there was very little choice in the matter. However, Klaus didn't seem to care he merely smiled "Come. We are civilised gentleman and we have much to discuss. Shall we?"  
"It's better to indulge him." Elijah says as he walks past Stefan and Damon and over to his brother.

Stefan sighs before moving down the steps "Let's just get to that discussion part."  
Damon chuckles and moves around to take a seat before glaring at his brother "Excuse my brother, cranky Stefan seems to be joining us today."  
Klaus chuckles in amusement before watching the Salvatore vampire brothers in amusement.

As Elijah, Damon and Klaus all begin digging into their food Klaus watches Stefan interested. The hatred in Stefan's eyes was very clear, it was almost funny, though it was understandable, he had taken away the woman he loved and forced his blood lust free again, yet Klaus found himself wanting to laugh.  
"You lost your appetite?"  
Stefan merely tilts his head making Damon turn to him forcing a smile on his face "Eat. I thought we agreed we'd leave grumpy Stefan at home."  
Stefan forces a smile on his face before picking up his cutlery.

"That's the spirit." Klaus says enthusiastically before looking around the table "Isn't this nice. The four of us dining together, such a treat. Such a shame Buffy couldn't join...where did you say she was..."  
"We didn't." Stefan answers glaring slightly "Slayer business."  
"Ahh of course." Klaus says before clicking his fingers "Still doesn't mean we can't have her beauty with us."

Before either Damon or Stefan could say anything Mary strolls into the room wearing a tight black and cream corset ( /images/uZQuQo)

Both Damon and Stefan freeze for a moment watching her, their focus on her face for a woman who had spent so long trying to get rid of Buffy's face she sure liked dressing up that way.  
"Marianna." Klaus says gesturing for her to walk over to him, as she stands next to him he smiles at her "Is that what you had planned when you woke Elijah?"  
Mary scoffs "Actually I was hoping for something more violent."  
Klaus chuckles before turning to the brothers "I assume you both remember Marianna."

"No matter how much we try and forget." Damon says "Still playing up as Buffy I see..."  
Mary scoffs before folding her arms "Klaus prefers it. Apparently, he's less tempted to kill me when I look like her."  
Klaus smiles before tapping her arm sweetly "Mari could you go fetch the locket from the safe."  
Mary rolls her eyes before glancing at Elijah who nods at her with a sigh the raven haired beauty heads out the room.

Stefan and Damon watch her for a moment before turning back to Klaus who was smiling at her "Marianna is an interesting one as you both know, unfortunately, given our history when I look at her true face I'm too tempted to snap her neck."  
"Niklaus." Elijah warns sounding very much like a protective big brother.  
Klaus nods before smiling "Family. Difficult to deal with. As I'm sure you can both vouch for."  
Damon chuckles while Stefan merely clenches his jaw.

Klaus smiles at them both "Well despite the past issues between myself and Marinna, Elijah is trying to convince me to give her another chance. And despite the quarrels over the centuries we always make it through."

* * *

"Elena, get down under the table." Buffy orders as she pushes Elena down to the ground, Elena sighs before crawling under the table.  
Buffy tries to keep upright as the van continues to get pummeled by the knights outside.  
"Weapon?!" Giles asks from the driver's seat that he had taken over from Spike.

"Hello!" Spike exclaims "You're driving one!" He says obviously.  
Willow who was crouched on the floor comforting Tara turns to Buffy "Don't hit the horsies!"  
"We won't." Buffy tells her before running over the Giles "Aim for the horsies." She says slightly guiltily.

As Giles does as she says the van shakes violently, Buffy looks around panicked before turning to Bonnie who was currently flipping through Mary's grimoire "Bonnie!?"  
"I'm trying!" Bonnie tells her as she begins chanting, trying desperately to put a protective spell on the van, however, the constant shaking and violent hits the van was taking kept her from focusing.

Buffy sighs and places a hand on the sink trying to keep herself upright as the van continues to shake violently, however when Xander gasps in shock, Buffy turns her head only to spot a sword sticking out of the ceiling. The knight had gotten on the roof.

As the knight on the roof continues to stab the sword through the ceiling Buffy makes her way over to Spike before glancing at the others "Stay down." She tells them "Watch out for the—"  
Buffy is cut off as a sword is driven through the roof and almost cuts through her skull luckily though Spike grabs onto the blade keeping it from killing Buffy.  
Spike groans as he keeps a hold of the blade letting it cut through his skin as he refuses to let go.  
"Now might be a good time for something heroic." Spike tells Buffy as he continues to struggle for the blade despite the blood dripping down his hands.  
Buffy pauses for a moment before she spots the hatch on the roof "Xander! Hatch!"  
Xander nods and quickly makes his way over and pushes the hatch open.

Buffy reaches up and pulls herself onto the roof.

As she stands on the roof she spots the knight standing opposite her as he finally gets the sword out of Spike's hold, Buffy ignores the howl of pain come from inside and ducks as the knight attempts to cut her.  
Stepping to the side she crouches down and spins around swinging her leg out at him causing him to stumble.

He lands on his back and Buffy quickly takes her opportunity, she runs over grabbing his arm as he attempts to hit her and punches him in the jaw before knocking the sword from his grasp.

* * *

Inside the van Elena climbs onto the seat and grabs Spike's hands, ripping apart the dishtowels she quickly ties them around Spike's hands ignoring his wince of pain "Stop being a baby."  
Spike glares at her only to earn a glare back, Elena rolls her eyes before turning to Bonnie "How are we doing?"  
"I'm close" Bonnie tells her as she closes her eyes again and begins chanting.

* * *

Buffy spins around and sends a powerful kick to the knight's back sending him flying off the roof of the van and crashing to the ground below, however before she could even celebrate that small victory her eyes widen as she spots the hooks attached to the side of the van. More of them were beginning to climb up.

* * *

Elena reaches into Buffy's bag turns to Xander "Xander!" She exclaims as she tosses him the crossbow, "Anything in there for me sweet pea?" Spike asks Elena as she continues to rifle through the bag.  
"Not anything you can touch." Elena tells him simply however suddenly the glass window they were sat by shatters and one of the knights appears reaching for Elena.  
Elena gasps in shock while Spike screams in agony clawing for cover as the sun beams from outside hit him.

Elena's eyes widen as the knight grabs her arm, she pulls him forward and slams his head on the table before grabbing the pan off the table and slamming it into his jaw sending him flying back out of the window and off his horse.

"Bonnie..." Elena says carefully as she steps away from the window and reaches for another crossbow loading it.  
"Almost." Bonnie whispers.

* * *

Buffy backhands one of the knights causing him to stumble, she turns her attention to the knight currently swinging a meteor hammer her way. She kicks him in the gut with her left leg before swinging the same leg backwards kicking the other knight as he attempts to sneak up on her.

Buffy ducks allowing the hammer to narrowly miss her, she quickly stands back up and sucker punches the knight across the face before flipping her body backwards through the air kicking both knights in the process.  
Buffy grabs the sword on the ground, spinning it in her grasp as she moves to attack the two knights.

* * *

Giles peeks behind the curtain, as another knight goes flying off the roof, he smiles she was doing brilliantly, glancing back at the others he makes sure they are all alright "How is everyone doing?"  
Elena turns to speak only for her eyes to widen as she spots a knight speeding towards them on his horse, as he welded a large spear "Giles look out!"

As Giles turns his head Bonnie's eyes slam open " _uvol'nenie!_ " She exclaims as she raises her hands. Suddenly as the spear crashes through the window and stabs Giles a large purple burst goes through the van.

* * *

Buffy kicks the last of the knights off the roof, she takes a breath only for her eyes to widen as she spots the knight heading towards the front of the van with the spear. However, before she could do anything a purple burst comes from inside the van sending Buffy flying off of the van and the knight and his horse crashing painfully to the ground as the horse lands on top of its owner.

Buffy groans in agony as she spots the van tilt before finally collapsing on its side.

* * *

"Stefan. Where is the lovely Buffy?" Elijah asks Stefan politely as they all continue to pretend to be civil.  
Stefan pauses for a moment "You know Buffy, always off saving the day...but maybe you should ask Damon."

Klaus pauses laughing slightly, this was news to him, Mary must not have been keeping him up on all the drama that was occurring between the Slayer and the Salvatore brothers.  
Elijah frowns in confusion at his brother's amusement and Stefan's attitude, the last he had seen Buffy and Stefan had been together happily.

"You've missed so much." Klaus tells his brother "As have I...but I'll fill you in on what I know...I took the lovely Miss Summer's memories of her past relationship with Stefan here. She doesn't remember any of it. But there seems to be more to the tale now. Trouble in paradise?" Klaus asks smirking brightly, he was enjoying this was too much for Stefan's liking.

Stefan glares at Klaus he didn't need another constant reminder of what Klaus had taken from him "One more word about Buffy, that doesn't revolve around what you did to her and how we fix it and this dinner is over."  
Klaus smirks while Damon sighs "Probably best to keep Buffy in the do not discuss pile unless it involves the potion you gave her."

Elijah sighs at his brother's immaturity "I assume you are speaking of Marianna's memory potion."  
Damon nods "Yep your baby brother gave it to her, which is why we're all stuck in this hell of a town."  
Klaus chuckles attempting to control himself but cannot any longer "It's just, the allure of the Slayer...still so strong. I remember the first Slayer we encountered don't you brother?" Klaus says turning to his brother.

Elijah shifts in his chair and reaches for his drink, it was clear from the expression on his face that he had no interest in discussing this "Now why should we discuss matters long since resolved?"  
"Well given their shared affection for Buffy and the woman who had her face as well as the brotherly love for Elena, I think our guest might be curious about the originator of the Petrova Line."

Stefan frowns in confusion first they were talking about Slayers now they were discussing Elena's family "I thought you were speaking of a Slayer what does the Petrova line have to do with it."  
"Curious see." Klaus says cheerfully before turning to his brother, pouting slightly.

Damon raises a glass towards Elijah "We're not going anywhere, Elijah." He tells him giving his brother a quick look, they both knew they had to keep them talking as long as possible, the longer they were here the further Buffy would get away from them.  
Stefan folds his hands and turns to Elijah "Do tell."

Elijah hesitates before glancing at the door where Mary was stood watching them, a look of despair on her face, Tatia had been her friend and when she had died it had almost destroyed her. As the young witch stands there he could almost see that humanity that he had missed dearly, the young bright witch who contained more life than anyone he had known.

Turning away from the dark haired witch he focuses back on his guests "When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia. She was an exquisite beauty. Every boy of age desired to be her suitor. Even though she'd had a child by another man. And none loved her more than Niklaus."  
Klaus tilts his head "Oh, I'd say there was one who loved her at least as much."  
Stefan chuckles slightly, the irony of it, "Wait, so you both loved the same girl?"

"She wasn't just any girl." Mary points out as she walks into the room and moves to stand by Elijah.  
Damon and Stefan both turn to Mary watching her with interest as she continues "She was the Slayer. The Slayer back when there was one and one alone."  
Stefan lets out a breath "You both loved a slayer?" This was getting creepy on so many levels.

Mary rolls her eyes "Yes we get it vampires get obsessed with Slayers. Tatia had them two..." She says gesturing to Elijah and Klaus "While little miss bottle blonde gets your three idiots and the Billy idol, wannabe." She says pointing at Damon, Stefan and Klaus.

"Marianna..." Elijah warns, she was always temperamental especially when she had to speak about Tatia, like himself it was not her favourite subject.

Mary sighs before squeezing his shoulder and continuing "Their feud pissed off the Original witch who wanted to end it. She took advantage of Tatia's slayer power took her essence and her blood..." Mary takes a deep breath refusing to let any emotion show as she continues "...The witch used her as the sacrifice that created your species. All because she couldn't choose between two bloody men."

Elijah squeezes the witch's palm before turning to the brothers who were not used to displays of emotions from the emotionless witch that had ruined their lives.  
"We even came to blows but in the end, we overcame our differences."  
"Family above...all."

Klaus smiles before looking at the two brothers "You see family is important to me...which is why I always know..." He says giving them both a pointed look "About what is happening in the lives of my family, even members who haven't joined yet. And what they are facing...such as Glorificus." He says smirking slightly before tilting his glass towards the brothers.

* * *

"Careful." Buffy says as Xander and she carry Giles into the abandoned gas station they had found, as Spike rushes inside to get away from the sunlight Buffy and Xander drag Giles over to the counter.  
As Spike helps Buffy pulls Giles up and place him on the counter Elena runs over with the emergency medical kit and immediately starts putting pressure on the wound attempting to slow the bleeding.

"Bonnie, Willow!" Buffy calls in a panic as she looks around for the two witches while Elena helps Giles.  
Bonnie and Willow both nod "We're on it." Willow tells her as the two witches sit on the floor and begin trying to get the barrier spell up.  
Buffy turns back to Giles and glances at Elena "Are you sure your okay?"  
"I'm fine." Elena tells her as she reaches for the gauze out of the bag and begins cutting through Giles' shirt to get a better look at the wound.  
"Spike was hurt." Elena tells her "I slowed the bleeding on his hands."

Buffy sighs before walking over to Spike and yanking his hands towards her, examining the wound "Ow!" Spike exclaims "Easy with the delicates."  
"They'll heal." Buffy tells him before heading towards the windows which were blocked up with wood, she peeks through one of the gaps hoping that the knights hadn't caught up with them yet.

"You have a plan right?" Anya asks from behind the blonde "One that doesn't involve pointy knives and a Winnebago?"  
Buffy groans, she had no idea what they were going to do, these Knights had hundreds possibly thousands of people coming after them. The only thing she knew for sure was that they didn't have long before they caught up "We'll rest here for a minute, then we have to move." She says distractedly as she grabs her phone from her pockets and begins scrolling through her contact list.  
"Where?" Xander asks.

"I don't know!" Buffy exclaims, she was getting frustrated and sick of all of the questions she just needed a minute "We just...we can't stay here. It's too close to the wreck. We're too easy to find."  
"Buffy!" Elena exclaims as she continues to work on Giles.  
Buffy runs over "Elena how is he?"  
Elena sighs sadly and looks down at Giles, he was shaking convulsing in on himself and his breaths were becoming shallow quick "I can't do a lot here. I've slowed the bleeding but I haven't got the right equipment."

"What do you need?"

"Honestly..." Elena sighs and looks at Buffy seriously "The best way would be..." When she gives Buffy a pointed look Buffy turns back to her phone and begins dialling Stefan's number.  
"What?" Xander asks "What do you need?"  
"Damon or Stefan's blood." Elena tells them ignoring the looks of disgust "Their blood as healing properties I can only do so much in a place like this if we had their blood we could heal him completely."

Buffy groans in annoyance as the phone goes to voicemail, she dials Damon's number only to be met with the same result.

Tossing her phone to Anya "Keep trying them, I don't care if they bring Klaus with them just get them here."  
Anya nods however before anyone could take another step a flaming arrow comes flying into the room.  
Buffy's eyes widen as more arrows begin crashing into the room.

"We've got company." Xander calls as he glances out of the window where hundreds of knights were shooting weapons at the station they were taking shelter in.

* * *

Klaus smiles at the waitress as she takes the second course off the table and leaves the room, he turns to Damon and Stefan before shrugging "I don't know about the two of you but I'm preferring blonde more these days."  
Elijah rolls his eyes "Stop antagonising them Niklaus."

Klaus laughs slightly before nodding "Too right Elijah..." he pauses before turning to Mary who was stood in the corner of the room before turning back to the brothers "Actually I have a gift for you two. You see after taking my dear Slayer's memories I sent her back here."  
"We know that... what we want to know is why..." Damon starts only for Klaus to cut him off.  
"Not yet." Klaus says as he clicks his fingers, immediately another waitress walks over and holds her bleeding wrist over his glass, letting the blood flow inside the glass.

"You see." He says to Stefan mainly "I discovered a few things about your girlfriend when I took her memories now I wouldn't show you but Mary would..."  
Mary smirks slightly before tossing the locket on the table, she smirks at Stefan and Damon "Enjoy." She says softly before waving her hand.  
Stefan and Damon both frown in confusion only to pause as they hear a familiar voice

 _"_ _You almost went away today."_ Stefan's eyes widen as he looks up only to find a dreaded image in front of him, it was from before Buffy had come to Mystic falls. She was dripping wet and sat on a small bed with Angel next to her.  
His fist clench digging into the hardwood as he is forced to watch her past.

 _"_ _We both did." Angel says softly as he leans into her, holding her tightly against him.  
_ _"_ _Angel." Buffy says softly sniffling slightly due to the cold "I feel like I lost you. You're right...I can't be sure when..."_

 _"_ _I..." Angel tries to say the dreaded words, but they get caught in his throat.  
_ _Buffy turns to face them, still clutching her shirt to her chest as she does "You what?"  
_ _"_ _I love you." He says after a long pause "I try not to but I can't stop."  
_ _Buffy takes a deep breath "Me too. I can't either." She takes another shaky breath before leaning her forehead against his, kissing him softly._

Stefan tries not to tear his gaze from the vision in front of him however thankfully it changes only to change to an alleyway, Angel was running out screaming her name. Before he suddenly stopped and killed a woman as she attempted to get close.

In that moment he understood what Buffy had never been able to tell him, "That's how he lost his soul."  
Klaus nods "Yes, a moment of true happiness. Tragic, to have a love like that only to have to end otherwise a world of death awaits them. Makes you think doesn't it, what would have happened had he hadn't lost his soul. She may be my destiny but in the mean time..."

"Enough." Stefan hisses only to get another smirk out of Klaus "Actually I think we can do another...Mari...if you please."

Mary pauses a look of sympathy covering her features, after a moment she shakes her head before nodding, waving her hand the image in the middle of the table changes, again they were forced to look at Buffy and Angel, however, this time the two were in the middle of fighting to the death.

 _Buffy raises the sword one last time, ready to end it, she had to do it know before it was too late however suddenly Angelus' gasps in shock and a light glow fills his eyes.  
_ _Taking gasping breaths Buffy watches frozen to her spot as he remains on his knees gasping._

 _Slowly he looks up and Buffy's breath catches in her throat, the hardness and murder that had filled his gaze just a moment was gone, left was confusion and love.  
_ _"_ _Buffy?" Angel asks confused as he looks around the mansion "What's going on?"  
_ _Buffy continues to stare at him sceptically as he stands "Where are we?" He asks "I –I don't remember."_

 _Slowly Buffy lowers the sword and steps towards him, it wasn't possibly "Angel?" She whispers.  
_ _Angel smiles at her before looking at her with a worried frown as he spots the wound on her arm "You're hurt."_

 _He pulls her towards him hugging him tightly, as he speaks Buffy's eyes close as she realises this was her Angel the man she loved. A tear escapes her eye as a small smile breaks out on her face however as her eyes open they fill with horror the portal was opening...as the realisation of what that meant hits her Buffy pulls away from Angel and looks him in the eye "What's happening?" He asks._

 _"_ _Shh." She tells him as she runs a hand over his cheek "Don't worry about it." Leaning in close she kisses him passionately knowing it was going to be the last time.  
_ _After a long moment, she pulls away and leans her forehead against his for a moment before looking at him seriously "I love you."  
_ _"_ _I Love you." He says back smiling slightly.  
_ _Buffy takes a deep breath "Close your eyes." Angel frowns in confusion but does as she says.  
_ _Buffy looks at him sadly before kissing him one last time, after a brief hesitation she steps back and drives the sword through his heart allowing the portal to suck him up._

Stefan and Damon both sit there frozen, Buffy had never told them that's how the battle went down.

Stefan runs a hand through his hair, it all made sense now, her not wanting to get close, her being so protective of her heart, not being able to say I love you back after he had said it to her. Yes, it hurt that she hadn't told him, but that had been her decision, the fact that Klaus had been the one to tell him the truth made him hate the hybrid all that more.

Damon who was merely stunned to silence stays quiet, Buffy was strong and kind and yet after all she had suffered she had been forced to kill the one person in her life she loved more than anything.

"You see..." Klaus says softly "...that kind of love...never dies."  
"You're shooting yourself in the foot there." Damon points out.

Klaus chuckles before leaning back in his seat "Yes but you see you two are just fill in, you see me and the Slayer that's destiny, ask any witch and they will tell you the same thing. There is a connection there, one neither of you or even Angelus could have begged for. You'll see soon enough."

Stefan growls and stands from his seat, he had had enough his phone was still vibrating and he needed to get out of here.  
"One more thing..."  
"Enough!"  
"No!" Klaus yells back as he stands and suddenly appears next to him "I will show you one more thing and then I will allow you any question about the potion you want."

Stefan glares up at Klaus as the hybrid forces himself down into his seat "Why are you showing us this?"

"It's punishment." Klaus tells him simply "You broke the rules, tried to force her memories so know I am forcing you to experience the memories she hid from you to keep you from getting hurt. But this one...this one is newer happened after I took her from you... it's one of my favourites."

Stefan freezes as he spots Buffy again, only this time it was his Buffy, not the young version, his Buffy. She looked the same, this memory couldn't be from long after she disappeared.

His eyes widen as he spots a beat up Angel walk down the stairs and as he speaks to Buffy Stefan's eyes widen, Angel had been human. He and Buffy had been human together, a part of Stefan broke at the idea, he would kill to have that, a human life with her yet Angel had had the choice.

 _"_ _They always come and they always will." Buffy argues as Angel tries to convince her what he had done was for the right reasons, but she didn't want to hear it, it wasn't fair, why did everyone else on the earth get to be happy with the people they love except the two of them "That's my problem now not yours remember?"  
_ _"_ _No." Angel argues "I won't stand by and let you fight maybe die alone."_

 _"_ _Then we fight together." Buffy tries her eyes widen, she didn't want this to end, it couldn't, there had been an emptiness in her heart for months ever since the summer and since finding out about Jenna. Having this day with Angel had started to fill it again._

 _"_ _Buffy." Angel sighs as he approaches her "You saw what happened last night if anything I'm a liability to you, you take chances to protect me and that's just not bad for you, it's bad for the people we were meant to help."  
_ _Buffy shakes her head as tears fill her eyes "So what you just took a whole 24 hours to weigh the ups and downs of being a regular joe and decided it was more fun being a superhero."  
_ _"_ _You know that's not it, how can we be together if the cost is your life or the lives of others."_

 _Buffy freezes her hold body freezing as she realises what this means, it was over for good. As she starts to sob Angel steps forward the own heartbreak evident on his face as he clutches her to him "I couldn't..." he pauses wincing slightly "I wasn't sure I could do it if I woke up with you one more morning."  
_ _"_ _I understand." She sobs as she pulls away from his chest to look up at him._

 _Angel tilts his head and moves his hands so that he was cupping her cheeks in his palm "The Oracles are giving us back the day, turning back time do I can kill Maura before his blood makes me mortal."  
_ _"_ _When?" She asks her voice breaking slightly.  
_ _Angel pauses and glances at the clock on the wall "Another minute."  
_ _Immediately she panics, this couldn't be happening "A minute? No, no it's not enough time."  
_ _"_ _It's done." Angel tells her as Buffy continues to shake her head madly, tears pouring down her face._

Stefan sits there watching the love of his life lose everything she had ever wanted in just a moment, the look on her face, the heartbreak, it killed him knowing it all.  
Looking away as Buffy kisses Angel he groans, he couldn't do this, he couldn't watch this anymore.

"Enough Marianna!" Elijah exclaims, sympathising with Stefan as he watched what Buffy had been through.

As Marianna closes the visions Elijah turns to Klaus a look of un-amusement on his face "Enough with the emotional torture Niklaus." Elijah turns to Damon and Stefan "Ask whatever questions you have."

* * *

As knights continue to storm the station Buffy pauses as she spots the leader standing merely a few feet from her. Her eyes widen as she spots where his focus was, he was focusing on Elena who was still stood with Giles trying to keep him from bleeding out.  
"The Key." He whispers as he raises his sword in Elena's direction.

Buffy grabs the blade from the ground as she spots the look of murder in the knight's eyes, she launches it towards him causing him to drop his sword.  
He runs at her prepared to attack however Buffy easily backhands him across the face sending him crashing into the wooden pillar, knocking him unconscious.

As he crashes to the ground Buffy turns her head to spot Willow and Bonnie both raise their hands _"Enemies, fly and fall. Circling arms, raise a wall."_ The two chant as their eyes go black, they raise they hands releasing a pulse of power from their hands sending all of the knights flying backwards.

Buffy runs over and looks at the two witches seriously "Will, Bon how long will it hold?"  
Willow sighs, she wasn't completely sure, yes the fact that two of them had cast the spell together granted them more time but still, it wouldn't be long.

"A day maybe two." Bonnie tells her "I'll look for something to reinforce it but..." Bonnie glances out of the window and sighs as she spots the monks chanting "If they punch a whole through it won't matter."

Buffy sighs before heading over to Elena "What can I do?"  
"There's morphine in my bag, enough for a small dose, might buy me enough time to sew up the wound but this location he's at risk of infection and if anything gets in the wound...he'll..." Elena takes a deep breath before taking her bag from Buffy, she didn't want to admit that Giles may be breathing his last breaths here, she had come to care about the Watcher, without any of her friends here he had become much like Rick, a father figure, one that she could tell would crush Buffy if he died.

"So, what's the story with these role-playing rejects?" Spike asks curiously as he stares at the unconscious General.  
Buffy pauses and her gaze follows him "Let's find out."

* * *

"So what do you want to know?" Klaus asks as he takes another bite out of his dessert before focusing of Damon and Stefan.  
Damon glances at his brother who had been deadly silent since seeing Buffy's history smiles at Klaus "What's happening to her?"  
While Elijah frowns in confusion Klaus leans forward on his elbows "It's a side effect."  
Stefan glares angrily "Of the potion you gave her..."

"Actually no." Klaus tells them "The bleeding, the visions that would be your fault...why do you think I didn't stick around...couldn't risk triggering the memories but you two just had to push it."  
Stefan sighs he hated hearing it but it was true it was his fault.  
Klaus rolls his eyes before turning to Marianna "You want to explain love?"

Mary rolls her eyes before sighing "When I started working on the potion it was centuries ago, someone I cared about suffered something horrible and wanted to forget. So I started working on the potion. Took centuries to perfect but there was a downside, once the memories were gone..." Mary takes a deep breath remembering back to the incident before shaking her head "...being around the people specific to the memories that were taken well...it's putting two lives in someone's head. It's too much for the human body. If Buffy wasn't the Slayer...it would have killed her weeks ago."

Stefan's eyes widen at that if Buffy wasn't the Slayer them forcing her memories and trying to trigger them would have killed her. It still was killing her.  
"How do we stop it?" Damon asks.  
Klaus chuckles slightly "You can't." He says seriously "Not in a way you would like."  
Stefan glares at Klaus in confusion "You want Buffy more than anything, yet you're just going to stand by and watch her die slowly."  
"No." Klaus answers seriously "You see you two started this trying to break through those walls I built...and now it's too late to fix it. With the two of you in her life as well as anyone from Mystic Falls the visions will continue until one day she just won't be able to take it anymore."

Stefan takes a deep breath, she was going to die no matter what they did from the sounds of it, however, before either him or Damon could speak Klaus cuts them off "You two have almost gotten my Slayer killed. So fix it."  
"We have the cure." Damon tells him stupidly.

Mary rolls her eyes "It only works if the person takes it willingly, they must fully want their memories back if they are unsure it won't work."  
"How do we fix it then?" Damon asks getting very impatient with his ex who was driving him shit stir crazy.

Klaus laughs again only making Elijah sighs "You have two options." Klaus tells them "Either give her the cure and pray it works, or...leave. If you and your Mystic Falls lot disappear I will have Mary fix her memory once more, and she'll live...that you can guarantee but if you continue to force her memory or just being a presence in her life she will die...she's already dying it won't be long before the final vision is too much."

Damon scoffs, of course, Klaus wanted them to leave, then he could make Buffy believe whatever he wanted and he could manipulate her till his damn prophecy came true "You really believe we'd leave her here with you."  
Klaus chuckles in amusement "Let's ask her shall we. Receive a life where everyone she's ever loved is dead, or a life where there is no pain and she is free to be at peace."  
Klaus smiles and turns to Mary "Have you located our lovely Slayer yet?"  
"Not long now." She says watching Stefan.

As he spots the look on her face Stefan realises that she sending him a signal, Klaus knew they were up to something and once she found Buffy she wouldn't be able to lie to Klaus. They needed to prepare for the wrath of the hybrid and fast.

* * *

Buffy crosses her arms as she stares at the General who she had tied to the wooden post in the middle of the room. She wanted answers and now and she wouldn't be taking no for an answer, she had been pushed too far this time; she was willing to do anything to protect her family no matter the cost.  
"You were warned we would return, Slayer." The general hisses as he reminds her of the previous encounter with his men.  
Buffy smirks slightly "Took you long enough. What are you supposed to be, some kind of chief?"  
He shoots her an unamused glare "General."  
"General." She mocks as she takes a step closer "In charge of what, getting captured?"  
"You do not frighten me, child." He tells her before turning to glance at Elena who was now watching the exchange interested "The instrument of chaos must be destroyed."

Buffy growls slightly as she catches him watching Elena, she steps forward grabbing the general neck and forcing him to focus on her "Look at her that way again, and she will be the last thing you ever see." She hisses out the threat before pushing herself away from him, mostly just to keep from snapping his neck.  
The General tilts his head in interest "As I've been told, you protect the Key of the Beast."  
Buffy crosses her arms "It's not that simple."  
"Yes. The Key has been transported inside of an innocent but yet this makes no difference. The Key is the link. The link must be severed. Such is the will of God."

"This isn't her fault!" Buffy growls furiously, she had had it, she had snapped, her anger and rage were barely holding on by a leash "The monks did this to her. They forced this Key you're all looking for inside of her. Made it a part of her. That was not her choice. Her choice is being a sister and a friend protecting those around her a selfless person, what kind of God would sentence her to death for something that was forced upon her!?" When his expression doesn't change Buffy sighs "We are not your enemy." She tries desperately "Tell your men to stand down."  
The General watches Buffy emotionlessly before turning to glance at Elena "No."  
"It is not her fault!" Buffy growls "She is a human girl are you really going to sentence her to death?!"

"The key is too dangerous..." the General tells her simply "...to be allowed to exist, no matter what it has been placed into."  
"I will not let anyone tell me..." Buffy growls only for Tara's yelling to startle her and make her stop her interrogation before she could get her hands on the General and make him tell his men to stand down.

* * *

"Delicious." Klaus mumbles as he tosses the waitress' now dead body to the ground after draining her, smirking over at Stefan he wipes the blood from his mouth "Aged to perfection."  
Stefan rolls his eyes before glancing down the hall where Damon had gone off to check his messages while Mary had disappeared with Elijah. Stefan stands from his seat, he knew it was almost a matter of time before Mary would tell Klaus that Buffy was no longer in Sunnydale, he needed to keep him distracted and try and get more information for as long as he could.

"Well, I guess the only reason you threw this little party Klaus was to drive a wedge between me and my brother."

Klaus shakes his head "Oh, no, you're doing that well enough on your own. Because of Buffy, you'll lose your brother and you'll only have yourself to blame. You decided to leave Buffy with Damon for months alone while she had no memory of loving you. You're the fool here Stefan, and what's funny is that non of that would have happened had Buffy not made the deal to save your life and your brothers. You two should have just stayed away from my Slayer, life would have been much easier for you both. Less heartache and all."  
"She's not yours Klaus." Stefan hisses as he steps closer to the original yet still keeping a fair distance.

At that moment Damon walks into the room, a worried look on his face "This evening needs to be cut short."  
Klaus frowns in confusion "You were so happy to be chatting just a moment ago."  
"They need to get to Buffy." Mary says as he and Elijah enter the room.  
Klaus immediately speeds over to Mary "What?"  
"She's not in Sunnydale." Mary tells him "Most probably left town hours ago, they've been distracting you while the Bennet witch placed one of my own glammer spells over Buffy and Elena so you couldn't track them."  
"Could you find them?" Elijah asks.  
"No, the red headed witch she's put up some sort of field, but it's weakening with every minute, someone trying to bust a hole through it."

Klaus growls, he really didn't like people manipulating him or using him for information, it created a sense of distrust.  
Klaus speeds forward and before anyone can do anything he speeds forward and rips Stefan's arm from its socket and snaps the bone in two before forcing his arm over the fire, watching as the flesh burned from his arm "Where is she?!" He growls furiously, he was done playing games here, he needed Buffy in Sunnydale and nothing, no Salvatore was going to stop him from getting what he wanted.

"Go ahead kill me." Stefan challenges "You'll never find her, she's not yours."

Klaus growls before yanking him away from the fire and pushing him away "Understand this Ripper, the Slayer is mine has always been mine you and your brother are nothing more than temporary dalliances. But luckily for you...I honour my word. I promised Buffy I would not harm either of you so I won't." Slowly a deadly smirk covers his face "It won't be long before she does it herself."  
"Enough, brother." Elijah tells his brother when Klaus rolls his eyes Elijah raises his hand and suddenly Mary smirks and waves her hand sending Klaus flying across the room and into the fireplace.

Klaus howls in agony while Mary smirks, she snaps a leg off the table before levitating it through the air and sending it flying towards Klaus, burying it through his heart killing him temporarily.  
"You can leave." Elijah tells Damon and Stefan "Help Buffy, this prophecy cannot come to pass but for now..."  
Mary turns to Elijah before glancing at the brothers "This is family business."

* * *

After convincing the knights to let someone come and help Giles. Elena had suggested getting Ben in to help, she had done all she could for Giles but without more experience and the proper equipment she couldn't do anything else other than barely keep him breathing.

"You forgot to mention the costume party outside." Ben says to Buffy as he checks on Giles' wound before taking the scalpel off Elena who was standing to his right helping him as much as she could.  
"Sorry." Buffy tells him "Elena, she did as much as she could...I didn't know who else to call."  
"No." Ben tells her nervously, they hadn't really spoken since she had cancelled their date "It's ok. I mean, yeah, not how I pictured seeing you again, but I'll take what I can get."  
Buffy smiles slightly before looking up at him seriously "Thank you, for coming."  
"My pleasure." He tells her smiling back before glancing at Elena who had moved to get more bandages from the bag he had brought.

He takes a deep breath and looks away from her focusing on Giles "Elena did good. She stopped the bleeding and got him stabilised, but there's a possible infection and there's a lot more damage. We need to get him outta here."  
Buffy sighs and glances out the window where the knights were getting antsy "I think the guys with the pointy swords kind of have other ideas."  
Ben shrugs "Don't they always?" He asks sarcastically.  
Buffy smiles before sighing "Look I know this must seem extra Outer Limits to you."

"This?" He jokes gesturing to Giles "I've seen things you wouldn't believe. You know, emergency room, a full moon on a Saturday night."  
Buffy smiles, she appreciated this, he was really trying to act like non of this was freaking him out and it was sweet "Look, if this gets too weird, just tell me. I'll understand."  
"Don't worry about me. I won't leave until I've worn out my welcome."

* * *

Damon and Stefan were moving through the graveyard as quickly as they could, they needed to get to their car. They had heard Buffy's panicked messages, Giles was dying and she had needed them and they had been busy with Klaus.  
"Well..." Stefan says hesitantly "You were right about Elijah and Mary. Mary un-dangering him was a smart move."  
"Wow." Damon mocks shocked "Actual acknowledgement of a job well done. You're going soft, Stefan?"

Stefan scoffs before glancing at his phone to the directions that Anya had texted them _"Check your messages, idiots."_ Had been quite a nice thing to see.  
"Their just outside of Sunnydale, a few miles." Stefan tells his brother as they get closer to the car.

As they walk Stefan pauses realising something "You could have left me there, you didn't have to work with Elijah to save me."  
"Hey, you don't get to thank me till I pay you back for all the times you saved me." Damon half-jokes without any humour in his voice.  
Stefan stops walking for a second and looks at his brother seriously "No, Damon you could have left me there and you didn't. Klaus likely would have snapped given enough time and killed me and you would have had Buffy all to yourself."

At that moment Stefan's phone buzzes again to see another message from Anya who was using Buffy's phone.

The two brothers stand there in silence for several moments both trying to deal with the situation at hand, after a moment Stefan looks at his older brother seriously as Damon refused to look at him "I love her, Damon."  
"So do I." Damon says as he turns to his brother glancing at him before climbing into the car.

* * *

"They're on their way." Anya tells Buffy as Buffy stands in the corner of the doorway staring at the General.  
Buffy nods her head in thanks but doesn't speak, it didn't matter now by the time they got here...Buffy shakes her head not wanting to think about the possibility of a world without Giles.

The General laughs as he spots Xander and Spike walking around after Buffy had ordered them out of the room "Dissension in the ranks. Seldom a harbinger of glad tidings."  
Buffy glares at him stepping towards him she backhands him across the face "Shut up."  
The General glares at her as he spits out the blood from his mouth, however when she turns her back on him he tilts his head in interest "Poor frightened girl." He says causing her to turn back to him "You've no idea what you've gotten yourself into."  
Buffy scoffs before folding her arms "Why don't you tell me?"  
"Would it make a difference?" When she doesn't answer he continues "What do you know of the beast?"

"Strong. Fast. Hell God." Buffy states simply, refusing to let anything important they know out, she didn't want to show her cards to someone so intent on killing Elena.  
"From a dimension of unspeakable torment." He informs her.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "A demon dimension. I know. She ruled with two other Hell gods, right?"

The general nods surprised by her knowledge "Along with the beast they were a triumvirate of suffering and despair. Ruling with equal vengeance. But the Beast's power grew beyond even what they could conceive. As did her lust for pain and misery. They looked upon her, what she had become...and trembled."  
At that Buffy pauses for a moment, Glory terrified her, yes, but the idea that Glory terrified Hell Gods was something so terrifying in itself.  
"A god afraid?"  
"Such was her power." The General confirms "They feared she would attempt to seize their dimension for herself, and decided to strike first. A great battle erupted. IN the end, they stood victorious over the Beast. Barley. She was cast out. Banished to this lower plane of existence, forced to live and eventually die trapped within the body of a mortal. A newborn male, created as her prison. That is the Beast's...only weakness."

Buffy stands there shocked, Glory was trapped inside a human body, which meant that if this man was her only weakness he would be her undoing, it meant she wasn't impervious like they had all thought.  
"Kill the man...and the God dies."  
The General nods before a look of disgust covers his face "Unfortunately, the identity of the human vessel has never been discovered."  
Buffy shakes her head, something wasn't adding up "I don't understand. I've seen Glory. Not a lot goin' on in the hairy-chest department."  
"You have seen a glimpse of the true Beast. Her power was too great to be contained. She's found a way to escape her mortal prison for brief periods before her energies are exhausted and she's forced back into her cell of meat and bone."

"What about me?" A voice says from the back of the room.

Buffy turns her head and instantly a protective look covers her expression as she spots Elena standing in the doorway wiping the blood from her hands. Giles' blood. As she stares at the General with interest.  
"What about the Key?"  
"Elena." Buffy tries but Elena wasn't having it, she needed to know what they had put in her what it was capable of doing.  
"I need to know." Elena tells her as she steps further into the room and places a hand on Buffy's shoulder before glancing at the General "Please."

The General was staring at her with wide eyes before nodding "They Key is almost as old as the Beast itself. Where it came from, how it was created...the deepest of mysteries. All that is certain is that its power is absolute, that's why it needed to be placed inside a supernatural being. With mystical properties already dormant in its blood. Countless generations of my people have sacrificed their lives in search of it, to destroy it before its wrath could be unleashed." Elena takes a deep breath trying to control her anger and confusion as well as her fear of what had been placed inside of her.

"Why didn't the monks destroy it?" She asks curiously, if it was so dangerous why not stop it before it could be set free, why try to hide it.  
"Because they were fools. They thought they could harness its power for the forces of light. They failed and paid with their blood."  
Elena freezes as she stares at the General but there was one last thing she needed to know if she was the Key then what the hell was she supposed to do or open "What does it do? Or I do? What was it created for?"  
"You were created...to open the gates that separate dimensions. The Beast will use your power to return home and seize control of hell she was banished from."

Buffy stands there for a moment before a loud burst of laughter escapes her "That's it?" She asks incredulously, she couldn't believe that all of this was over opening a door back home "That's Glory's master plan? To go home?" She asks sounding slightly disappointed and completely fed up.  
"You misunderstand." The General tells her "Once the Key is activated, it won't just open the gates to the Beast's dimension. It's going to open all the gates. The walls separating realities will crumble. Dimensions will bleed into each other. Order will be overthrown and the universe will tumble into chaos. All dark. Forever. That is what it was created for." He tells Elena "That is what your purpose is now."

Elena takes a shaky breath, she couldn't do this, she couldn't open a portal and be the cause of all that death. She wouldn't. She wouldn't allow all those lives to perish because of her.

* * *

"Marianna?" Elijah asks as he walks into the witches bedroom where she was currently holding an old piece of parchment over a small flame.  
She raises her hand telling him to halt before she mumbles something in German; suddenly the paper goes up in flames before disappearing.

"It's been a long time since I heard you use your native tongue." Elijah says softly as he walks into the room further and sits next to her, he glances at the feather pen "Another letter to Katrina I assume."  
Mary rolls her eyes "Just making sure she's safe."  
Elijah chuckles for a woman who claims not to care about anyone or feel anything she always made sure that Katherine was safe.  
"You miss her." He states.  
Mary sighs before standing "Yes. She's been with me for 500 years Elijah. She is my everything."

Elijah smiles before placing a hand on her shoulder, he understood why they were so close they had both suffered similar tragedies and Mary had cared a lot for Tatia he had expected her to care for the doppelganger.  
Shaking his head he looks at her seriously they needed to get back to business "Niklaus will wake soon, how long can you keep him down."  
Mary pauses "Not long. He's got witches all over the globe protecting him and that amulet is limiting my power, either I get that amulet or you prepare to do a very large sacrifice."  
Elijah sighs, "I'll search for the amulet but no matter what we cannot let this prophecy come to pass, Klaus already has too much power going to his head."

* * *

Buffy walks into the backroom where Elena was sat on the floor staring at the wall "Elena." When Elena doesn't turn to face her Buffy sighs and walks towards her. sitting next to her and taking her hand.  
"Do you think it's true?" Elena asks her as she continues to stare at the wall "What he said?"  
"I don't know." Buffy says after a long pause.

Elena takes a deep breath and closes her eyes "I should have died during Klaus' ritual. Then the hybrids wouldn't exist and I wouldn't be the destroyer of the universe."  
"Don't say that." Buffy tells her as she moves the hair out of her face and turns Elena's chin so that she is looking at her cousin properly "Don't ever say that. It's not you. This isn't your fault..."  
"Doesn't matter." Elena tells her taking a shaky breath to keep the tears from dropping "This thing is inside of me, I'm the person that will set it free. Set free all that death and tragedy. I can't do that Buffy, I can't let thousands of innocents die because of me."  
Buffy takes a deep breath before placing her head on Elena's shoulder "You won't. That's not you. We'll find a way. I won't let anything happen to you."  
Elena wraps an arm around her cousin and the two sit there in silence for a few minutes trying to pretend that the end of the world wasn't coming.

* * *

"Is there anything else I can do?" Elena asks as she walks over to Ben who was still working on Giles, trying to keep him comfortable.  
Ben smiles at the young girl "You did good Elena, you probably saved his life."  
Elena sighs and glances down at Giles, guilt flooding her expression, she couldn't lose any more family "Well it's my fault he almost died. I thought I owed it to him to save him."  
"This isn't your fault." Ben tells her seriously as he moves back over to his bag.  
Elena shakes her head "That's sweet but not true."

"Elena, I know sometimes terrible things happen to good people." As he speaks he grabs a syringe and begins filling it with a clear liquid "It shouldn't but it does. It's nobodies fault. It's just the way life is." As he speaks he stares at her back for a brief second considering something horrible however he moves around her and back to Giles injecting him with the pain killers.  
Elena sighs however she frowns in confusion as Ben suddenly gasps and begins shaking "Ben?"

"You have to let me out!" Ben screams as he runs out o the room into the main bulk of the building.  
"Ben?" Elena asks worried as she runs after him.  
"You don't understand. I gotta get out! Open a door now!" He screams

Suddenly Buffy and Spike run into the room, Buffy immediately appearing at Elena's side "What happened?"  
Elena frowns in confusion "I don't know, he just started panicking."  
"Let me out!" He yells again.  
Buffy's eyes widen in panic, something was seriously wrong here, turning to Willow and Bonnie "Will, Bon open a door."  
"No!" Ben exclaims as he grasps his head in pain only for Ben to disappear and Glory appear in his place.

Buffy's eyes widen and she immediately pushes Elena behind her standing protectively in front of her.  
Glory frowns in confusion as she looks around the room before finally her eyes land on Buffy and Elena, smirking slightly she grins "What do you know? Little Ben finally did something right."

"The Beast." The General gasps from the back of the room where he was still tied to the post.  
Glory turns her attention to him glaring slightly "Hey, it's Gregor." She says before grabbing the metal circular disk to her side and tossing it at him watching as it buries itself in his gut killing him "Now it's not."  
Spike runs at Glory growling only to get knocked down quickly, Buffy runs forward only to have Glory backhand her sending her crashing into Willow before dropping to the ground.

Glory smiles before laughing slightly, she leaps forward and grabs Elena pulling her towards the exit.  
"Buffy!" Anya yells as she loses her grip on Elena.

Buffy looks up from the ground she panics as she spots Glory grab Elena, jumping up she runs chasing after them, she spots Glory force a hole through the field with her fist and leaps through with Elena who was yelling and trying to get away.

Buffy jumps up attempting to get through the closing hole however she was too late and crashes into the field "Elena!" Buffy screams as she watches Glory kill the knights before her.  
Buffy panics and runs back inside "Willow, Bonnie get it down!" She yells.

The witches look up both their eyes were black _"Hear, hear our plea..."_

As they chant Buffy runs back outside just as the field drops, she freezes as she spots all the knights dead and Glory and Elena nowhere in sight.

"Buffy!" A voice calls from across the street.  
Everyone except Buffy looks up and spots Stefan and Damon climbing out of the car.  
"What the hell happened?" Damon asks as he speeds over to Willow and Tara.  
Stefan runs over to Buffy just as she drops to her knees, he crouches down in front of her "Buffy?" When she doesn't respond he looks up at Willow "Where's Elena?"  
"Glory took her." Bonnie tells him as she turns to Buffy "Buffy?"  
Stefan turns to Buffy who wasn't speaking, her whole world had gone mute, placing a hand on her cheek he tries to get her to look at him but she wasn't responding. Her eyes were empty "Buffy?"


	82. The Weight of the World

"Oh!" Glory exclaims as she jumps down from the pedestal she was standing on, and begins pacing around the room "I'm just a little tight in this skin, is all. I've been waiting an eternity...well, 25 human years. And it all comes down to tonight."

As she continues to yammer on Elena sits in the corner of the room, bound and gagged to a chair. Elena tries to drown out Glory's yammering as she struggles quietly in the chair, trying not to draw attention to herself, glancing around the room she looks for something sharp, or anything that she could use to slowly gnaw her way through the ropes.

She sighs as she is unable to spot anything, glancing down at the ground she closes her eyes trying to shut off her emotions, she couldn't do this, couldn't let all the different emotions flowing through her take over otherwise she would never make it out of this.  
Her eyes blink open as she hears Glory address her "Still, something's off. I don't know. What do you think?"

* * *

"The hell bitch is gone." Damon tells the gang as he walks back into the barn with Spike. Stefan who was standing with Giles sighs before biting into his wrist, pouring some of his blood into the small mug Anya had found.

After he was sure there was enough soon he hands it to Giles who raises an eyebrow at it.  
Damon chuckles "Suck it up gramps. You'll be good as new, just make sure not to bite the dust for the next day or two."  
Giles glares at him before drinking the blood, after he was done he smiles appreciatively at Stefan "Thank you."

Stefan smiles at the Watcher before moving back towards Buffy, he crouches down in front of her and moves the hair out of her face as he watches her with a worried frown.

Spike glances over at Giles watching as the wound began to rapidly heal before whistling "You lot really are lucky buggers." He says to Damon and Stefan before looking at everyone else "Better part of a century spent in delinquency just paid off. Hot wired Ben's auto. Who's for gettin' the hell out of here?"  
Xander nods "All in favour. Let's do it." Xander glances at Giles who was now looking remarkably better.

Giles nods as he glances at his now-healed wound in astonishment "Remarkable." He breaths before looking over at Xander "I'll be fine. How's Buffy?"  
"The same." Stefan tells them as he continues to watch the blonde slayer.

She hadn't moved a fraction since Glory had taken Elena, she hadn't even blinked, she was like a statue, frozen with an emotionless gaze.  
"It's been almost a half an hour." Willow says as she stands next to Stefan staring at the blonde with a worried frown.  
"Slayer's gonna be all right, won't she?" Spike asks.  
Damon turns his head, his face softening slightly as it focuses on Buffy, there was nothing in her eyes except emptiness.  
"You should try again, Will." Xander suggests.  
Willow sighs "All right, but..." She hesitates she didn't want to believe it but all of their attempts at getting a reaction off Buffy had failed miserably "...I'm not even sure she's you know, really in there."  
"Try."

Willow sighs once more before taking Stefan place in front of Buffy "Can you hear me? Buffy." Buffy doesn't even blink at her name being called "Buffy. Buffy?"  
"Come on Buff." Damon tries as he stands with Stefan opposite the motionless blonde.  
When there is no response the brothers glance at each other before turning to Willow and Bonnie.  
"She can't just be brain-dead." Spike says from his corner of the room.

"She's not." Bonnie whispers from her place opposite Stefan and Damon, she knew Buffy wasn't brain-dead, she was in there but watching Elena get ripped away had made her just want to not be here and somehow her mind had allowed her to disappear within her subconscious. Bonnie takes a deep breath she herself was emotional, her two best friends were in need of help and she wasn't sure what she could do.  
Spike rolls his eyes before circling around Xander to get closer "I mean...she's still Buffy, somewhere in there, right?"  
"Spike..." Xander says "Come on we're not gonna get Elena back by sittin' here."

Xander turns to Bonnie who shakes her head "I can't do a tracking spell, not only are Buffy and Elena not related by blood but Glory most probably has hundreds of spells clocking her by now." Bonnie sighs running a hand through her hair before glancing at Mary's grimoire "Even with Mary's book, there's not much I can do about finding Elena."  
Willow glanced at Bonnie before sighing, she turns back to her best friend and sighs, she was so worried about her "We should move her." She says hesitantly "Unless we shouldn't. Should we?" She asks glancing at Stefan.

Stefan shrugs he was so unsure about what to do here, he could barely process anything right now other than the fact that Buffy was suffering "We don't know what this is..."  
"It might make it worse." Anya points out before shrugging "I think I read that somewhere."

Xander frowns up his arms in annoyance and frustration, the one person that would know what to do was the person that needed help "I am so large with the not knowing."  
"Stefan's right." Giles points out "it's impossible to know for sure."

"Great!" Damon says loudly as he moves away from his brother "So we've got a but a load of nothing, how helpful."  
Giles glares at Damon and stands straight "You need to understand this, losing Elena, after all, that Buffy's been through...her mind was already damaged but this...it's pushed her too far into a sort of catatonia."  
Spike rolls his eyes at the other Englishman in the room "You don't need a diploma to see that. Snap her out of it."

Spike attempts to move towards Buffy but before he can do anything he finds himself pinned to the wall, expecting to see Damon his eyes widen as he spots Stefan full vampire facade growling at him "Don't touch her." He hisses.  
"Girl's imbued with Slayer strength, hardly time to get dainty now—" Before he could finish his words Stefan shocked everyone in the room by punching Spike in the face sending him crashing to the ground.

The room goes silent, no one other than Bonnie and Damon had seen Stefan lose his temper. Bonnie sighs, she knew that the prospect of losing Buffy and Elena who he had thought of as a sister was pushing him over the edge.

Before Spike could retaliate Bonnie raises her hand towards him and suddenly he crashes back down onto his knees crying in agony while clutching his head.  
After she was sure he had suffered enough she released him watching him crash face first into the ground.  
"Bloody hell." Spike mumbles as he looks up and spits the blood from his mouth "You're all wasting time...when all's said and done Slayer's like it rough so—"

Spike is sent whaling across the room as Damon boot connects with his face.  
Both Stefan and Damon move towards the battered Spike prepared to finally end him when they find themselves unable to move.  
Damon frowns "Bon Bon not now..."  
"It's not me." Bonnie tells them before glancing at Willow who was glaring at the three vampires.

"You done?" She asks them giving no room for discussion. When Stefan and Damon nod she nods back before turning to the rest of the group "Buffy's out. Glory has Elena. Sometime real soon, she's gonna use Elena to tear down the barrier between every dimension there is. So..."  
The self-appointed leader turns to Damon and Stefan "If you two wanna continue and kill Spike do it after the world ends, ok?" The room stays silent no one putting up any argument with the powerful witch "All right. First, we head back to Sunnydale. Xander takes Giles home, make sure he doesn't get himself killed while he still has vampire blood in his system. Anya's looking after Tara. Spike, Damon..."

Damon moves to argue but Willow glares at him, making him close his mouth, he may be a vampire but he was smart enough to know when not to piss off a witch...most of the time.  
Willow tilts her head waiting for argument but when Damon backs back down she nods "Check her apartment, see if she's still there. And Damon try anything stupid, like payback...I will get very cranky. Everyone clear?"

Willow glances around the room, any signs of the geeky nerdy girl that she once was, was gone. She was their leader, for now, a strong powerful witch that wasn't to be crossed.  
Willow pauses as she spots Anya raise a very hesitant hand in the air "Anya."  
"Um.." She says nervously "What will you do?"  
Stefan nods in agreement "What about me? I'm not leaving Buffy."  
"Don't worry." Willow tells him "You're coming with me and Bonnie, we're going to help Buffy."  
Stefan sighs in relief, he knew the others could track down Elena and as much as he wanted to be helping find his friend his main focus was Buffy right now.

As Willow moves over to a fussy Tara who was mumbling 'Big Day' over and over again.  
Willow attempts to sooth her only for Spike to stand; making sure he keeps his distance from Damon and Stefan he turns to Willow "Ah Will..." When she turns to face him he gulps slightly "Now, uh, don't turn me into a horned toad for asking, but...what if we come across Ben?"  
Stefan frowns in confusion "Who's Ben?"  
"Cutie Doctor Buffy dumped." Damon says with a shrug of his shoulders confused as to why Spike was bringing up this up, it seemed so random.  
Stefan frowns clearly not happy with that "When was Buffy dating a doctor?"

Willow rolls her eyes, she didn't have the time of patience to deal with jealous vampires, turning to Spike she shrugs "I don't think a doctor's what Buffy needs right now."  
Spike chuckles "Well, yeah, especially not one who also happens to be Glory."  
Everyone in the room freezes and turns to Spike looks of confusion crossing their face  
"What do you mean?" Xander asks.

Spike frowns "You know. Ben is Glory." He states, he was completely confused, they had all literally watched Ben turn in Glory not even 35 minutes ago.

Damon and Stefan glance at each other both were very confused, they seemed to have missed more than they thought when they were with Klaus.  
"You mean..." Willow says softly "Ben's with Glory?"  
"With, in what sense?" Xander asks.  
"They're working together?" Anya asks with equal confusion.

Spike glances at all of them dumb folded this was ridiculous "No. No. Ben is Glory. Glory's Ben. They're one and the same."  
Stefan sighs "What are you talking about?"  
"They share a body!" Spike exclaims in frustration "Not one hour ago we saw Ben turn into Glory! Ben came, turned into Glory, snatched the Gilbert kid and –pfft!- vanished, remember?"

Damon and Stefan glance at the humans around the room who were all frowning in confusion.  
"Is everyone here very stoned?" Spike asks.  
Damon sighs, damn God had made sure no one would remember the stupid transformation "No one came remember dumbass." Damon tells Spike "My guess demon God hijacks whatever."

Stefan nods in agreement, it made sense, Glory was powerful enough to shield herself and if she wanted to make sure that no one would find out who the male vessel that contained her was, the best way was by making sure no one would remember if they saw it.

"Glory most probably has witches working for her, anyone who sees the change forgets. We're not exactly human so makes sense it wouldn't work on you."  
Willow shakes her head trying to grasp an understanding around all this new information "So Ben and Glory...are the same person." She says almost hesitantly.  
Xander nods "Glory can turn into Ben, and Ben turns back into Glory."  
"And anyone who sees it instantly forgets." Anya finishes before all of them turn back to Spike.  
"Excellent." Giles breathes out "Now. Do we suspect that there may be some kind of connection between Ben and Glory?"  
Damon groans "This is gonna be a long night."

* * *

Elena watches with wide eyes as people bow at her feet while Glory leads her through the scrap yard where tonnes of people were currently working on building the tower where the ritual would take place.  
"The Key." The people mumble as Glory leads her through the crowd before pushing her into a small room where several of her minions were waiting.

Elena glares at Glory as the God shoves her towards a chair, her eyes widen as she spots the demon creature dressed like a priest, when he attempts to touch her she steps away "Touch me and I'll kill you."  
"Aww look at her, she's a little spitfire." Glory says as she rubs her forehead before groaning.

Elena glares at her before she glares at the priest, but takes a seat on the chair in front of her.  
As the priest moves his hand towards her, her eyes widen, Elena grabs his hand and yanks him forward smashing his head on the handle of her chair before pushing him to the ground.

"Hey!" Glory exclaims as she storms over and grabs Elena's arm roughly "I am having a very stressful day, so behave! No mini-Slayer crap. Got it?!"  
When Glory tightens her grasp on her arm Elena winces slightly before nodding.  
Elena sits back down and watches the priest intently as he wipes a black liquid on her forehead.

"They merely sense that tonight the dimensional portal shall open." One of Glory's minions tells the God as she groans in annoyance "Ushering in the long and bloody reign of the great..."  
"What's he doing?" Glory asks as she watches the battered up priest move his hand over Elena.  
He stops and turns to her "I must anoint the Key."  
Glory rolls her eyes as she continues to rub her forehead "Really, don't. Go."

As Glory yells at the priest Elena notices the small blade on his pocket, moving slightly she slips the blade out of his pocket as he moves past her and slips it into her sleeve.

As Glory slams the door behind them she turns to Elena "You know, you recapture your godhood and unleash Armageddon..." As she speaks she grabs a tissue off the table and cleans the crap off Elena's forehead "...and all of a sudden everybody wants to be part of the inner circle." Glory sighs before glancing at Elena "You're a tough one...are you okay?"  
Elena freezes in shock, the woman who had killed her and taken her hostage was worried about her, if she wasn't so terrified she'd laugh "Well let's see being held hostage...seems like every other Thursday."

Glory chuckles "Sweetie that's the life of a doppelganger..." At Elena's shocked expression Glory smiles "You didn't think I knew, please I met the original plus when I realised the Key was a living breathing person I knew there was no way those idiot monks placed it in some regular human."

Glory grabs a chair and sits opposite her "Look you're going to be going to your new home. As the Key. Trust me it's going to be a lot better than your life as the doppelganger." Glory smiles sweetly at her, for some reason unknown to her she was trying to cheer her up "Hey! You want a pizza? No. Pillow? I don't know if this thing gets cable. Doubtful." She says as she glances at the old TV in the corner.  
Elena sighs "Why are you doing this? It doesn't have to be this way."

Glory tilts her head smiling at the young woman "You nervous?" When Elena doesn't answer Glory smirks assuming that was a yes and moves closer leaning closer in her chair towards Elena "I know how you feel. It is your last night. As, you know, a human. This body..." She grabs Elena's arm lifting it into the air "You're not gonna need it for long Lena. The Key made you so much more, being human? It's like a costume for girls like you and me. Being something else...that's what we are." She says cheerfully, clearly excited about what was to come.

Elena looks up at her, her eyes darkening "Don't."  
"What?" Glory asks very confusedly as to what she had done.  
Elena scoffs in disbelief "You kidnap me, threaten my brother's life almost kill me cousin, yet you call me Lena like we're old bodies?" Elena rolls her eyes "You really are insane."

Glory scoffs out in disbelief "Wow. You know that actually really hurt my feelings. You know I heard you doppelgangers had death wishes but I didn't think you were mean." Glory sits back in her chair, actually confused with herself, she shouldn't be feeling this way or anything at all.  
She stands from her seat and begins pacing the room trying to figure out what was going on "I'm trying to make you feel better when comforting others...not part of my life. And I'm doing it so that I can stop..." Glory stands with her back to Elena making the brunette unable to see her expression "...feeling so...um...help me out."  
When Glory clicks her fingers at her Elena exhales "Guilty."

Glory takes a relieved breath "Guilty. That's it." Suddenly she starts laughing only to quickly realise that she wasn't supposed to feel that way, she wasn't supposed to feel guilt or sorrow or care for others it wasn't in her DNA.  
"But I'm not supposed to feel guilty. I'm not supposed to feel anything. I'm..I'm...I'm a God. I'm above it...I'm...you." Glory pauses as her gaze lands back on Elena.

Moving towards her angrily she waves her arms in the air "You did this to me, didn't you?" She asks as she moves to invade her personal space "Some sort of spell. You've been hanging out with the witches, you could've..." Glory pauses a hand coming to her head before shaking it "But no. Not magic. It's something else." She grabs her head before taking a deep breath, she was losing it and quickly "Still, it is you doing this."  
As Glory walks away from her Elena shakes her head "It's not me."

"We'll see." She says angrily as she opens the door allowing the priest to re-enter the room "Anoint this thing now." She hisses before moving back towards Elena with the priest "You know what they're all chanting for out there, Lena? Blood." As the priest begins his work Elena's eyes widen at Glory's reveal "Cos we found out your blood is the key to the Key!" She continues "All I got to do is bleed you dry, the portal opens up, and I can go home! So knock yourself out, girlfriend. Make me feel as bad as you can. Cos tomorrow...you bleed little girl."

* * *

Mary glances at Klaus as he lay chained to the ground in the basement surrounded by a circle of salt.  
"How long will it hold?" Elijah asks as she steps back out of the room and bolts up the door behind her.

Mary sighs as she runs a hand through her hair before glancing at Klaus through the bars "Not long, the barrier spell is only keeping him trapped there for a few hours. I can't reinforce it, that incepted Bennet girl still has my grimoire. I really need to get that back."

Elijah sighs before placing a hand on the small of raven haired witch's back and leading her upstairs to the living room. As he grabs himself a cup of tea he turns to her "I was unable to procure the amulet that Niklaus has you bound to. One of his witches must have it."

Mary groans in frustration, that really limited their options here, she may be powerful but her power was based around sacrificial magic without either that amulet or a human sacrifice there wouldn't be much she could do.  
"I can't do a spell that big without my amulet, my powers are bound to it...which means I cannot track your family till I have it."

Elijah sighs "I will get you a sacrifice...desiccate Niklaus, once he is weak we will be able to get into his mind and find your amulet. Then we gather our family."

* * *

Stefan crosses his arms as Bonnie showed him the spell she had found in Mary's grimoire. He didn't like it. Willow and Bonnie were using a lot of Mary's spell and given that she specified in sacrificial magic he wasn't too trusting.  
Sighing he glances at them carefully "I don't know about this..."

Bonnie sighs she knew why he was worried "Stefan, this is one of Mary's early spells before she got into sacrificial magic."  
"We don't even know if it will work." He argues back, he didn't want to risk anything going wrong and Buffy getting hurt in the process.

Willow takes a deep breath as she takes the candles out of the bag and places them on the table of Xander's apartment "It's not exactly well-explored territory, but we gotta try."  
Stefan runs a hand through his hair before running it over his jaw.

Anya who was watching the group looks at the three of them with a worried glance "A spell like this could be really dangerous for Buffy." She glances at Stefan "And you, once they enhance your power of mind control if anything goes wrong you could find yourself like Buffy, trapped."

Stefan exhales softly, he knew what he was risking here. He was allowing Willow and Bonnie to do an enhancing spell, strong enough for him to actually interact with Buffy as he entered her mind. They had to keep up the spell the whole time he was in there otherwise he could end up trapped as they were the only ones that could pull him and Buffy out once he was in. But he didn't care about the risk, "Doesn't matter. We can't leave her like this."

"Time..." Tara mumbles from her place by the window "Oh, time is coming." Willow quickly rushes over and comforts her.  
As Willow and Anya speak Stefan turns to Bonnie "How long will I have?"  
"As long as we can hold it." She tells him before closing the grimoire and looking at him seriously "Stefan, whatever you do...don't get distracted by what you see in there."

Stefan frowns at the strange statement but nods and follows Bonnie as she and Willow head into Xander and Anya's bedroom.  
Stefan pauses as he spots Buffy, allowing Willow and Bonnie to light the candles he moves towards the blonde slayer.  
Sitting down in front of her he strokes her cheek, before glancing back at Willow and Bonnie waiting for them to give him the signal.

When they both nod, he takes a deep breath before turning back to Buffy, he cups her face in his hands before closing his eyes.

* * *

Stefan's eyes slam open and immediately they are flooded with light, he blinks slightly allowing himself to examine the brightly coloured hallway. There were cream walls with bright plants and vases lined along the walls.

As he walks around he spots the interesting pieces of art, moving into the main hallway he pauses as he spots the table of photos.  
He picks one up smiling slightly as he spots the same photo Buffy had on her nightstand back in Mystic Falls. It was then that he realised something, this place was familiar, it was Buffy's home in Mystic Falls before her family moved to L.A.

Frowning he walks into the living and glances around the empty room in confusion if he was in her home then where was she?  
"Hello, Stefan." A small voice says from behind him.  
Stefan turns and smiles as he spots the small 5-year-old girl with blonde pigtails playing with a doll "Hello, Buffy."

* * *

 _"I thought you were supposed to be searching for Glory with Spike."_ Rick points out as he and Damon speak over the phone.  
Damon chuckles slightly as he steps into his house "I was." He says before moving into the living room "Her apartment was empty, I left Spike afterwards I was getting really tempted to kill him."

 _"_ _This isn't a joke, Damon."_ Rick hisses, making Damon sigh, he could hear the worry in Rick's voice from the moment he had told him what happened, from Elena being taken to Buffy going all catatonic _"Damon I think we should all come down there and –"_

"Yeah no, Rick." Damon says cutting him off, they couldn't bring more people into this, "Look we got this...I'll let you know how it goes."  
Before Rick could argue Damon hangs up the phone and sighs, he moved into his bedroom to change before heading back to the Magic Box.

As he changes his phone starts ringing, pausing before he could put on his shirt he groans in annoyance, he bet it was Caroline most probably ready to start complaining and making demands.  
He grabs his phone and grunts out "What?"  
 _"_ _Wow, is that how you speak to an old friend."_

Damon immediately groans at the sound of the English accent "Mary, the old pain in my ass."  
 _"_ _Aww, you say the sweetest things."  
_ Damon rolls his eyes he didn't have time for this "Get on with it Mary."

Mary chuckles slightly _"Fine, I don't have long anyway...Katherine lost her trail on Mikael. Klaus must have people, witches specifically keeping his location secret. I've put her on a new lead. But this means it will be longer..."_

Damon groans in annoyance "Great." He mumbles before slamming his phone shut, he was getting really sick of everything falling apart.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" The young Buffy asks as she glances up from her tea set to look over at Stefan.  
Stefan smiles at the sight, an innocent Buffy, before all the pain and suffering of being the Slayer "Actually, I'm looking for you."  
Buffy smiles before looking down at her doll "Do you like dolls?"

Stefan chuckles slightly "I'm over 160 years old, I think I'm a bit old for them." Pausing slightly he looks around the room before focusing back on her "Buffy...what are you doing here?"  
"I like it here." She tells him.  
Stefan sighs before crouching down in front of the child version of Buffy "Buffy...this isn't you...your friends need you. You have to come out."  
"Why?" She asks innocently.  
Stefan takes a deep breath "Your friends need you, Elena..."

Buffy's head shoots up "Elena! Jeremy!" She yells happily as two adults walk in through the front door with two brunette haired children.

Buffy runs over and hugs the young version of Elena before looking up at the two adults "Mommy, daddy..." She says sadly "Do we have to?"  
Stefan stands and watches in interest as little Buffy and Elena hold each other's hands.

Hank Buffy's father crouches down "I know sweetie, it's sad but you have to say goodbye. We're leaving tomorrow."  
Buffy stomps her foot on the ground before shaking her head madly "No. I don't want to leave."  
Stefan tilts his head sadly as he watches as the young girl refused to leave her home.

Little Buffy glances at Stefan "He's a doofus sometimes." She says gesturing to Jeremy who was crawling right into the wall.  
Buffy smiles before turning back to her mom who was now crouched in front of her "Buffy..."  
"But we can't leave...I have to take care of Elena and Jeremy." She says as she hugs her cousin tightly.

Stefan sighs, however, the sound heeled footsteps draw his attention, he turns his head only to see the adult version of Buffy. She was wearing a pink dress as she walked over to one of the shelves in the Magic Box. Stefan frowns, he looks around and instead of finding himself in Buffy's old house he was now in the Magic Box.

He watches as Buffy places a book on the shelf before pausing, a look of despair and defeat was crossing her face, however, before Stefan could question it he was suddenly standing in front of a large fire.

He sighs, this was getting frustrating, he looks around only to find himself in the desert "Not good."

* * *

"It wasn't a lot. Damon said the blood should be out of your system by now." Xander tells Giles as they move towards the front door of his flat, Xander suddenly groans "And as I say that, ughk." He says shivering slightly in disgust.

Giles chuckles slightly as he locks the front door before the two of them make their way up the staircase.  
"Where's Buffy?" Giles asks as they walk down the street towards the Magic Box.  
"Willow and Bonnie are on it." Xander tells him "They're hyping up Stefan's brain-mind-mojo to help him try and reach Buffy psychically."

Giles pauses in his steps and turns to Xander stunned, he knew that Stefan and Damon had the ability to enter into someone's mind. However what Buffy was experiencing was more than just a normal person zoning out, Stefan going into her mind could potentially be extremely dangerous "He's gone into Buffy's mind?"  
"Trippy stuff."

Giles sighs before the two of them continue on the path, as they walk a thought comes to Giles "It might be an idea to head to the hospital. Check on Glory's victims while they're there."  
"The mental ward." Xander asks "Damon and Spike already went. The vegetable section's closed. It's like they all just got up and walked away."

At that moment Spike appears crossing the street heading straight towards them, "Glory's flat is empty." He tells them.  
Xander frowns when he doesn't spot Damon with Spike "Where's Damon?"  
Spike scoffs "Sod buggered off after the flat, said he'd be at the Magic Box later."

Giles sighs before rubbing his forehead, he would have begun cleaning his glasses however those had been misplaced so for the moment this would have to do.  
"If Glory is gone then she is likely gone to perform her ritual with Elena and leaving us entirely clueless."

"Not entirely." Spike tells them hesitantly "I know this bloke. Well, not so much a bloke so much as a demon. But still, bookish. All tuned into the nastier corners of this, our magic world."

* * *

"Kid!" Glory says from the corner of the room where she stood with her minions.  
Elena who was still sat on the chair doesn't turn to face her, she merely keeps looking at the wall in front of her as the God approaches.  
"I came..." Glory stutters "He came to see you, didn't he?"

Elena frowns for a moment before remembering back to the night Glory had attacked her at the hospital, Ben had been there before but then...Elena blinks slightly trying to force the memories when something flashes before her eyes "Ben?" She asks hesitantly.  
"Yeah, Ben. You called him to the desert when you were hiding from me. And he came. And then he was me, you remember?"

As she says it Elena remembers what had happened, Glory was Ben, one in the same "Yes." She says harshly instantly making Glory panic.

As Glory panics to her minions, Elena looks around the room for a possible exit, however, Glory turns back to her "I can't do this!" She exclaims before walking over and grabbing the priest "Get him out of me."  
"What?" The priest asks in confusion.

"Ben! The human met sack who's infecting me. Do your mojo, make an incision, or removal, or whatever you gotta do. Help me! I'm...I'm thinking Ben's thoughts, and I'm feeling his feelings!"  
Elena's eyes widened as suddenly Glory morphs into Ben before turning back into the God. Glory collapses on the ground and looks up at the priest begging him "Help me."

"This I cannot do. You risk terrible magics in opening the portal. Nothing comes without a price. This is yours."  
Glory growls before walking over to Elena and wrapping a hand around her neck, Elena gasps slightly and claws at her throat as Glory cuts off her circulation "We do this now."

* * *

Stefan frowns in confusion as he looks at the woman standing opposite Buffy on the other side of the fire. She seemed off, the clothing she wore was old and the way she held herself, she was almost like an animal.

He frowns in confusion for a second before he remembers something, he had helped Buffy look into other Slayers before and this woman, she fit the description of the very first one "You're the first Slayer."  
"Death is your gift." She breaths out not noticing Stefan.  
Stefan's eyes widen at the phrase remembering what Buffy had admitted to him, he turns his head to look at Buffy "Buffy...don't listen to her."

"Death is my gift?" Buffy asks the first Slayer not noticing Stefan.  
"Death is your gift.

Stefan blinks only to find himself again in the Magic Box watching again as Buffy placed a book on a shelf. It was such a harmless moment, something so simple yet it must be so important for her to keep coming back here.

Not even a moment later Stefan found himself in the Summers home hallway with Buffy walking away from him.  
"Buffy?" He asks turning to face her before following her "Hey where are you going?"

* * *

Elena's eyes widen as Glory's hand continues to cut off her circulation, however deep down a part of her kind of hoped that Glory would kill her. She didn't have a death wish but a least if she died now instead of later, hundreds maybe thousands of lives would be saved. Klaus wouldn't have any more hybrids and Buffy and Jeremy may be sad but they would grief and move on. But most importantly they would be safe.

However, suddenly Glory releases her after getting talked down by her minions.  
"I'm just a little emotional right now which, if you're into irony, funny." She chuckles "Leave. We need a little girl time." She says ordering out her minions watching them scurry away.

Elena backs away from Glory making sure that the knife was tucked into her sleeve where Glory couldn't see it. She knew in this state Glory would rip her arm from its socket if she spotted it.

"How do they do it?" Glory asks as she steps closer to Elena.  
Elena frowns in confusion before glaring at Glory "What the hell are you talking about?"  
"People." Glory clarifies "How do they function in the world with all this bile running through them? Every day it's, Whoo-oo! You have no control. They're not even animals. They're just these meat baggy slaves to hormones and pheromones and their...their feelings. Hate 'em. I mean really? Is this what the poets go on about? This?"

Elena stares in astonishment as Glory continues to babble on about feelings, she really hated this woman, and Elena Gilbert was not someone for hating.  
She rubs her sore throat before crossing her arms and facing Glory "Am I wrong?" The God asks her "Really, I wanna know."  
Elena scoffs "Since you're gonna kill me anyway...fine. It depends." She tells the God.  
Glory tilts her head in interest "So you're saying some people like this."  
Elena rolls her eyes "Some. Emotions are what make us human. What makes our lives worth living."

Glory rolls her eyes at that "Yeah right. All I see is six billion lunatics looking for the fastest ride out. Who's not crazy? Look around. Everyone's drinking, smoking, shooting up, shooting each other. Or just plain screwing their brains out cos they don't want 'em anymore." Glory smiles as she glances at Elena "I'm crazy? Honey, I'm the original one-eyed chicklet in the kingdom of the blind. Cos at least I admit the world makes me nuts." Glory pushes herself away from the table she was leaning against and approaches Elena.

Elena clenches her jaw and fists as the God approaches her "Name one person who can take it here. That's all I'm asking." Glory tells her "Name one."  
Elena shakes her head in amusement before looking the God in the eye "Buffy."

* * *

"Buffy..." Stefan tries as he speeds over so he is standing in front of her, he places a hand on her shoulder and looks at her seriously "Come on this is me. I know you, let me help you."  
Buffy looks up at him before moving around him and into the spare bedroom down the hall.  
Stefan sighs before walking over to her "Look talk to me...you can trust me."

"I know." She says softly as she walks into the bedroom and stares at three graves.  
Stefan's eyes widen as he spots the names on the graves: _Joyce Summers, Jenna Summers and Miranda Summers-Gilbert.  
_ "I'm sorry."  
"Don't be." She tells him before turning to look at him "I do trust you. But you need to understand...death is my gift."

As she walks around him Stefan walks after her, he refused to let her belief that she was meant for nothing more than death and destruction "Hey, no. I've told you this before and I'll tell you again, this isn't you. You are light, and good and have the purest heart..." He moves in front of her and places a hand on her cheek "You don't believe this."

"It's a hole." She tells him as she takes his hand from her cheek and places it over her heart "There's a hole. In my heart...I tried to fill it with Angel...Riley, but it never worked. That hole was you." Buffy smiles and places a hand on his cheek.  
Stefan leans into her touch only for his eyes to widen at her next words "But it's too late." She tells him as she pulls away "Death is my gift. It's what do. What I am."

Buffy walks down the hall towards Elena's room where the brunette was lying on her bed tears running down her face.  
As she walks Stefan follows her "Buffy..."  
"It's really not that complicated." She tells him cutting him off as she sits on the edge of the bed next to Elena before glancing up at him "It's what I do. I mean, come on. You've known me how long? It's what I'm here for. It's all I am."  
She shrugs before picking up a pillow and forcing it over Elena's face suffocating her, as Elena struggles Stefan's eyes widen "Buffy, stop! No. This isn't you."

Buffy turns to him as she holds down the struggling Elena and frowns in confusion, he just wasn't getting this "What? I keep telling you, Stefan. I figured it out, the hole it doesn't matter. Death is my gift."

* * *

"Oh, Ben, this is really not a good time." Glory says in annoyance as she clutches her head, Elena's eyes widen as Ben takes over and immediately walks over to her worried "Elena. Has Glory hurt you?"  
Elena shakes her head, she knew she wouldn't have long till Glory would be back, she needed to get his help and quick "No, not yet. I need to get out of here." Ben groans and moves to sit down.

As he struggles Elena frowns hoping to god that Glory wasn't about to pop back out "Ben? Are you Ok?"  
"Where is it?" He asks as he stares at his shaky hands.  
Elena shakes her head in confusion, she didn't have time for this "Where's what?"  
"All the blood. I can feel it...still warm and wet. Glory. Oh, God. She slaughtered hundreds of men. But I can feel them...breaking."  
Elena sighs "Ben, you and Glory, she's remembering your life, so I assume..."  
"Oh, God." He breaths out "I'm remembering her. The things she's done. Things she'd going to do."

Elena glances at the door before turning back to Ben "Yes, she told me. Whatever Magic was separating the two of you, it's fading. Ben, Glory could come back any minute. I need to get out of here."  
"I have a job! I have a life!" He exclaims as he turns to Elena "And Glory? She never once thinks about me in all of this!"

When there is a knock at the door Elena sighs, she walks over to the door and yanks it open grabbing the priest from the doorway, she slips the knife out of her sleeve and drives it into his gut before punching him in the face, as he drops she kicks him in the face knocking him out.  
Elena takes a deep breath before glancing back at Ben "I'm getting out of here."  
"You won't make it far on your own." He warns her, he knew Glory had her minions scattered all over the town just in case Buffy showed up.  
"Then help me." She tells him as she glances down at the demon feeling slightly guilty, she hadn't hit anything important so as long as someone found him he would live.  
Ben stands "I'll take you as far as I can, ditch you before she comes back."

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me." Stefan exhales as he glances around Buffy's old living room again.  
"Hi, Stefan." Little Buffy says once again as she sits at her table with her doll "What are you doing here?"  
Stefan sighs slightly "Actually, I'm, uh... looking for you. Here. Again."  
Little Buffy looks away to play with the doll's hair "Do you like dolls?"  
"No." Stefan tells her as he crouches down in front of her "Buffy, we've done this before. I need you to stop running from me."

Little Buffy pouts slightly before looking down at her doll again "Don't you like it here?"  
Stefan sighs and looks at her sadly "Buffy, there isn't enough time."  
Little Buffy looks away only to hear the front door open, she hands Stefan her doll as she runs forward "Elena! Jeremy!"

Stefan sighs, placing the doll on the table he stands, watching the sweet scene for a moment before he hears the familiar footsteps. Turning his head he spots Buffy back as an adult in her pink dress walking towards the bookshelf in the Magic Box.

* * *

"So who is this demon anyway?" Damon asks Giles, as the two of them as well as Anya and Tara wait in The Magic Box.  
Giles sighs as he places the book he had been going through on the table "No idea. A contact of Spike's."  
Damon rolls his eyes, like that, would get them anything useful. Damon moves towards the bottle of scotch under the table before glancing at Anya "Buffy?" He asks.  
Anya shrugs "Stefan's in her mind, slayer mind is most probably really strange. Could be a while."

Damon groans in annoyance before pouring himself a drink, a part of him wanted it to be him who had gone into Buffy's mind to help her, but of course, it had to be Stefan.  
He sighs, the past few days had been hell, from Klaus showing up, Buffy ending up in the hospital and the kiss they had yet to talk about, it had been a complicated few days.

At that moment the bell at the door chimes, "We're closed!" Giles calls only to have Anya hiss at him "But money!" She moans only for him to glare at her.

"I'm afraid I'm not here to shop." A familiar British voice says.  
Damon groans in annoyance and downs his drink before turning to spot Elijah stood in the middle of the shop.  
"Elijah." Damon greets as he walks over.

"That's Elijah?" Giles asks astonished, he had never actually met one of the Originals.  
Elijah smiles at the Watcher before turning to Damon "We have much to discuss, Mr Salvatore."

* * *

"We need information." Spike tells his Demon contact, the demon himself looked like a harmless old man.  
"Ben's Glory!" Xander suddenly exclaims as he comes to this revelation.  
The demon turns away from his newspaper to stare at Xander in confusion "Who's what?"  
"Look at this." Spike says with a chuckle "Special Ed remembers."  
Xander nods "Yeah. I do. Ben's Glory and Glory's Ben. It's like this fog's lifted."

Spike rolls his eyes "Wonderful. But not why we're here." He says before turning to the demon "Hell-God type. Name of Glory...has gone missing. She's brewing up some major-league bad, and she's nicked the slayer's big cousin."

The sweet old demon sighs "Glory? Glory..." He pauses and stands from his seat as he tries to understand where he was remembering the name from "Oh...you don't mean Glorificious. Gosh. What do you want to get mixed up with her for." He asks as he clutches a large book to his chest and moves to stand in front of Spike "That's a sure way to get yourselves killed. I hear she's awfully unpleasant. When it comes to Hell gods, my best advice is to get out of the way and stay there."  
"Love to. Can't." Spike says as he watches the demon walk around the room before moving to stop in front of an interesting looking box.  
"I'd like to help, but I'm a small-town guy." He says "This Glorificus, if it is her...she's big city."

Spike and Xander stand there in silence for a moment before Spike tries once more "She's got, Elena."  
"Right." The demon says sadly before thinking "Well, I may know a fella, you know, who knows a fella in China. He might..."  
Spike groans in announce, "How the hell are we to get to China? Teleport?"  
"I guess. You know, if you're in that much of a hurry. Wish you luck."

Spike arches a brow as he notices the demon continuing to block their view of this box "You're lying. And what's more, I believe you're standing right in front of the very thing we need."

* * *

"Niklaus has been waiting almost 1000 years for the prophecy to come true." Elijah tells Giles, Damon and Anya as the three sit at the table while the Original walks around the store admiring the different magical objects and texts.  
"This is a very interesting store. A lovely collection." Elijah tells Giles as he glances at the Troll Hammer on the shelf before turning back to the group.  
Giles nods "Thank you." He says gratefully, he was still in a state of astonishment about seeing an Original Vampire. He was so polite and sophisticated more so than he thought he would be.

Damon rolls his eyes as the Watcher continues to stare at the 1000-year-old vampire, "I know this already."  
Giles sighs before turning to Elijah "What exactly is the Prophecy?"

Elijah adjusts his suit before leaning against the counter before focusing on the Watcher "Over 800 years ago my adopted sister Marianna...or as you know her Mary...she had a vision, the spirits foretold of a Slayer, the strongest of her kind. The Prophecy she was shown stated that the hybrid would find the Slayer on the Hellmouth, it was stated that after a mystical event the two of them would be drawn to each other and become the most powerful force on this planet."  
Damon rolls his eyes, he was so sick of this damn prophecy "I swear to God if I have to hear that word one more time I'm going to have to write a damn book about it."

Giles sighs, and ignores Damon's outburst, yes Damon and Stefan knew about this prophecy where as he had no knowledge of the details. Giles sighs and turns to Damon "Perhaps this may help us gain a better understanding of how to prevent it."  
"My. Giles is right." Elijah tells Damon before continuing "Marianna knew that this Slayer would be one that had experienced Death but one whose heart was pure and would not fall for Klaus's charm easily."

Elijah sighs before looking over at both of them "Marianna warned him not to loss his head but Niklaus has a temper one that he struggles to control, he forced her to show him what the Slayer would like. Almost killed her. And when she did the spirits left her, she was dying, without the spirit magic flowing through her she would have died."

"That's why she started using sacrificial music." Giles realizes, he glances down at Mary's grimoire, it made a lot more sense now, most of the early spells... the ones that Willow and Bonnie were using were written while Mary still had spirit magic.  
Elijah nods "I care very much for Marianna, she is my little sister and Klaus has kept her trapped for what she did. She altered the timeline which is why it has taken so long for Niklaus to find Ms. Summers."

Giles lets out a long breath, the idea of altering time, that kind of spell would talk large amounts of magic, God knows how many people she sacrificed to be able to do that.  
Elijah sighs "If this prophecy comes to pass Klaus and Buffy will be more powerful and that bond between them will grown. I can guarantee that no matter how much she fights it a lot of people will die, if it comes to pass."  
Damon sighs before turning to Elijah "As much fun as hearing this story for a billionth time is, do you have a point?"

Elijah glares at Damon "I refuse to let my brother gain more power than he already has. Marianna is planning to desiccate Niklaus. This will allow both Buffy and Elena to live their lives. Whatever you do Buffy cannot risk triggering the Prophecy, I was never clear on what type of mystical event would occur but you need to make sure she is safe."

* * *

"Buffy, please, will you listen to me?" Stefan begs as he follows Buffy down the hall, he speeds around her so that he was standing in front her blocking her path towards Elena's room.  
"Buffy this isn't you." He tells her hoping that she would finally stop and listen to him "You would never do this."  
Buffy frowns in confusion and tilts her head at him "Doing what?"  
"Killing Elena."  
"Why?" She asks genuinely confused.  
Stefan lets out a breath "You don't do this you don't kill humans. Ever. Especially not Elena. You have never killed her."

Buffy tilts her head before looking at him sweetly trying to make him understand "Stefan, I did this."  
"No you didn't."  
Buffy sighs and rolls her eyes slightly, instead of walking towards Elena's room she pushes open the bathroom door and pushes Stefan towards it.

Stefan frowns in confusion however before he could argue his eyes widen as he spots Elena, Buffy and Jenna as well as Jules standing in an open field all of them surrounded by rings of fire.  
Slowly each of the women are killed leaving only Buffy and Elena.

Stefan and Buffy watch the memory as Klaus approaches Elena who was crouched on the ground in tears. Stefan takes a deep breath as he glances around the scene, he spotted Jenna's body as well as his own trying to reach the other Buffy as the two of them share a quiet conversation.  
 _"Elena!"_ The other Buffy screams as she pulls at the chains crying as her cousin had the life drained from her.

Stefan glances at Buffy as she closes the door before turning to him "See. This is what I do. What I have to do."  
She attempts to move around him but Stefan places his hands on her arms stopping her "You did not kill Elena, Klaus did. None of this..." He says gesturing around the room "...is real. You're stuck in this loop."  
Buffy stares at him in confusion before shaking her head "I don't know what you're talking about. Excuse me." Buffy pulls away from him before circling around him heading back towards Elena's room.

"Buffy..." Stefan calls as he moves to follow her "Just talk to me...tell me why are you doing this?"

* * *

Elena looks over her shoulder as her and Ben make their way through the town centre, trying to get as far away from Glory's as possible.  
Her eyes widen as she spots several of Glory's minions walking around "There's more of them."  
"Stay close to me, don't look back." Ben tells her as he leads her into the back alley way and moves her behind him.

Elena watches as he moves to look out for the demons, she knew it was her only chance, grabbing onto the lid of the dustbin near her she swings it at his face as he turns to face her, knocking him out cold "Sorry Ben." She says honestly, she knew it wasn't his fault, he didn't ask for this but she couldn't trust him, Glory could appear at any moment.

Running forward she looks around and spots the fire escape near her, she moves to climb onto the large bin beneath it only for a female voice to make her pause.  
"Sorry?"  
Elena freezes before she could climb up to get to the fire escape and turns only to spot Glory glaring at her "That actually hurt, you millennial puke."

Glory lifts up the bin lid that Elena had hit Ben with and tosses it to the ground "Ok, first thought, just spontaneous, unfiltered, off the top of my head...ow!" She says annoyed as she walks up to Elena "You hit Ben in his soft human head, and I remember the pain." She grabs Elena's arm, Elena tries to fight her off but Glory was too strong, she forces Elena's arm behind her back and bends it awkwardly making her cry out in pain.

She forces Elena further into the ally before shoving her away "You probably think I won't waste any precious blood of yours till tonight. You're right. But I know a thousand ways to hurt you that won't spill a drop."  
She attempts to push Elena but Elena cartwheels away kicking her in the face in the process, Elena attempts to run only to have Glory grab her by the back of the neck "Slayer's cousin alright." She hisses before tossing Elena into the wall.

As Elena falls to the ground Glory moves in on her "Let's get one thing straight little missy I know a thousand ways to hurt you that won't spill a drop of blood."  
Elena glares up at her "You know those pesky feelings I've been having?" Glory taunts "Guilt, empathy? I'm gonna take 'em and mash 'em back down where they belong, ok?"

Before Glory could say anything else Elena spots a smash glass bottle on the ground and as Glory reaches for her she swings the bottle at her.  
Glory stumbles slightly before grabbing Elena by the collars of her jacket "You little imp." She hisses before tossing Elena across the floor.  
Elena rolls across the concrete floor before crashing painfully into the wall, she hisses in pain as her hand moves to her chest, wincing slightly as she felt the cracked rib.

"Leave her alone." She hears Glory say making her look up.  
Elena's eyes widen as Ben takes over the body "I said, leave her alone."  
Not even a second later Glory takes over again "No, no. Little late in the game to grow a backbone, Benjamin."

As Glory and Ben argue Elena stands, wincing slightly she moves towards the fire escape, she runs at the wall pushing her foot on the wall to push herself up onto the dustbin underneath it.  
"Oh no you don't." The bin suddenly moves beneath her feet making Elena topple to the ground beneath it.

Her eyes widen as she watches the bin go flying to the other end of the ally, "Stick around, chica." Glory says as she moves towards Elena.  
"I won't let you hurt her, Glory." Ben says as he takes over.  
Elena glances up at fire escape, it was too far out of reach now, "No." She breaths out as she drags her body up to lean up against the wall.

As Glory and Ben continue to argue Elena winces as a hand comes to her side, clutching the broken rib. She wipes the blood from her forehead before shaking her head, inside she was terrified and although she would never let Glory see it she was scared, she hadn't been this scared since the sacrifice when Klaus had killed her.

Suddenly Ben breaks a bottle and brings it towards Elena, who gasps in shock "You really think I'll just let that happen?"  
"Benjamin..." Glory warns "What are you doing?"  
Ben takes over once more "You need her blood? When I'm through there won't be enough to fill a bottle cap."

Elena groans biting her lips slightly but ignores the pain as she brings her legs up and kicks Ben in the chest sending him stumbling backwards.  
Glory stops stumbling after a few steps before tossing the bottle away "You can't hurt her and you know it." She says smirking slightly as she sits down on a small staircase "I know it because I feel what you're feeling. Scared. Sh! Sh! It's ok! You don't wanna die. Who would? I don't."  
"You can't." Ben says annoyed "You're immortal."  
"Nobody has to die here Ben." Glory tells him as she tries to reason with him "Just let me bleed the girl and go home. Everything will work out fine."  
Ben stands in anger "Do you believe, with all I know that you can trick me?"

Elena takes a deep breath as she watches Glory wearing Ben down, she was about to lose her only alley at the moment. She hisses slightly drawing Ben's attention. His eyes fill with empathy "I believe you." He tells Glory "That's not the problem. You make me immortal, then what?" He moves towards Elena and carefully helps her stand causing her to cry out slightly "I'd have to kill her to do it. I can't live with that, not even for a day. Forget about eternity!"  
Glory spins Elena around causing her to go tumbling back to the ground.

Elena groans in both annoyance and pain before glaring up at Glory, man she really hoped Buffy would kill her. In all honest Elena would rather spend the day with Klaus then have to be stuck with this woman one more minute.  
"It's you. Or the girl." Glory says as she leans against one of the walls and slides down to the ground.  
"I can't accept that." Ben argues his conscious screaming at him.  
Glory tilts her head smirking slightly, she knew she was wearing him down "Accept it. I'm a God, stupid."

Ben sighs before turning to Elena, Elena backs away as he moves towards her, looking down at her apologetically he offers her his hand "I'm sorry." When he spots the look of defiance in her eyes he sighs "Your rib is likely broken you're a med student Elena, you know what that means."

Elena glares at him before refusing his hand, she stands on her own and walks off not bothering to wait for him.  
"Don't make this harder that it already is." He asks her "I'm sorry, I got no choice. It's you or me."  
"Rot in hell." She hisses as he walks her over to some of Glory's minions, she may have understood but now he was condoning not only her death but all the people that would die once this portal opens. All sympathy and respect she had for him before was gone.

* * *

Stefan stares at the graves of Buffy and Elena's family members yet again, however when Buffy moves towards Elena's room he follows "Buffy, stop. This isn't you." As she opens the door instead of walking into Elena's room the two of them find themselves in The Magic Box where the Buffy in the pink dress was walking towards the bookshelf "What is this?" He asks her.  
"My gift." She answers before pausing.

"No. This." He says gesturing to their new location, as they continue to watch the other Buffy place the book on the shelf over and over again, he turns to the first Buffy "Right here. Whatever happened to you, happened here. Something small but it's something." Stefan turns to her seriously, she needed this whatever happened here, she was refusing to admit it, she needed to open herself up to it "What, happened Buffy?" He asks her softly, begging her with his eyes to let him in, to open up.  
"Don't go there, Stefan." Buffy tells him, as a look of despair crosses her features similar to that of the other Buffy.  
"Buffy listen to me, obviously there is something here that you're holding onto. Otherwise you wouldn't keep bringing me here."  
Buffy glances at him "Do I?"  
Stefan sighs and takes a step towards her "This is your mind." Glancing back at the other Buffy for a moment he takes a deep breath "Tell me. What happened here?"

Buffy glances at the other version of herself, and for a moment Stefan could spot the completely broken look on her face "This was when I quit, Stefan." She says softly "Just for a second." She admits for the first time, not only to him but herself.  
A look of grief and despair crosses her features "I remember."

"I was in the magic shop." The other Buffy says drawing Stefan attention.  
"I put a book back for Giles." Buffy finishes as she glances at the other version of herself, both of them coming to the same understanding.  
The Buffy in the pink dress tilts her head slightly at the memory "Nothing special about it. And then it hit me."

Stefan freezes as he spots the look on her face, it was one he had never seen before, not during all of the battles he had fought with her, not when they went up against Katherine, or Klaus. It was the look of someone who had given in, someone who had accepted their fate "What was it?" He asks softly.  
"I can't beat Glory." The first Buffy answers.  
"Glory's going to win." The other Buffy tells him.  
Stefan shakes his head, he had known her long enough to know she could handle anything that was thrown at her "You can't know that."  
Buffy turns to look at him sadly "I didn't just know it."  
"I felt it." The other Buffy says as she looks at the ground sadly "Glory will beat me."

"And in that second of knowing it, Stefan..." Buffy pauses and glances at her other self who finishes the statement "I wanted it to happen."  
Stefan freezes, that was not something he had expected, it shocked him, the way she was speaking, everything she had been through was wearing her down and in that one moment she had allowed it to, it crushed him that she had been suffering this "Why?" He asks her.  
"I wanted it over." The other Buffy tells him as she looks over at him before exhaling softly "This is...all of this...it's too much for me."  
"I just wanted it over." Buffy finishes.  
"If Glory wins, then Elena dies."

Buffy looks down a broken look falling on her face as the reality of the situation crossed her mind "And I would grieve. People would feel sorry for me." She pauses and glances over at him "But it would be over. And I imagined what a relief it would be."  
Stefan glances in-between the two of them before focusing back on Buffy as she speaks "I killed Elena."  
"Is that what you think?" he asks her astonished.  
"My thinking it made it happen. It wasn't like the first time, I knew she was coming back but here...some part of me wanted it. And in the moment Glory took Elena...I know I could have done something better. But I didn't. I was off by some fraction of a second. And this is why...I killed my cousin...my sister."

Stefan glances between them again before moving in front of Buffy and placing his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look him in the eye "Listen to me. What you're feeling...what's trapped you in this loop, it's guilt." He sighs "You know this, it's a feeling and it's important. It's difficult and painful but it's emotion, emotion is what makes us who we are. You feel guilt for everything you can't safe you always have. You always blame yourself but it's not your fault." Stefan cups her face in his palm "You've carried the weight of the world on your shoulders since you were 15. You may not want it, but you do it. Because that is who you are, wanting out for one second does not mean that you killed your sister it means that your human, Buffy."

Buffy looks away from him "I got Elena killed."  
Stefan places his other hand on her other cheek turning her face towards him "Your sister is not dead. Not yet, Elena will die is you stay locked up inside here. You need to come back to us, for her." Stefan tilts his head begging her to listen "Come back to me Buffy, I will protect Elena as much as I can, but you know that it would kill you if you don't at least try and safe her."  
Stefan lowers his hands and takes her hands in his "You will always protect Elena, come back with me. You're the only one that can."

* * *

Stefan's eyes slam open, he glances around the room and spots Bonnie and Willow sitting across the room by the candles.  
Nodding at them he turns his head to face Buffy just as she sits up suddenly, taking in her surroundings.  
Buffy's eyes wonder around the room before she focuses on his face, she gasps loudly as tears begin dripping from her eyes.  
She gasps again before beginning to sob loudly, as she leans forward Stefan reaches over to her and wraps his arms around her, holding her to him as she allowed all those emotions deep down to fill her.

* * *

"Are you ready?" Mary asks as her and Elijah stand outside of Klaus' cell ready to free him, Mary glances back at the screaming man in the corner who was still in his prison uniform "A prisoner really?" She asks as she moves over to him slamming his head onto the table so that he was unconscious.  
"I will not let you sacrifice an innocent for this." Elijah tells her only earning a roll of her eyes.  
Mary sighs before glancing at Elijah, "Once we let him out make contact to his heart, I can't start the sacrifice till you have contact."

Elijah nods before taking off his suit jacket, he rolls up the sleeves of his dress shirt before turning to face her. He steps forward and kisses the top of her head "If this does not work, Mari...run." She looks up at him shocked but he stops her "Mari Niklaus will not hesitate to kill you, without that amulet you are vulnerable. Promise me you will run."  
Mary blinks up at him shocked, it had been so long since someone had shown her an act of kindness, as much as she loved Katherine both of them were selfish and had left the other to die countless times over the centuries.  
"I promise." She tells him squeezing his hand slightly before making her way over to their prisoner.

Waiting for Elijah to approach the gate Mary looks at him for a brief moment, Elijah was the closest thing she had to family, she didn't want to lose him, but they needed Klaus gone.  
Gulping slightly she waves her hand opening the gate.

Klaus looks up from the ground and as he spots Elijah his eyes darken, his true face allowing itself to take form. He stands and rips the chains from the ground before launching himself at his brother.

The two brother's throw themselves at each other spinning around the room at such speed that Mary couldn't see what was happening.  
She tries to watch however suddenly she felt it, Elijah had made contact.  
Quickly placing her hands on the prisoners chest she takes a deep breath _"Ocoros Mecantes, Aleora Subsitios. Ocoros Mecantes, Aleora Subsitios."_ She cants only to gasps as the connection is suddenly shattered, Mary swings her head spotting Klaus launch Elijah into the next room.

Mary hesitates before running after him, she spots Klaus standing over Elijah about to stake him, she waves her hand sending Klaus crashing into a nearby wall.  
Running over to Elijah she helps him stand only to find herself suddenly yanked back, before she could so anything Klaus tilts her head and digs his teeth into her throat.  
Mary cries out in pain before suddenly her eyes go black, all the windows in the room shatter and Klaus suddenly finds herself pinning to the wall by a large tree branch as several trees come crashing through the windows.

Mary turns on Klaus and lifts her arms above her head, as she does branches begin filling the room and ripping through the wall. Branch after branch stab through Klaus' flesh and as he howls in pain he finds himself pinned to the wall.  
"Mari!" Elijah says as he places a hand on her shoulder, she was losing control.

Mary gasps and falls to the ground as she does the branches quickly escape the room.  
Elijah bends down to check on her "Marianna?"

Mary blinks up at him however suddenly she cries out as Elijah's skin begins turning grey and his eyes begin closing "NO!"  
Her eyes widen as his body collapses next to her, it's then that she spots the dagger in his back, she blinks up and spots Klaus standing opposite her.  
She gulps but then something shiny catches her eye, on the ground by his feet stood her amulet.  
Mary glances at Elijah's body before waving her hand summoning the necklace to her and before Klaus could stop she teleports out of the room.

* * *

"You're ok?" Xander asks as Buffy as she along with Stefan, Bonnie and Willow enter the Magic Box.  
"Yeah." Buffy tells him as she walks down the stairs "I'm ok." She says as she walks over to the big table where everyone was waiting "Heard you found the ritual text."  
Damon quickly speeds over to his brother while Giles looks at Buffy nervously "Er, something like that, yes."  
Xander leans forward "Did you know that...Ben is Glory?"  
"So I'm told." Buffy says before focusing on Giles, she needed to know about this ritual and now "What do we know?"

As Damon fills Stefan in quietly Stefan's eyes widen, he glances at Buffy who was waiting for Giles to tell her "This isn't good." He whispers to his brother.  
"Nope." Damon whispers back as he crosses his arms.

"Erm...well...according to these scrolls..." Giles starts "...it is possible for Glory to be stopped."  
Bonnie's eyes widen, that was what they wanted to hear yet something about the way Giles was speaking worried her "That's a good thing right?  
When Giles doesn't answer Buffy arches a brow, her expression was clear, she wasn't in the mood for distractions she wanted to know and now.  
"I'm afraid it's, um...Buffy, I've read these things very carefully, and there's not much margin for error. You understand what I'm saying?"  
Buffy stares at him for a moment in all honesty she didn't understand he was being extremely vague and it was pissing her off slightly "Might help if you actually said it."

Giles smiles nervously before sitting down at the table and taking off his glasses so he could look her in the eye "Glory plans to open a dimensional portal by the way of a ritual blood-letting."  
Buffy and Bonnie glance at each other the same expression covering both of their faces, Buffy turns back to Giles "Elena's blood." She clarifies.  
"Yes." Giles says reluctantly "Once the blood is shed at a certain time and place, the fabric which separates all realities will be ripped apart. Dimensions will pour into one another, with no barriers to stop them. Reality as we know it will be destroyed and...chaos will reign on earth."

Buffy gulps slightly before hoping that Giles had found someone to stop it "So how do we stop it?"  
"The portal will only close once the blood is stopped. And the only way for that to happen is, um..."  
Bonnie's eyes widen and fill with despair "No." She breaths.  
Giles looks down for a moment before glancing at both Bonnie and Buffy "I'm afraid so. Buffy, the only way is to kill Elena."


	83. The Gift - Part 1

_A/N: Here we go everyone part 1 of the season 3 finale. I was going to do it as one chapter but it ended up being over 20 thousand words so I thought I'd split it up. Just so you know I will be going on hiatus from this story for a few months after the finale is posted I will be shooting a promo for Uni in the next few weeks and have to focus. Plus I wanna catch up on my other stories. Mainly Step into The Future and Occupation Savior. Anyway please review I love hearing what you guys think. Here we go..._

* * *

"Hey..." Buffy says cheerfully as she pops her head out the back door of the Magic Box where a vampire was close to ripping open a poor boy's throat "...what's going on?"  
The vampire snarls as he turns his head to look at her.  
The kid who he was about to eat turns to Buffy terrified "Help me! Call the police!"  
"Get outta here, girl." The vampire hisses.

Buffy keeps herself from laughing, _call the police_ the idea of it was so stupid, the police would never do anything when it came to vampires, well other than run screaming for the hills.  
She steps out of the doorway and heads towards them "Are you guys havin' a fight?" She asks using her best dumb blonde voice "Cos, you know, fighting's not cool."

Even the boy who was getting attacked was getting annoyed with her now "Get out of here!" He yells.  
The vampire, on the other hand, was staring at her with interest now "No. No, she wants to stay." He says before turning to face her, a smirk forming on his face "I don't mind a little appetiser."  
Buffy frowns before stepping forwards "Have you ever heard the expression _Biting off more than you can chew_?" She asks curiously only for him to frown in confusion by the fact that she wasn't terrified by his appearance "Ok. Um..." She thinks for a moment biting her lip "How about the expression _vampire slayer_?"  
"What the hell you talking about?" He asks slowly getting nervous.

Buffy lets out a shocked breath "Wow. Never heard that one. Ok. How about _oh, god, my leg, my leg?_ "  
Suddenly he growls and runs at her only for her to punch him in the gut before kicking him in the gut, as he drops to his knees she kicks the back of his leg shattering the bone "Oh, god!" He exclaims in pain "My leg!"  
"See? Now we're communicating." She says only for him to run at her, he shoves her up against the wall but she merely uppercuts him in the face before forcing him away, stepping around him she leaps up and kicks him in the back causing him to crash into the wall. When he then backhands her she stumbles slightly.

He grabs her lifting her off her feet and tosses her onto the nearby dustbin, she swings her leg out kicking him in the face before quickly standing. Doing a side aerial off the bin she kicks him in the face. Once she lands on her feet she leaps up and kicks him again making him stumble and go crashing into the large wooden crate.  
A piece of wood flies towards Buffy and as she catches it she uses it to the stake the vampire as he runs towards her.  
The vampire turns to dust and she merely tilts her head in interest "Wow. Been a long while since I met one who didn't know me."

Buffy turns to face the kid "You should get home." She tells him before heading for the shop.  
"How'd you do that?" He asks her.  
"It's what I do." She says shrugging slightly.  
The boy frowns in confusion "But you're...you're just a girl."  
Buffy smiles slightly "That's what I keep saying."

Buffy shakes her head in amusement as she hears the boy scamper off, she sighs before moving to head for the door only to freeze.  
She groans slightly as the familiar pain starts to build "No, no, no..." She breaths as she lets go of the door knob and leans against the wall clutching her head "Not now." She breaths out only to gasp in pain.

 _"_ _You're just a girl." The vampire breaths as he stares at the brunette woman in shock, the brunette woman glances at the small boy in front of her before standing protectively in front of him.  
_ _"I am more than just a girl." She says before launching the state in her hands towards him, as it buries itself in his chest his body turns to dust.  
_ _"_ _Mama." The little boy cries._

 _Buffy's eyes widen as she looks around, this wasn't her memory, she didn't recognise anything, normally at least with her memories there was a sense of familiarity but there was nothing here.  
_ _Her eyes widen as the brunette slayer turns to her son, "Elena?" She breaths out.  
_ _"_ _Tatia?!" A voice calls from far off, Tatia lifts her son into her arms before tossing the stake away and quickly running towards the voice._

Buffy's eyes slam open and at that moment everything clicked for her. That was a memory of the original Petrova doppelganger, she frowns in confusion for a moment she shouldn't have had that vision, it wasn't her life. It didn't make sense. She shakes her head she had had no idea that Tatia had been a Slayer however before she could process what this vision could mean she hears voices from the Magic Box. Instantly she was back focusing on the problem of protecting Elena. Everything else could wait.

* * *

"Anything?" Buffy asks Giles hopefully, she had been praying that Giles and the gang could have found something to help them save Elena.  
"Nothing you want to hear." Giles tells her.  
Buffy sighs and turns to Bonnie who immediately shakes her head "I can't find anything. And Mary's grimoire disappeared in a puff of smoke. I think she was done with the lending a hand."  
Buffy sighs before running a hand through her hair, she groans before turning back to Giles "Explain it again."  
Giles refuses to look at her "There's nothing new to..."  
"Go through it again." She orders her voice more menacing than before.

Everyone looks up at her for a second stunned by her tone of voice before looking away.

Giles sighs before removing his glasses "The Key was living energy. It needed to be channelled, poured into a specific place at a specific time. The energy would flow into that spot, the walls between the dimensions break down. It stops, the energy's used up, the walls come back up. Glory uses that time to get back into her own dimension, not caring that all manner of Hell will be unleashed on Earth in the meantime."

Buffy crosses her arms, she hated this, this wasn't supposed to be happening. She shakes her head slightly, a part of her wished that she Jeremy and Elena had just run. If they had Glory would never have found out that Elena was The Key and she wouldn't be in this life or death situation right now.  
"But only for a little while, right?" Anya asks trying to cheer up the dreary mood that was filling the room "The walls come back, no more Hell?"  
"That's only if the energy is stopped." Willow tells her "And now that The Key has been put inside a human...that it's inside Elena..."  
Giles sighs before leaning forward in his seat to glance at the texts once more "The blood flows, the gates will open. The gates will close when it flows no more. When Elena is dead."

The room goes deadly silent until Tara's outburst "I have places to be!"

The room goes back to silence until Xander frowns in confusion "Why blood?" He asks "Why Elena's blood? I mean why couldn't it be, like, a lymph ritual?"  
"Cos it's always got to be blood." Spike says.  
Damon nods in agreement as does Stefan "It's not just food to vampires." Stefan tells them before glancing at Buffy "It's life. Makes us feel something other than dead."  
Buffy looks away from Stefan before taking a deep breath "Pretty simple math here. We stop Glory before she can start the ritual. We still have a couple of hours."

Giles nods, however, there was something off about him, he normally always had hope in him for the best ending but now...it seemed as though that hope had been diminished leaving nothing but an angry man "If my calculations are right. But... Buffy..."  
Buffy turns away from him "I don't wanna hear it."  
"I understand that."

Buffy snaps and turns back to him furiously "No! No, you don't understand. We are not talking about this."  
For the first time since any of them had known him Giles snaps, he stands up slamming his hand on the table "Yes, we bloody well are!" He screams at Buffy shocking everyone.  
Both Stefan and Damon move slightly closer to Buffy while Buffy glares at her Watcher as he tries to speak calmly "If Glory begins the ritual...if we can't stop her..."  
Buffy scoffs as he pauses and steps closer challenging him "Come on. Say it. We're bloody well talking about this."

"You're English accent needs some work." Damon jokes only to earn a glare out of Buffy "Never mind." He says.  
Buffy clenches her jaw before turning back to Giles "Tell me to kill my sister."  
"She's not your sister." Giles reminds her as he whispers it.

Buffy clenches her jaw tighter "No. She's not. Biologically we're not even related. But I don't care. She is more than that. She is my cousin, my sister, my best friend. When Elena died the first time it felt like a part of me died...she is a part of me...she is all I have...and I will not watch her die again...I can't..."  
Willow looks at her best friend sadly, this was killing Buffy and she could see it "We'll solve this. We will. Don't have another coma, ok?"  
Stefan nods in agreement "Saying this as the person who was in your head, I'd say that's not an experience I'd like to have again."

Buffy breaks out a small smile at him and Willow before crossing her arms, the smile instantly disappearing as Giles speaks up "If the ritual starts, every living creature in this and every other dimension imaginable will suffer unbearable torment and death. Including Elena."  
"Then the last thing she'll see is me protecting her." Buffy tells him strongly, she refused to believe that her cousin was destined to die over and over so that the bad guy could get what they want. It wasn't fair to her, she was too good to have to suffer this way.

"You'll fail." Giles tells her "You'll die. We all will."

Buffy sighs "I'm sorry." She tells the group "I love you all, but I'm sorry."  
Buffy grabs her jacket off the table and shocks everyone by walking towards the door "Find me something, anything, something to keep her from doing this spell."  
Spike raises his hand "When you say you love us all..."  
"Shut up." Both Damon, Stefan, Giles and Xander said.

Buffy rolls her eyes before pulling on her jacket and opening the door to the Magic Box "Buffy..." Stefan starts but she shakes her head.  
"Find me...something." She tells them all before walking out of the store leaving them all in silence.

* * *

Buffy runs through the forest getting further and further away from the town. Once it was completely out of sight Buffy stops by a large tree and takes several large shaky breaths. She couldn't do this, she couldn't have the people closest to her asking her to kill Elena. She may understand the reasoning but she wouldn't do it, she'd rather die than have to kill Elena.

She growls in frustration and anger before punching the tree next to her, as her fist connects with the hard wood the feeling soothes her slightly so she does it again and again and again, not noticing the blood dripping from her knuckles.  
"And here I thought I had anger issues." A voice says from behind her.  
Buffy's eyes widen she immediately spins around and freezes as she spots who was stood before her smirking brightly "Klaus."

* * *

"Ok." Anya says loudly after Buffy had left, all of them had been sitting in the shop for several minutes of silence and it was making her uncomfortable.  
"All in favour of stopping Glory before the ritual." She says as she stands from her seat and raises her hand "Suggestions? Ideas? Time's a wastin'." She clicks her fingers "Bonnie Willow, I bet you girls have got some dark spell a-brewin'. Uh, make her a toad? Little hoppy toad?"

Damon chuckles slightly in amusement only earning a glare from Stefan, "Fine I'll make a suggestion." Damon whispers before raising a hand "Here's an idea kill Ben."  
"Damon." Stefan hisses.  
Everyone turns to the two vampires before sighing, other than Damon no one here was willing to kill an innocent man.  
"It's doubtful he'll surface again this close to the ritual." Giles tells Damon "We can expect it's Glory we're dealing with."  
Stefan thinks for a moment before turning to Giles "There is only one time that she can do this ritual right?" When Giles nods Stefan smiles "Then as long as we keep her from performing it long enough, she'll lose her chance."

"Okay!" Anya says loudly "But I'm still not hearing enough ideas."  
Damon groans in annoyance "Can I kill her?"  
"No!" Stefan and Xander exclaim.

* * *

"Come on, love." Klaus says as he raises his hands "Let's not resort to violence."  
Buffy growls before punching him in the chest sending him flying backwards "Too bad. I like violence."  
Klaus crashes into a nearby tree denting it leaving a gaping hole in it due to the force of the hit "I won't take that personally." He tells her as he pulls himself out of the hole and stands.

Buffy walks towards him and throws a punch at him he blocks it and shoves her away, she growls before lifting her knee and kicking him in the gut, she then leaps up and kicks him in the chest causing him to stumble into another tree.

Buffy runs at him and attempts to hit him but he ducks and her hand goes through the tree. She rips her arm from the tree and swings the large piece of bark she had ripped from it at his head.  
Klaus stumbles slightly before grabbing the bark from her however before he could do anything she runs at him pinning him to another tree. She knees him in the side only for him speed her over to another tree slamming her back up against it.

Buffy groans before head butting him, as he stumbles she grabs the back of his arm and switches their positions, she pins him to the tree threatening to pull his arm from place.

Klaus howls slightly in pain as she yanks on his arm, he bends down and grabs one of her legs lifting it off the ground causing her to drop onto her back on the hard ground floor.  
Klaus immediately pins her down smirking down at her "That's better."  
Buffy hisses at him before pulling him towards her, she elbows him in the face before kneeing him in the groyne.  
As he freezes she shoves him off her before standing, kicking him in the gut she sends him flying into another tree.

Buffy takes a deep breath, finally, she was starting to calm down, "Better love?" Klaus asks as he stands and approaches her.  
Buffy glares at him "Beating you to a pulp is quite enjoyable."  
Klaus smiles slightly before approaching her "You're welcome."  
Buffy rolls her eyes before walking away from him, Klaus chuckles before walking after her "Come on love, we had a little spat I'm over it..."  
"Leave me alone." Buffy hisses as she continues to walk away.

Klaus chuckles before speeding in front of her, blocking her path. Buffy groans in annoyance "What part of punching you in the face did you not understand?"  
Klaus merely smiles "Come on love, obviously you want to escape, come have a chat with me." He smirks slightly raising his hands in defence "I promise, I'll be on my best behaviour."  
Buffy scoffs in disbelief "The man who killed my aunt wants me to hang out with him...you do realise how messed up that is right?"  
Klaus sighs "In my defence, I originally intended to use Katarina."  
"I would have liked you more if you had."  
Klaus sighs slightly before tilting his head, slowly a smile crosses his face his dimples becoming more apparent "Come on, you clearly don't want to be near civilisation, so I dare you. Actually, spend more than five minutes in my company."

Buffy folds her arms, she really wanted to tell him to just go rot in hell but a part of her was curious and she sure as hell wanted to get away from everything right now, and it was likely he wasn't going to leave her alone whatever she said.  
She groans in annoyance "Fine. But piss me off and I will stake you. Understand?"  
Klaus nods grinning brightly before he begins walking beside her.

* * *

"The Dagon Sphere!" Anya says suddenly as they all continue to volunteer ideas.  
"Sorry?" Giles says completely confused by her sudden outburst.  
Stefan frowns "Isn't that the glowing ball?"

Anya nods "It was meant to repel Glory. We've got it in the basement. It might drive her away or hurt her." Anya pauses for a moment before gasping "Oh!" She smiles before walking over to the shelf where the toll hammer was hung "And Olaf the Troll God's enchanted hammer."  
Damon tilts his head before walking over to the Hammer, he attempts to pick it up only to drop it back on the shelf due to the weight.  
Spike chuckles "Look who's not man enough."  
Damon glares at him "Don't make me remove your head."

Stefan rolls his eyes before turning to Anya "It's a good idea Anya."  
"Here to help." She says cheerfully "Wanna live."

* * *

"You're a quiet one." Klaus says as him and Buffy walk side by side through the forest.  
Buffy rolls her eyes, she had never realised how talkative he actually was and it was really infuriating "You're talking enough for the both of us." She tells him before moving to climb up the hill that leads to the perch that overviewed the whole of Sunnydale.

Klaus smirks slightly before following her, he watches her intently, her hair was tied up in a loose bun and she wore a white jumper with black leather trousers and a matching jacket. She was better than he could have imagined, 800 years of imagining he had had very high expectations and she had knocked down each and every one.

Buffy glances back at Klaus and noticing him watching her; when he smirks she rolls her eyes. She wasn't blind he was attractive she knew that; he was also a crazy ass hybrid who she really wished was dead. But she couldn't help but feel that connection.  
"Come on, love." He says as he nudges her slightly.

Buffy shakes her head in amusement he had the playfulness of a child if it had been any day other than today she might have actually laughed or smiled but her face remained the same "My cousin is being held by a God and you want to flirt? Seriously?"  
Klaus chuckles slightly "Perhaps soon then."  
"Keep dreaming." She tells him as she walks ahead of him

Klaus watches her for a moment "Ahh let me guess Glorificious."  
Buffy's eyes shoot to his in shock, however, after a moment she shakes her head and looks away "I don't want to talk about it.  
"Understood." He tells her as the two of them continue to walk together in silence.

* * *

The gang begins preparations and planning, they now knew how to find Glory and they had some ideas of how to get her on the run.

Stefan was sat in Buffy's training room staring at one of the walls, when they had first come to Sunnydale he could have never guessed about all of the problems that would occur. From the visions killing Buffy to Elena becoming the Key...a part of him wondered how it would have been different if they had never come here and had let Buffy live her life.  
He sighs and runs his hand through his hair, his head shoots up as he hears Damon enter the room "I think we might have a problem." He breaths out.  
Stefan frowns and quickly stands to wait for Damon to elaborate.  
"Mary was supposed to call me the second that she desiccated Klaus."

Stefan freezes, if they had failed than Elijah was likely daggered, Mary was gone and Klaus would be on a warpath.  
Stefan sighs before grabbing his phone and dialling Mary's number.

 _"_ _This better be good."_ Mary hisses in a panic as Stefan switches her onto speaker phone.  
"Cut the crap, Mary." Damon says "What the hell happened, Elijah isn't answering his phone—"

 _"_ _Elijah's dead."_ Mary tells them cutting his voice off, both brothers were shocked by the amount of emotion in her voice _"Klaus daggered him. I'm on my way to the other side of the planet right now."_

Stefan sighs, that meant she had her amulet again, she was at full power once again, but more importantly, Klaus was free "Where is Klaus, Mary?"  
 _"_ _Beats me but I'll tell you one thing the prophecy will happen soon. I don't know how soon but Klaus...he'll want to see her before it happens."_ Mary pauses sighing slightly _"Now if you'll excuse me I have very little time to get as far away from Klaus as humanly possible. Goodbye brothers."_

As the line goes dead both brothers glance at each other, Buffy out there somewhere, likely with Klaus watching. They needed to find her, but it occurred to them that both of them couldn't go, one of them would have to stay with the others and make sure they were safe.

Damon glances at his brother before clenching his jaw, he tilts his head side to side before stepping to the side "Go. I'll babysit."  
Stefan hesitates before speeding out of the shop's back door.

* * *

"Why do you keep staring at me?" Buffy hisses as she and Klaus finally reach the top of the hill.  
Klaus smiles "A beautiful creature, hair as light as the sun, with the strength of ten men and the heart of a warrior." He merely says causing her to pause.  
She turns to face him only to spot him now staring out at the view "It's beautiful." He says.

Buffy sighs before turning to look at the view, this place was special to her, it was somewhere she liked to escape to "One of the memories you gave me..." She says hesitantly "...the one where Angel tried to kill himself...this is where he came."  
Buffy pauses, unsure as to why she had said anything, but shakes it off, it was most probably just because she was shutting down inside.  
She glances over at Klaus for a moment "Why describe me that way?" She asks changing the subject.

Klaus lets out a light breath smiling at her before glancing over at the city "I spent 800 years, wondering what you would be like. I knew how you would look, but I wanted to know more. I spent years looking for something that could tell me anything about you...in the 1600's I found a seer...that's how she describe you."

Buffy glances over at him before taking a deep breath and looking over at the city, she didn't want this, any of this, she never wanted to be the Slayer but she had accepted it but this...this prophecy scared her "Why me?" She whispers as she turns her body to face Klaus fully, a curious look on her face, she needed to know why this kept happening to her.  
Klaus turns to face her, he shakes his head in amusement, she was so much more than he could have ever imagined, in his 1000 years he had never met anyone like her.  
"You have a light in you..." He tells her as he steps closer "It would have drawn me in no matter what. Prophecy or no."

Buffy scoffs out before pulling her hair out of the bun and letting it run down her back, she holds onto her hair pulling at the ends before glaring up at him "You talk about the light in me...yet you want me to be your mistress of darkness."  
Klaus laughs loudly stunning her slightly "That's not the prophecy. It's a connection." He tells her as he steps closer invading her personal space only to have Buffy place her hands on his chest and push him away.  
He chuckles slightly before continuing "A connection stronger than that root of darkness you have in you. It's acceptance of who you are...fully."  
Buffy gulps slightly letting his words seep in before looking away.

Klaus smiles knowing he had gotten to her, glancing down at the city once more he sighs before turning back to her "You should go, save your family."  
Buffy glances back at him for a moment "I can't save her."  
Klaus smirks before speeding over to her so he was standing right in front of her "I don't believe that." He tells her before grabbing her hand and before she could yank it from his grasp he placed a soft kiss on her knuckles "Always the hero." He whispers as he pulls away from her "I'll be seeing you see love, I give you my word."  
Before Buffy could say anything else he disappeared in a blur, Buffy clenches her jaw before wiping her hand on her trousers in disgust, her life really was a pain in the ass.

* * *

Elena rips her sweater in half leaving her in only a vest and leather jacket, which she had borrowed, from Buffy yesterday. She lifts her vest slightly wincing at the sight of the bruising that had appeared on her side due to the cracked rib. Taking a deep breath she bites her lip to keep from yelling out as she wraps the ripped cloth around her midsection and tightens it.  
Taking a deep breath she lowers her vest before leaning her head against the wall. There wouldn't be long yet, soon she would be taken for the sacrifice, Elena places her head on her knee and takes a deep breath, she was never going to see Jeremy or Buffy again. Never going to see Caroline or Bonnie or Matt and find how their lives would go.

As she sits in her own misery Ben walks into the room holding a purple and grey gown in his hands.  
"Hi." He says softly before noticing the ripped sweater on the floor, he sighs knowing that she must have bandaged herself up "How's your rib?"

"Broken." She says sharply as she stands up and crosses her arms, she refused to be sat on the ground as him and Glory's minion stood above looking down on her.  
Ben sighs before looking down at the dress in his hands "They, uh, said you have to put this on for the ceremony."  
Elena glances at the dress "And if I don't?"  
"Come on, just..."  
"I think I'd rather die in my own clothes." She says cutting him off.  
Ben looks at her guiltily "Look, I wish there was another way."

Elena glares at him, there was another way, he just didn't like it because it wouldn't benefit him, it angered her she and Buffy had always made the tough choice yet Ben refused.  
"You have a choice." She tells "It's not a great choice, but it's a choice."  
Ben looks down at his feet for a moment, he looked ashamed for a brief moment before he shakes it off "I'm sorry. I think...I think it might be quick."  
"Actually, sir..." One of the minions says from behind him "...the bleeding is quite a slow process to give the portal time to..."  
"Thank you." Ben snaps "Thank you for that information."

Elena looks away and takes a deep breath as she paces the room, she refused to let these people see her at her lowest.  
Elena glances back at him and when she realises that he was trying to comfort her, she scoffs out in disbelief "Change."  
"What?" He asks shocked.  
Elena turns to face him, and stares up at him angrily "You are a liar, I understand that you don't want to die but what I can't understand is you condoning the death of the people who will be killed when this portal opens." Ben looks away causing Elena to sighs "Be Glory."  
Ben groans in annoyance and guilt "Elena..."  
"Change!" She hisses.  
"Would you just..." Ben starts only to morph into Glory "...calm it already."

Glory sighs before glancing at the dress in her hands before tossing it onto a nearby table "So, what's the hubbub, bub?" Glory asks Elena as she turns to face her "What do you got against old Benjy?"  
Elena looks over at Glory as she sits down, the brunette doppelganger sighs before leaning against the wall "I don't like liars who condone the death of thousands for their own benefit. At least you're upfront about it."

Glory chuckles slightly, the girl really was all morality and empathy "Don't be so hard on the boy. He just wants to live. Most guys'd do the same. Just because you died to protect a scrawny little town doesn't mean everyone has to." Elena rolls her eyes as Glory continues "Besides, he's probably the reason your brother and cousin and her little cartoon pals are still alive. That little nagging pinch of humanity that makes me go for the hurt instead of the kill." Glory smiles slightly finding it amusing "Lowering myself to trade blows with the Slayer..." Glory stands and grabs the dress "...when I should have just put my fist through her heart. It's gotta be Ben."

Elena glares over at the God "Maybe you just can't take her."  
Glory scoffs before tossing the dress at Elena, Elena catches it only to find herself yanked towards Glory.  
Glory pulls her closer so that they are standing face to face "Funny thing. You've been here a few hours and I haven't seen little cuz galloping in to save you. She probably knows what a terrible mistake that'd be."

Elena glares right back at her "She is not afraid of you."  
Glory smiles slightly "No, sweetie, baby. I'm talking about the ritual. Cos, you know, I bleed you, the portals open, but once you die they close. The faster you die..." She says making Elena freeze, she watches Glory as the God moves her brunette hair behind shoulder before forcing Elena to focus on her "...the better for you sorry species."

She places a hand on Elena's cheek cupping it tightly "I'm bettin' Buffy knows that. Since she's not really your cousin, I'm guessin' she isn't gonna show. And if she does...it might not be to save you."  
Glory moves her hand onto Elena's chin before pushing her way causing her to crash to the ground on the other side of the room.  
She lands painfully on the metal grate on the ground and blinks back tears "Buffy."

* * *

Buffy walks through the back alleyways of the town, she didn't particularly know where she was going, she knew that she should head back to the Magic Box but she didn't want to answer questions about what they were meant to do next or where she had been. But most of all she didn't want to argue with Giles again about Elena, she refused to kill a member of her family no matter what.

When she hears footsteps behind her, her eyes widen and she prepares for a fight, raising her fist she swings around only to find Stefan behind her as he catches her fist in his hand before she could hit him.  
Buffy lets out a relieved breath "Stefan."  
Stefan arches a brow at her fist before releasing her hand "Are you okay?"

Buffy shakes herself and pulls away from him "Fine." She says before frowning "What are you doing here?"  
"Looking for you." He tells her with a worried frown "Buffy, Klaus..."  
"I know." She tells him stunning him to silence "He came to me."  
Stefan's eyes widen he immediately moves closer to her and places his hands on her forearms examining her for injury "Are you okay?"

Buffy smiles slightly at him "I'm fine. He just wanted to talk."  
Stefan frowns in confusion before shaking his head, he was just glad that she was ok.

Buffy tilts her head before sighing as she spotted the worried look on his face, he always worried about her, "Look I beat him up for a little but...but then he made some things clear to me." She tells him honestly, Klaus' description of her and what the prophecy really meant gave her some hope, she may become more powerful and with that power may come the temptation but she felt deep down that she could handle whatever was thrown at her.

"Come on..." He says gesturing for her to follow him "...we came up with some ideas to help defeat Glory."  
Buffy smiles slightly but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes, Stefan glances at her and notices, stepping forward he takes her hand and looks at her seriously "We are going to safe, Elena." He tells her "No matter what. I'll help you protect her."  
Buffy sighs before nodding she didn't want to think about this, walking ahead of him she heads towards the Magic Box.

* * *

After Stefan filled her in on everything and she had made a fool out of both Damon and Spike by easily being able to pick up the Troll God's hammer Buffy heads to the training room, trying to zone out.  
Her fists fly rapidly at the punching bag over and over, she punches the bag quickly and powerfully, switching up her hits as her hands become sore.

Footsteps walking into the room don't make her pause at all, as her focus remains completely on the bag in front of her.  
"Sure you're not gonna tire yourself out?" Giles asks as he walks into the room nervously, when she and Stefan had reappeared she had not spoken to him at all, she had merely stood in silence listening to the gang as they filled her in on their ideas for the battle before thanking them and heading into the backroom.

"I'm sure." She says sharply as she backhands the punching bag before throwing more strong hits at it. Buffy pauses as she feels the bag shift, glancing up she spots the chain loosening from the wall.  
"We're still working on ideas." Giles tells her as she stretches her arms out "Time's short, but best leave it to the last moment. If we go in too early and she takes us out, no chance of getting her to miss her window."

Buffy refuses to turn to him as she lowers her arms and tilts her head from side to side "Then we wait." She says before delivering a final punch to the bag sending it flying off the hook and crashing to the ground.  
She shakes her hand slightly before pausing at Giles' words "I imagine you hate me right now." He says softly.

Buffy freezes, she blinks a few times stunned by his bluntness, taking a deep breath she exhales softly but refused to turn to face him.  
"I love Elena and Jeremy." He tells Buffy, despite only knowing them both 9 months he had grown to care for them as his own just like he did Buffy.  
Buffy closes her eyes "I know."  
"But I've sworn to protect this sorry world. And sometimes that means saying and doing what other people can't. What they shouldn't have to."

At that Buffy turns to face him, Giles may be the closest thing she had to a father but Elena was everything to her "You try and hurt her, and you know I'll stop you."  
"I know." Giles says sadly.  
Buffy looks away before sighing, walking across the room Buffy sits on the couch, leaning her elbows on her knees as she stares at the wall "This is how many apocalypses for us now?"  
Giles pauses before moving to sit beside her "Oh, er, well...discounting all of the changed memories...6 at least." He leans back on the couch before removing his glasses "Feels like a hundred." He says honestly, the stress of it all appearing on his face for once making him look so much older.

"I've always stopped them." Buffy says mostly to herself "Always won."  
"Yes."

Buffy pauses and takes a deep breath closing her eyes as all the stress that she had been through over the years slowly started to appear on her face, finally showing how much it had taken out of her "I sacrificed Angel to save the world. I loved him so much. And then I gave up Stefan to protect them all from Klaus...I loved him more than I thought I could ever love anyone. But I knew...what was right. I don't have that anymore. I don't understand. I don't know how to live in this world if these are the choices. If everything just gets stripped away. I don't see the point. I just wish..." Buffy pauses the emotion heavy in her voice, it was all too much, after years of suppressing it all it was becoming all too much to bare "I just wish my mom was here." She says heavily as water fills her eyes. She shakes her head and quickly buries all her emotions back down before standing, walking across the room she turns to face Giles "The spirit guide told me that death is my gift. Guess that means a slayer really is just a killer after all."  
"I think you're wrong about that." Giles tells her honestly.

"It doesn't matter." Buffy says with a slight shrug "If Elena dies, I'm done with it. I'm quitting. I'll go grab Jeremy and then make sure we are the hell away from all of this. I'm done."  
She shakes her head once more before leaving the room, leaving Giles alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Elena folds up Buffy's leather jacket, clutching it to her chest for a second she takes a shaky breath before placing it on top of the rest of her clothes. She was ready for the ritual now, the dress that Ben had brought her was floor length and swept around her as she moved. Her hair was down and flowing down her back, she sighs before looking over at Glory who was sat at her desk while one of her minions spoke into her ear.

Elena was staring out the small gap in the covered windows when Glory's voice makes her panic internally "Ok, campers. It's almost stab time."  
Elena's eyes widen in horror, she wasn't ready, this couldn't be happening, as Glory's minions approach her Elena attempts to fight back.

She knees one of them in the stomach before flipping him over her back. Turning to face the other she ducks under his arm as he attempts to grab her, she grabs his arm and forces him against the wall, grabbing the back of his head she slams it into the concrete wall knocking him down.  
"Hey!" Glory yells "Stop injuring my minions." She hisses as four more minions walk into the room before Elena could stop them one of them punched her in the stomach causing her to cry out and clutch her ribs.  
As the other three grab her and start to force her out of the room she tries to fight them off "No! Get the hell off me!"

"See you in a few." Glory says as she smirks slightly before giving Elena a wave as she is taken from the room.

"Stop." Elena tries as they drag her out of the room, her eyes widen as she spots the handmade tower that the human slaves that had been working for Glory had built. It was 20 feet tall.  
As they lead her towards an unstable looking staircase, she panicked, she could only hope that Buffy had a plan, Elena would never forgive herself if this portal opened and people were killed.

* * *

"Are you insane?" Buffy asks Damon as her, Stefan and Damon all stand together in the corner of the Magic Box, before Damon could answer though Buffy cuts him off "Well actually that's obvious, I mean come on, could you have come up with anything less insane? Maybe we should turn around and throw hummus at Glory that would be smarter than your idea."

Damon sighs before glancing at his brother for help, but from the look on Stefan's face he was in complete agreement with the Slayer, this was infuriating.  
"Look..." Damon says pointedly, it was like talking to children "Who needs Elena...doesn't want her to die and..." Damon pauses for dramatic effect for pointing at Buffy "Who's obsessed with you, hell he spent an hour following you around like a lost puppy."

Buffy sighs before glancing at Stefan, as much as she hated it Damon might be onto something, Klaus would do anything to make sure he could keep a healthy supply of Hybrids and he would do anything she asked. But the idea of trusting him to help them terrified her.  
Stefan sighs "We can't trust Klaus."  
Damon rolls his eyes "No kidding Sherlock—"  
"But...he needs both you and Elena..." Stefan tells Buffy "...if he wants to make sure he gets everything he wants then he'll help. I hate to say it but Damon's right. Original hybrid strength is something we could use in the battle."

Damon scoffs in shock and slight amusement before smirking at his brother "I'm sorry did you just agree with me?"  
Stefan rolls his eyes before ignoring his brother and turning to Buffy "It's your call."  
Buffy takes a deep breath before turning to Damon with a worried frown "He might kill you."  
Damon chuckles slightly "We'll see."  
"Damon..." She says worriedly but he merely smiles at her softly "I'm just gonna talk to him." He assures her.  
Buffy rolls her eyes before chuckling in amusement "Why do I find that hard to believe?"

Damon merely smirks before heading for the door "I'll be back soon. If not, safe to assume Klaus killed me...if so Blondie I'd appreciate it if you could rip his hybrid head off."  
"Damon..." Buffy says taking a step towards him "Don't die."  
Damon turns to her focusing completely on her, his eyes not once drifting to his brother "I don't plan on going anywhere." He says with a smirk before heading out of the store.  
Buffy sighs before taking a step back and falling back to stand by Stefan as she watched Damon exit the store.

After a moment of silence, she shakes her head "He's gonna piss Klaus off."  
"Yep." Stefan says with a shake of his head "I'm gonna go help, Anya and Xander, they have an idea with something they found down there."  
Buffy smiles slightly at him "Thank you."

The blonde watches Stefan head down to the basement before she headed over to the table where Bonnie and Willow were currently going through several magic books trying to come up with a game plan.  
"What have you got for me?" Buffy asks the witches as she approaches them.  
Willow glances up at Buffy "Some ideas. Well, notions." She says as Buffy moves to sit on the bottom of the staircase that leads to the restricted section.  
Willow and Bonnie turn in their chairs to face Buffy as she sits.  
Bonnie sighs slightly "Theories, which are based on lots of speculation."  
Willow nods in agreement "Did I mention I'm not good under pressure?"  
Buffy looks at them both for a moment staying silent before glancing in between them "I need you both. You two are my big guns."

While Bonnie smiles slightly Willow internally starts panicking "I'm...we're your...No, I was never a gun...Bonnie yes, me, No. Bonnie can be the main gun, I'll be the little gun, that you keep in your pocket but know you're never gonna use. I like that better."  
Buffy sits there stunned for a moment before looking at Willow seriously "You two are the strongest people here. You know that, right?"  
Willow frowns, Buffy was obviously the strongest, she didn't understand where this was all coming from "Well, Bonnie yes, but me...no."  
Buffy sighs, Willow was the strongest person she knew besides Elena and Bonnie, she was more powerful than the majority of the people in this room and the fact that she didn't see her own strength upset Buffy.

"Will, you're the only person that's ever hurt Glory. At all. And Bonnie..." She says as she turns to the other witch "You are the only person I've ever seen take down an Original vampire with no issues, you two are my best shot at getting her on the ropes, so don't get a jelly belly on me now."  
Bonnie glances over at Willow who looks at her nervously before nodding, Bonnie squeezes her shoulder supportively before turning to Buffy "We've been doing some digging. And we have one idea...it might work. You might not remember but I used a spell on Klaus during the ritual broke every bone in his body over and over, weakening him long enough that Elijah was able to get to him."  
Buffy frowns "But Elijah didn't kill Klaus."  
"But he could have." Bonnie informs her "It weakened Klaus enough that Elijah literally had a hand wrapped around his heart." Bonnie pauses slightly for a moment "I think I can recreate the spell and use it on Glory...her being a God and all means it won't be as effective but it will weaken her and distract her..."

"Long enough for me to get close." Willow finishes as she glances over at Tara who was sat in the chair opposite the three of them playing with her cast.  
Willow sighs sadly before turning to Buffy "Last few days, I've mostly been looking into ways to help Tara. I've been charting their essences. Mapping out. I think, that if Bonnie can do this weaken her enough, I should be able to get close enough and maybe reverse what Glory did. Like, take back what she took from Tara. It might weaken her even more or make her less coherent." Willow pauses "Or it might make all our heads explode."

"Buffy." Giles says from the other side of the room where he was stood with Xander, Anya and Stefan.  
Buffy smiles at both witches before squeezing both of their hands, a gesture of gratefulness. "We'll try to work it." Willow assures her as Buffy walks past them and over to the others.

* * *

"No." Buffy says as Giles finishes explaining the idea that they had all come up with "That's good." She assures them "That could be pivotal." She glances at the Dagon Sphere in Giles' hands before glancing over at Stefan, Anya and Xander "Thank you guys."  
Giles pauses and turns to Buffy "Well then, you're gonna need some..."  
"Way ahead of you." Buffy tells him "We have time?" She asks worriedly.  
"If you hurry."

Buffy nods, if she was going to do this she'd have to do it quickly "Ok. I'll grab some weapons too."  
"I have some at my crypt." Spike pipes up from behind Buffy.  
Buffy nods, it couldn't help to have as many weapons as possible "Get them. Quick." Spike nods before heading out the shop.

As the door closes behind him Xander glances at Buffy "I'm looking for something in a broadsword." He jokes.  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement before glancing at Stefan "Come on, you're with me."

* * *

"Weapons are by the TV." Buffy tells Stefan as he follows into the house "There's more upstairs, we'll grab those first." She says as she leads him upstairs.  
Stefan follows her through the house, taking in his surroundings as he does, the house looked the same except there were now more photos of Elena and Jeremy around the house unlike before.

As Buffy leads Stefan into her room she bends down pulling out her weapons case "There's more in the closet." She tells him.  
Stefan pauses in his steps not moving as he watches her, she had completely shut off. As she stands she doesn't even look at him as she attempts to drag the weapons downstairs to grab the rest "Buffy..." He says stepping in front of her.  
"We're not all gonna make it." She says mostly to herself as she tries to move past him "Stefan not now, we don't have time for this..."

"Hey." He says softly as he places a hand on her chin tilting her head up so he could look her in the eye "Talk to me."  
Buffy pauses, she couldn't do this "I can't Stefan..."  
"Hey." He tells her "Come on, you can trust me."

Buffy shakes her head, she didn't want to do this, think about it any of it "I can't Stefan!" She yells "I can't... I don't understand. I don't know how to live in this world if these are the choices. If everything just gets stripped away. I don't see the point. I just wish..." Buffy takes a deep shaky breath she didn't want to do this, get emotional, she needed to stay focused but it was all slipping out "I just wish that I didn't have to worry about the fact that if someone steps outside this house there's a chance they may not come home."  
Stefan takes a deep breath before looking down at her "I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure that we all come back."

Buffy takes a deep breath before nodding as she does he catches her clutching a locket, his eyes widen as he spots the familiar piece of jewellery "Is that?"  
Buffy looks down at the necklace before releasing it "Yeah. Damon gave it back to me." She says with a small voice before looking up at him, the room suddenly seeming a lot smaller.

"It was my mothers." He tells her shocking her slightly "My father gave it to me, told me to give it to someone I loved. It's why I gave it to you."  
Buffy's voice catches in her throat, while Stefan clears his throat "Sorry." He says sheepishly as he pulls away, he needed to stop doing that "Old habits die hard." He says with a small chuckle before backing away from her, walking towards the door he glances back at her as he grabs the bag of weapons out of her closet "I'll get the rest of the weapons from downstairs."

As he turns Buffy takes a deep breath, she stares at him for a moment and before she could stop herself calls out to him making him pause "Stefan..." She freezes, she had no idea was she was supposed to say, all her mind could think about right now was Elena, this wasn't the time for this, shaking her head she smiles "Forget it...we can talk later."

Stefan nods slightly disappointed, he turns to move out the door but finds himself unable to, he couldn't do this anymore. If he was going to die, then he needed to do one thing one more time.  
He exhales before dropping the bag on the ground and walking back over to Buffy and before she could do anything he takes her cheeks in his hands and kisses her.  
Buffy closes her eyes and leans into the passionate yet sweet kiss, it almost felt natural her lips moving with his, it felt right.

After a long moment, the two pull apart and lean their foreheads against each other for a minute.  
"Just in case there is no later." Stefan whispers to her as her eyes open and their eyes connect.

Suddenly she felt something small slipped into her hands, Buffy's eyes widen as she spots the white liquid but before she could say anything Stefan cups her cheeks.  
"Yes." He says knowing what she wanted to ask "Buffy you need to know, it may not work. But it doesn't matter. It's your choice. You can take it or not. It's not going to change anything, but it's your choice..."  
Not a moment later he was back at the door grabbing the bag full of weapons and heading down the stairs.

As he leaves Buffy stands their stationary, her hand was hovering over her lips, she stands there speechless. Closing her eyes she takes a deep breath and clenches her jaw. She shakes her head before staring at the vial in her hands, it was the cure, the key to every question she had been asking.

However, before she could even contemplate what to do her head begins throbbing,

 _Stefan moves closer to Buffy "Listen to me, it doesn't matter. You are the woman that I love. I love you."  
Buffy's eyes widen and a tear falls down her cheek. She places a hand on Stefan's cheek and gives him a soft smile before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his lips._

 _:_

 _Buffy just continues to stare at him astonished "How-?"_ _  
_ _Stefan chuckles "It's complicated. I'll explain later."_ _  
_ _Buffy shakes herself free of her frozen state and speeds over to him wrapping her arms around his neck.  
_ _After a moment she pulls away and the two just smile at each other before Buffy pulls him forward and kisses him. "Hi." She says before kissing him again._

 _:_

 _"You are such a liar." He says grinning before stepping inside and lifting her up "Hey." Buffy exclaims but can't hold back the giggles. She then kisses him as he moves to sit her on the kitchen counter._

 _:_

 _Once Buffy has her boot on she stands properly only to have him grab her "Hey!" She says as she giggles.  
_ _"School?" He asks before kissing her "Doesn't ring a bell." He says before lifting her off the ground, Buffy giggles as she wraps her legs around his waist "What the hell. Since when do I care about school?"  
_ _Stefan grins "Exactly." He says before he kisses her once more and leading her over to the bed._

Buffy gasps loudly as her eyes slam open, she groans slightly her head now hurting like hell. She shakes her head and wipes the blood from her nose as she spots her reflection in the mirror.

She sighs before running a hand through her hair and tucks the cure into her pocket. She takes a deep breath trying to think of what to do now but then she spots her clock on the nightstand:

 _22.05.12 – 20:30_

"Crap." She mutters as she spots the time, they didn't have long left she needed to get ready now.


	84. The Gift - Part 2

Elena glances down at the ground below, she could see right through the floor of the tower and could see the drop below. She takes a deep breath, she had never been scared of heights but being on this tower, which looked like it could fall apart at any moment was making her a little petrified of heights.

As the minions tighten the ropes on her hands she closes her eyes, she needed to get off this tower before Glory could open the portal.  
Slowly the two minions back away from her walking down the platform to get back down "She will come to you soon." One of them tells her as they leave her alone waiting for her end.

* * *

"I don't recall inviting you over." Klaus says as he senses Damon standing in his doorway.  
Damon rolls his eyes before heading into the room "Would have called but you know... end of the world and all that."  
Klaus chuckles slightly, he may dislike this vampire idiot, but he could be quite entertaining...to a certain degree.  
"What can I do for you Damon?" Klaus asks him curiously as he pours himself a glass of scotch before turning to the younger vampire.

Damon frowns slightly, he would have thought that Klaus knowing what was happening would have expected either him or Stefan to show up. It was honestly quite disconcerting that he wasn't acting all smug right now.  
"Well, you know Demon God high jinks ensue, figured you'd actually wanna save the key to making your hybrid army."

Klaus pauses for a moment, stunned that Damon had actually come to him for help against Glory, it was almost funny...almost. Except for the fact that he had a very specific plan, one that meant he needed to stay clear.  
"You're asking for my help." Klaus states before speeding over to Damon and standing right in front of him "And why is that?"  
Damon scoffs out "Elena and Buffy could die...both people you need..."  
"I know exactly how this will end I've known about this day for 800 years."

Damon's eyes widen at that he was going to let them die to fill his own agenda before he could even say anything Klaus had him pinned against the wall by his throat "You see Damon, I've been waiting for this day for a very long time and I'm not going to let anyone ruin it especially you."  
Damon attempts to get away only to have Klaus shove his hand into his stomach ripping at his insides.  
The original hybrid smirks "Might as well keep myself entertained for a while."

* * *

"We on schedule?" Buffy asks the gang as she and Stefan re-enter the Magic Box with all the weapons.  
Giles who was stood with Spike dealing with some of the weapons that he had brought turns to Buffy "Yes, it's time."  
Buffy nods before glancing at the two witches "Willow, Bonnie?"  
"We're ready." Bonnie tells Buffy as Willow heads over to Willow.

As Willow speaks to Tara reminding her of where she was supposed to be Buffy turns to Stefan "Damon?"  
"Nothing yet." Stefan tells her, but she could spot the underlining worry in his features.

Buffy sighs before glancing over at Willow and Tara "No one's holding you." Willow tells her girl "It's the big day, right? Do you wanna go?"  
Tara glances around before moving towards the door, preparing to lead them all to Glory.  
As Willow walks up to Buffy, the blonde stops her "Stay close but don't crowd her. We'll follow in a minute."  
Willow nods before moving to follow Tara.

Buffy turns to the rest of the gang, this was it, they were about to go to war, there was no waiting, no putting it off, they had one chance and time to stop this ritual and this was it.  
"Everybody knows their jobs." Buffy reminds them "Remember, the ritual starts we all die. And I'll kill anyone who comes near Elena."

Buffy walks to head downstairs to the cellar but pauses to turn to Stefan "Promise me you'll protect her. No matter what."  
Stefan nods "I promise you." Buffy smiles at him slightly before placing a hand on his cheek "Thank you."

* * *

"It's a big day." Klaus says happily as he turns to Damon who was currently chained to the ceiling his hands hanging above his head while his body hung just above the ground. His chest was covered in blood and there was a hot metal poker sticking out of his stomach.  
Damon groans in agony as he turns slightly causing the metal to shift puncturing his left lung.

"Why are you doing this?" Damon asks him as he spits out blood from his mouth, he just couldn't understand, Klaus needed both Elena and Buffy yet he was willing to let them go out and likely die.  
"You don't understand." Klaus tells him as he shoves another hot poker into Damon's stomach causing him to cry out as he felt the Vervain on the end of it searing through his flesh.

"I can't have you getting in the way." He says simply as he moves away from Damon and picks up a small notebook off the table and begins flipping through the pages.

Damon groans in agony, he was really getting sick of being the one that was tortured, it wasn't exactly his favourite activity. He coughs up spitting up heavy amounts of blood as he does. He groans again before pausing as he spots the notebook in Klaus' hands.  
He scoffs when he spots the drawings of Buffy "Creepy much."  
Klaus chuckles "Most women find art romantic."  
"Clearly you've never met Buffy."

Klaus smiles slightly before moving towards Damon, dropping the notebook on the ground, as he does Damon spots something familiar "What's May 22?" he asks causing Klaus to freeze.  
Klaus chuckles glancing back at the notebook where the date May 22 was written over and over again "Since you've been such a lovely guest I'll spill. That's the day the prophecy comes true, the day that she will go through what she needs to before she joins me."

Damon's eyes widen, that's why Klaus wouldn't help them, whatever was going to make the prophecy come true was going to happen during this battle.

Damon groans in agony as he moves, he needed to get out here, as Klaus turns his back on him Damon brings his legs up and kicks him in the back causing him to stumble.  
Damon quickly pulls on the chairs, twisting his body so that he could place his feet on the ceiling, yanking onto the chains he rips them from the ceiling causing him to go crashing to the ground.

Damon's eyes widen as he spots Klaus approaching him, he ignores the pain and runs leaping out the glass window near him crashing onto the ground below.  
Klaus glances out of the window before chuckling slightly "You can't change anything now. It's too late."

Damon groans in pain as he yanks the pokers from his stomach, however the lack of blood in his system and the Vervain was making his vision blur in and out, he hisses in pain as he pulls the second poker out but before he could take a breath his body had become too tired. And he collapses in darkness.

 _"_ _I mean come on."  
Damon hears a voice say from down the road, he groans he was laid on the pavement on some random street in Los Angelus, he honestly couldn't remember how he ended up here. He had been thinking about Mary which had led to one bottle of bourbon which had led to another and another._

 _"_ _I don't know Ford." The voice says as it gets closer "It's cheerleading. It's supposed to be fun."_

 _Damon groans before sitting up, he stands only to stop as he spots a short girl standing with her back towards him, she was wearing a purple mini skirt and a black leather jacket. He smirked slightly, it had been a while since he had fed on a blonde.  
_ _As he prepares to move closer she turns to face him, making him freeze, it was Mary. It wasn't possible yet here she stood before him.  
_ _"_ _Look Ford it's the first day of freshman year I would actually like to be popular." Mary says into the phone making Damon frown, he would have never expected Mary to pose as a high school student.  
_ _"_ _Remember to pick me up, Ford." Mary says as she hangs up the phone._

 _"_ _Mary." He breaths out drawing her attention._

 _Buffy gasps in shock and jumps slightly at the sight of the mysterious man in front of her, she looks around only to spot no one around "I have pepper spray." She warns him as she reaches for her purse.  
_ _Damon frowns in confusion "Mary..." He says as he moves closer._

 _Buffy steps back "Okay hold up there, geez what the hell is with the Mary thing. I do not look like Mary, I mean come on have you seen that girl. Total slut. My name is Buffy, thank you very much."_

 _Damon freezes, she looked exactly like her but somehow it wasn't, it didn't make any sense, he shakes his head before raising his hand in surrender "Sorry, don't worry..." He tells her "You...just look..." He breathes out a sigh before glancing at the pepper spray in her hands "Sorry. Not gonna bite" He warns chuckling slightly.  
_ _Buffy rolls her eyes "Funny creep." She says before lowering her hand but not putting away the pepper spray._

 _"_ _You just really remind me of someone." He tells her as he takes a hesitant step towards her "I'm Damon."  
_ _Buffy rolls her eyes "Okay...Damon...no offence but the whole being in the middle of nowhere by yourself thing...creates a creepy vibe."  
_ _Damon smirks "You're one to talk."_

 _Buffy rolls her eyes "Look I get it...it's L.A, you need to be safe. Well, sometimes that's boring." After a long moment, she sighs before glancing at her phone "Got into a fight with my dad. So I took off."  
_ _"_ _What about?" Damon asks before pausing "May I ask."  
_ _Buffy scoffs as she remembers the argument "Life, expectations, etcetera. A whole lot of blah."  
_ _"_ _So what's the issue?" He asks her.  
_ _Buffy pauses wondering why she was opening up to this complete stranger but she merely shrugs she didn't really care right now, honestly just talking to anyone was more of an appeal than going home "He has my life planned out to a tee. Hell, I think he's even decided who I'm gonna marry...no thank you...But he can't know all that cause...I don't even know what I want."_

 _Damon watches the blonde curiously, there was something interesting about her. Something intriguing, he tilts his head before smiling "Well that's not true. You want what everybody wants."  
_ _Buffy scoffs but she couldn't help herself from smirking back "What? Come on, you're the mysterious all knowing stranger...so tell me...what do I want?"_

 _Damon smiles back, enjoying the back and forth banter, stepping closer to her he smirks "You want a love that consumes you, you want passion and adventure...and even a little danger."  
_ _The two of them were standing very close now causing Buffy to have to arch her neck to look up at him, she smirks back at him "So, what do you want?"_

 _Damon sighs as he looks at her, however when he hears a motorcycle engine nearby he spots her attention land on the driver.  
_ _Buffy glances at motorcycle driver as he approaches "That's my friend Ford." She says before turning back to Damon only to find him now standing extremely close to her.  
_ _"_ _I want you to get everything you're looking for." Damon tells Buffy as he looks into her eyes compelling her "But right now, I want you to forget this happened." He looks over her features once more before looking at her sadly "Goodnight, Buffy."_

Damon gasps loudly as his body finally forces itself back to consciousness, he glances up and spots the window he had jumped out of. He didn't know how long it would take before Klaus came after him, he needed to warn Buffy and Stefan, now.

* * *

Once Tara had led them to where Glory was keeping Elena, the group separated, Buffy headed off alone while Stefan and the gang made their way inside.  
Bonnie and Willow follow Tara as the witch moves to start work on the tower.

When they spot Glory moving towards Tara angrily Willow nods to Bonnie "Go."

Bonnie raises her hands freezing Glory in her place before she could touch Tara " _Phasmatos Infero Eseri Gratas, Disasutos Vom, Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te. Victamas Veras."_ Bonnie yells as she waves her hand sending Glory crashing into a brick wall.

"What the hell?!" Glory yells out as she cries out in pain, the bones in her body shattering one after the other extremely slowly " _Phasmatos Infero Eseri Gratas, Disasutos Vom, Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te. Victamas Veras."_

"You little witch!" Glory screams as Bonnie swings her arm again, causing Glory's spine to shatter in two making her cry out loudly.

 _"_ _Phasmatos Infero Eseri Gratas, Disasutos Vom, Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te. Victamas Veras."_ Bonnie yells once more as she sends Glory crashing through a brick wall,

Bonnie steps through the hole that Glory had made watching as the God continued to cry out in agony, Bonnie glances over at Tara before taking a deep breath.

Turning her head back to Glory she raises her hand _"Phasmatos Infero Eseri Gratas, Disasutos Vom, Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te. Victamas Veras."_ She chants once more causing Glory to cry out as more bones shatter and she is sent flying back towards Tara.

"How did you get here?!" Glory hisses as she lands on the ground by Tara, she groans before forcing her leg back into place and standing.  
"She came with me." Willow hisses as she sneaks up next to Glory and grabs the back of her head as well as Tara's.

Both Tara and Glory scream as Willow puts her hands into their skulls, Bonnie's eyes widen as a blue current of what seemed like electricity passed through Glory and into Tara.

Suddenly the electricity combusted releasing a large burst of energy that sent all of them flying off their feet.

Bonnie groans as her eyes open, blinking slightly she glances over and immediately spotted Glory standing.  
"What the freakin' hell did those bitches do to me?" Glory hisses as she struggles slightly.  
The minions both panic their God was furious and very upset "You look fine." One of the assures her "Truly."

Bonnie groans in pain slightly and pauses as she sits up, she grabs her leg which seemed to have been cut badly, wincing slightly she glances over at Willow and Tara who were embracing, "It worked." Bonnie breathed out relieved.

However, her relief was shortly lived as she spotted Glory walking towards her "You little witches made a hole. Witches' brains are the most filling after all." She says with a smirk.

Bonnie's eyes widen and before she can do anything Glory wraps a hand around her neck and yanks her off the ground, Bonnie gasps as she tries to breathe, groaning she wraps her hands around the strong hand that was currently wrapped around her neck " _Phasmatos Infero Eseri Gratas—"_ Suddenly the hand around her neck tightens cutting her off.  
"No no no. No more witchy crap." Glory hisses.

Bonnie glares down at her but suddenly she was thrown to the ground as Glory went crashing into a wall nearby.

"I wouldn't touch her again if I were you." A voice says from above.

Bonnie looks up and sighs in relief as she spots Buffy, the Slayer quickly helps her up "Go." She says before pushing her towards Willow and Tara.  
As Bonnie runs Buffy turns to Glory, Glory scoffs in annoyance "I was gonna use her brain, but I suppose I could always use yours."  
Buffy tilts her head "Ok then." She says with a smirk on her face "Come and get it."

Buffy watches in interest as Glory doesn't attack her, she seemed off her game "You don't seem very well." Buffy teases.  
"You're little witch bitches gave me kind of a headache there." Glory says completely annoyed "But if you think this is gonna last..." As she speaks she rips off her cloak leaving her in just a black outfit similar to Buffy's except that Buffy's was all leather "I noticed you're talking..." Buffy says cutting her off "...whereas, in your position, I would attack me."

As one of her minions babbles into her ear Glory rolls her eyes she wasn't in the mood for this she didn't have the time "Go guard the girl." She hisses waving him off before glancing at Buffy as she wobbles slightly "This is a..." She stutters suddenly feeling very lightheaded "...this is a...a..."  
"Diversionary tactic?" One of the minions offers.  
"Go guard!" She hisses once more before wobbling again as she turns to Buffy.  
"It's strange." Buffy says "You're not as blurry with speed as usual."  
Glory shakes her head nervously, she was confused she shouldn't be feeling this was it wasn't possible "Those witches..."

"It's not them." Buffy tells her as she reveals the dragon sphere she was currently holding behind her back to Glory "It might be this." Buffy volunteers as she tosses the ball around in her hands "I heard it's supposed to repel you. So my guess is you probably shouldn't touch it, either." She says with a smirk as she notices the horrified look on Glory's face.  
She tosses it at Glory who instinctively catches it only to gasp loudly as the sphere seems to brighten and glow stronger in her grasps.  
She gasps in pain before shattering the sphere in her grasp leaving it in pieces "You're gonna wish you..."

Glory is cut off as Buffy's foot connects with her jaw causing her to stumble backwards, Buffy leaps up and kicks her in the gut before punching her across the face with one hand before doing the same with the other. She then spins backhanding the God causing her to stumble.

* * *

"This will be our day of Glory!" One of the minions yells from the bottom of the staircase where he and the rest of minions as well as the humans were blocking the entrance to the Tower.

Suddenly an arrow buries itself in his chest, Spike smirks before lowering his crossbow.

As Anya runs forwards with her baseball bat and Giles moves with his sword Stefan glances around the spots Buffy fighting with Glory, it was all going to plan so far. He sighed as he couldn't spot Elena anywhere. However, he quickly speeds forward and snaps the necks of several minions as he spots them trying to shoot arrows at Buffy in an effort to help Glory.

* * *

Elena groans in pain as she attempts to free herself from the rope, the ropes were too tight around her and her skin was already burning raw from her attempts to break free. She couldn't risk spilling any blood and opening the portal. As she attempts to think of a way to break free she freezes as she hears sounds of fighting coming from below.

Glancing down her eyes widen as she spots Buffy fighting with Glory.

* * *

Buffy lifts Glory throwing her over her shoulder causing her to crash onto the pile of bricks that was piled up behind them.  
Buffy attempts to punch Glory in the face but Glory moves her face in time for Buffy's hand to go straight through the bricks.  
Buffy attempts again but as she raises her hands' Glory grabs her arms and tosses her over her head into the pile of broken wood in the corner.

* * *

Stefan rips the arrow out of his shoulder that one of Glory's minions had shot him with, he speeds forwards and buries it in that same minion's neck.

He speeds over to Giles who was currently getting attacked by several of the demon creatures, running forward he removes the heart of one of them before tossing the now dead demon at one of the others knocking it down.

As he fights his phone starts ringing, hoping it would be Damon, Stefan grabs a metal pipe off the ground and stabs it through another demon's head before answering the phone.  
"Where the hell are you Damon?"

 _"_ _Klaus just spent the past half-hour torturing me."_ Damon hisses out, shocking Stefan to the point that he freezes and ends up getting a sword run through his stomach.  
Stefan gasps out loud in pain causing Damon to panic _"Stefan?!"  
_ "I'm fine." Stefan grunts out as he grits his teeth and pulls the sword from his stomach "What happened Damon?"

 _"_ _Doesn't matter"_ Damon rushes out _"What's the date today?"  
_ Stefan frowns in confusion, what the hell was he talking about? But before he could say anything Damon cut him off " _Dammit Stefan this is important, what is the date?"  
_ "May 22 why..." As he says it he freezes, something about that date was so familiar.  
 _"_ _Crap. Stefan that's the date Klaus was obsessed with, the one he wrote over and over."  
_ Stefan's eyes widen as he realises what that meant, they were out of time "Oh, God, Buffy."

* * *

"You know what." Glory says as she stands straight and turns to face Buffy, all signs of the weak woman gone, she was done playing games with the Slayer.  
Catching the blonde's fist in her palm Glory smirks "I'm feeling a little better. And now I'm a little bored."  
She pushes Buffy fist down while Buffy scoffs "Oh, I'm sorry. Cos you're about..." Buffy is cut off as Glory kicks her leg out effectively removing the Slayer's head.

Glory's eyes widen however as instead of blood spilling from her there was nothing but mechanical wiring as her body fell to the ground, the wires inside catching up in small flames due to overloading.  
"Wow." Glory breaths as she stares at the robot at her feet "The Slayer's a robot. Did everybody else know the Slayer was a robot?"

"Glory." A voice says from behind her.

Glory frowns in confusion before turning only to spot the real Buffy standing in grey cargo trousers and a white sweater, her hair was down and she was wielding a massive hammer in her hands.  
The minute she turns Buffy swings the hammer at her sending her crashing into a metal fence "You're not the brightest god in the heavens are you?"

"Buffy!" A voice screams from above.

Buffy's eyes widen, she looks up and immediately spots Elena standing at the top of the tower on a platform. She instantly takes off running towards the tower leaping up onto the stairs and tossing the minion in her path out of her way before running up.

* * *

"Buffy!" Elena screams as she watches Glory run after her, Elena hyperventilates taking quick breaths as she panics. She tries to calm herself down as she continues pulling at the rope. It's then that she remembers something Buffy had taught her.  
Groaning she looks down at her wrist, this was really going to hurt.

* * *

Buffy ducks under Glory's fist before swinging the hammer at her once more causing her to stumble. Buffy runs up to the next platform only to have Glory's foot connect with her back making her crash into one of the metal poles.  
Groaning slightly she turns back and forces the hammer forward knocking Glory in the stomach as the God bends Buffy swings the hammer back up knocking her in the jaw.

Before she could go for another swing, however, Glory punches her in the jaw causing her to loose her grip on the hammer, as the hammer tangled in the chains next to her Buffy stumbles slightly.  
She quickly stands and reaches for the hammer only to have Glory use one of the chains to swing forward and kick her in the chest. Buffy stumbles back down to the lower platform, and as she stands Glory quickly punches her across the face.

Buffy moves quickly and grabs onto one of the metal frames she swings forward on it before using her hands to swing directions so as she swung again she could kick Glory in the chest.  
Leaping back onto the platform Buffy ducks under Glory's arm, coming up behind her she kicks her square in the back.

As she hears Elena scream her name again, she climbs up onto the scaffolding but before she could get any higher Glory punches her in the stomach causing her to cry out in pain.  
She grabs onto a chain nearby and swings in a circle bringing out her leg as she does to kick Glory in the face.

* * *

Elena's eyes widen as she watches the fight below between Glory and Buffy, the two were hand and hand on par with each other. Her hope increases as she watches Buffy get back the hammer that seemed able to severally hurt Glory, however, Glory pushes Buffy off the tower.  
As Buffy falls with the hammer she pulls Glory with her before the two of them land on the ground below.

"Buffy!" Elena screams as she watches her cousin fall.

* * *

"Has anyone noticed we're going backwards?" Anya asks as her Spike, Giles and Stefan all crouch behind a large metal object taking cover.  
Anya glances over at Stefan "Can't you do your speedy thing?"

"Something's wrong." Stefan tells her "I think Glory has witches her." He tells her, his strength was getting weaker and weaker and his speed had slowed down since he had spoken to Damon.  
"It won't matter." Giles assures him noticing the worried look on Stefan's face "As long as Buffy can keep Glory down long enough, it doesn't matter. There are only a few minutes left to start the ritual."

* * *

Elena cries out in agony as she presses on the pressure point in her thumb that Buffy had told her about. Biting her lip she ignores the pain and keeps pressing till she hears the dreaded snap.

Gasping out loudly she slips her hand out of the rope easily and glances at her broken thumb, she'd deal with this later, right now she needed to get the hell out of here. She quickly unties her other hand, once she is free she moves down the platform only to freeze as she spots an old man with a creepy ass looking smile on his face standing on the other side.

"Get out of my way." Elena warns him as she clenches her fist and prepares for a fight.

"Sorry, darling." He tells her sweetly "It seems she's running a bit late." He tells her as he moves down the platform towards her "And uh if her Splendidness can't be here in time to bleed you..." As he brings out the knife her eyes widen, She glares at him "You wanna see a trick?" He asks her.  
Elena shocks him by swinging her good arm at him punching him in the neck "I think I prefer my own."

* * *

"Stefan!?" Damon yells as he runs into the groups' hiding place and quickly over to his brother. Damon opens his mouth to speak only to frown "Are you all hiding?"  
Stefan sighs before grabbing his brother and yanking him into a nearby corner out of sight "Glory has witches, my strength and speed aren't working as well."  
Damon sighs before running a hand over his jaw, this was just one of their many problems right now.  
"Damon what did Klaus say?" Stefan asks quickly, they were running out of time till the ritual would begin and they needed to get to Elena.

Damon sighs "Klaus won't help. He's known about today for 800 years. He's been playing us, he knew all about Glory, he knew everything."  
Stefan takes a deep breath, they should have known, Klaus had not interfered with them being here because he had already known it was too late for them to change whatever they needed to.

Suddenly both of them spot Spike legging it up towards the tower while all the humans and minions guarding the staircase went flying to the side.  
Damon frowns in confusion before turning to Stefan "We have to warn Buffy, whatever is going to happen to her, is gonna happen tonight."  
Stefan sighs in worry before glancing at Giles "There is someone up there with Elena." Giles tells them.

"We got to get to her." Stefan tells his brother who nods, Buffy was busy with Glory at the moment and they couldn't stop what was going to happen to her if the world was about to end.

The two of them speed forward only to collapse on the ground gasping in agony as they clutch their heads. It was just like what happened on Founder's day all over again, the pain was unbearable. Neither of them could move or get to Elena, they were trapped.

* * *

Elena groans as the demon tosses her causing her to land on the metal landing painfully, she rolls slightly only to gasp at the sight of the edge, if she moved another inch she would go crashing down more than 20feet.

"Well, what do you know?" The demon man says from above her as he clutches a pocket watch "It's just about that time. You put up a good fight deary. But it's time you stop."  
"I don't think so." Elena hisses out as she kicks her leg out kicking him in the knee, she quickly stands and knees him in the face, as he stumbles she does a spinning kick sending him flying off the tower.

Taking a relieved breath Elena moves to run off the tower only to hear two feet land on the ground behind her. Her eyes widen as she turns only to spot him standing behind her while the tail she had not seen before was holding onto the metal grating underneath their feet.  
Before she could do anything the tail wraps around her midsection and yanks her forwards, she tries to fight him off but he drives the knife into her side causing her to cry out in agony.

As she freezes the pain hitting her he quickly ties her back up making sure that this time she couldn't escape.

Elena blinks slightly and looks at her side, luckily although it hurt like a mother it wasn't deep enough to cause massive amounts of blood and her clothes seemed to be soaking up most of it.  
She gasps as he tightens the rope around her, her eyes widen however as she spots a familiar face climbing up the staircase. It was Spike.

The demon frowns at the look on her face and turns spotting the vampire.

"Doesn't a fella stay dead when you kill him?" Spike asks as he moves forward looking over at Elena with a worried frown before focusing on the demon in front of him who was supposed to be dead.  
"Look who's talking." The demon points out.  
Spike sighs "Come on, Doc. Let's you and me have a go." Spike says hesitantly as he moves towards the two of them being cautious of the tail he knew was there.

Doc frowns before smiling apologetically "I...do have a prior appointment. She's already put me a bit behind schedule by her failed escape attempt."  
Spike frowns before noticing her dislocated thumb; he winces at the sight but felt a wave of respect for the woman who was willing to do that.  
"This won't late long." Spike assure shim.  
"No, I don't imagine it will." Doc says and as Spike runs at him he appears behind him and stabs him in the back.

"Spike!" Elena exclaims in shock.

* * *

Buffy kicks the weakening Glory in the stomach causing her to stumble.  
She glances over at the God, she was bleeding from her nose and she had a look of misery on her face, in all honesty, it looked like she was about to burst into tears.  
"You're just a mortal." Glory breaths out as she wobbles on her feet "You couldn't understand my pain.

Buffy tilts her head as she taunts towards Glory "Then I'll just have to settle for causing it." She says before swinging the hammer at her again.  
Glory grunts in pain as her head swings violently to the side, after a moment she turns back to Buffy "You can't kill me."  
Buffy shrugs before raising the Hammer "No. But my arm's not even tired yet." She says before swinging the Hammer once more.

* * *

Elena watches in horror as the blade in Spike's back is dropped to the ground, glancing over at the vampire as he stands protectively in front of her she couldn't help but feel both grateful and guilty.

"You don't come near the girl, Doc." Spike hisses as he blocks Elena with his own body.  
Elena pulls at the ropes she couldn't let Spike die for her, no matter what he had done in the past he was trying to atone for his past sins by protecting her.  
"I don't smell a soul anywhere on you." Doc says in confusion "Why do you even care?"  
"I made a promise to a lady." Spike tells him as he grunts in pain once more.

"Oh?" Doc asks interested before opening his mouth, his tongue looked like one of a lizard and it tried to reach Spike who ducked out of the way only to have Doc drop to his knees and sweep Spike's feet out from under him.  
Doc lifts Spike off the ground and holds him over the edge "Then I'll send the lady your regrets."

Spike's eyes widen and he looks over at Elena, guilt flooding his expression "No." He breaths before he is tossed from the tower.  
"No!" Elena screams as she watches him fall.

* * *

Damon and Stefan both cry out again as the warlock or witch that was doing this to them approaches and instantly the pain in their heads increases and blood begins pooling down their faces. It felt like their heads were going to explode.

Through all the pain both brother's noticed a loud crash from near them, glancing over both their eyes widen as they spot Spike unconscious on the ground.

Stefan takes another gasping breath before glancing up the tower where someone was moving in on Elena, they couldn't move, let alone get to her. And in that moment all he felt was guilt, Elena was going to die and there was nothing he could do about it.

* * *

"Stop it." Glory begs as she lands on her knees at Buffy's feet, she sniffles slightly making Buffy scoff, the God was close to tears.  
Tilting her head she glares at Glory in disgust "You're a God. Make it Stop." She hisses as she swings the Hammer once more sending Glory crashing onto her back, landing painfully on a metal grate. And this time she didn't get up. She lay there gasping in pain.  
Buffy walks over to her and batters her repeatedly with the Hammer over and over.

After a long moment Glory's face was covered in blood and as she gasped Ben appeared.  
Buffy freezes as she glares down at Ben, as much as she wanted Glory dead and hated Ben for what he had done to Elena she couldn't...she wouldn't take a life.  
"I'm sorry." Ben breaths out  
"Tell her it's over." Buffy orders him "She missed her shot. She goes. She ever... ever comes near me and mine again..."  
"We won't." Ben promises "I swear."

Buffy drops the Hammer and moves away from Ben, she runs forward and spots Stefan and Damon groaning in agony as a tall man stood in front of them chanting.

Stefan glances at Buffy "Elena!" He calls out.

Buffy frowns she looks up and instantly spotted the figure moving towards Elena on the tower. She glances over at the brothers once more before running back towards the tower. She needed to get to Elena.

* * *

Stefan watches Buffy climb up the tower before gasping in pain again, he was getting weaker and weaker and he could only guess that Damon was the same.

Suddenly, however, the pain stopped both vampires frowned in confusion before spotting Bonnie moving towards the warlock, she raises her hand towards him sending him crashing into a nearby wall, rendering him unconscious.

Stefan stands, he nods in thanks to Bonnie and moves towards the tower only to spot Anya and Xander in trouble. He turns his head only to spot Damon missing and groans he had to help the others as well. He knew Buffy well enough to know she could handle herself and would want him to help her friends.

* * *

Damon walks over to Ben and kicks him in the face causing him to cry out in agony.  
Damon smirks before crouching down in front of Ben "I'm really gonna enjoy this. Coming after Buffy, not a good idea bro."

Ben coughs up blood which was quickly filling his lungs and looks over at Damon "I'm sorry." Ben sighs "She could have killed me."  
Damon scoffs, he knew Buffy, no matter what she just couldn't "No, she couldn't. Never. Buffy loves a little thing called mercy. She could never take a human life. She's a hero. Me on the other hand. Not so much."

Ben's eyes widen and before he can do anything Damon shoves a hand slowly into his chest and grasp his heart, looking Ben in the eyes as he realised what was about to happen he yanked Ben's heart from his chest.

* * *

Elena screams as the knife cuts through the dress and slices her stomach "Shallow cuts. Shallow...cuts. Let the blood flow...free." Doc chants as he sliced her stomach again before watching as the blood dripped down her to her toes.

"Elena." Buffy says as she reaches the top of the tower and spots her cousin being cut by this creep.  
"Buffy!" Elena yells.

Doc turns to Buffy who was strolling towards them, her focus completely on Elena.  
Doc smirks slightly "This should be interesting..." he says as he steps forward only to have Buffy ignore him and just shove him off the tower.

Buffy quickly makes her way to Elena and unties her "Here."  
"It hurts." Elena gasps as Buffy pulls at the ropes.

"I got it." Buffy breaths as she unties her and wraps Elena's good arm around her shoulder before helping her towards the exit "You're gonna be ok."

As Buffy leads her to the edge of the tower Elena freezes, her eyes widening, stopping she turns and spots the portal now opening. Her blood must have been dripping into the space below them where the portal was now growing.

"Go." Buffy tells her not noticing the blue glow that was coming from the portal.  
"Buffy..." Elena says sadly "It's started."  
Buffy turns her head only to spot the portal of energy causing destruction around them.

* * *

Stefan's eyes widen as he spots the portal opening, the floor begins shaking violently, as he looks around he notices destruction everywhere. His eyes quickly fall on Anya who was pushing Xander out of the way of falling rubble.  
He runs over and quickly grabs Anya protecting her with his body, allowing the heavy rubble to drop on him.

"Stefan!" Damon exclaims as he speeds over and quickly moves the rubble burying his brother out of the way, desperately trying to get to him.  
"Anya!" Xander screams as he runs over to help Damon.

Stefan groans from beneath the rubble and stands slowly holding Anya in his arms, as he stands he hands Anya over to Xander before glancing at his brother.  
"We have to help them." Stefan tells him.

* * *

"I'm sorry." Elena tells Buffy softly as they stand on the top of the tower while destruction reigned around them "I tried to escape, I did..."  
Buffy shakes her head and places her hands on Elena's forearms "It doesn't matter."  
Elena takes a deep breath before attempting to move around Buffy who grabs her holding her back "What are you doing?"  
Elena sighs before looking at her panicked cousin "I have to Buffy. If I don't jump all those people..."  
"It will kill you." Buffy tells her as she looks her miserably, tears threatening to break free.  
Elena looks at her seriously before stroking her cheek "I know. Buffy, I know about the ritual. I have to stop it."  
"No." Buffy refuses, she shakes her head sadly she couldn't lose Elena, not after everything they had been through.

Suddenly the tower shakes violently causing both of them to wobble slightly, Elena sighs before glancing at her cousin once more "I have to. Look at what's happening."  
Buffy looks up at the sky just as what appeared to be a dragon was released, as it flies past them Elena begs her cousin to understand.

"Buffy, you have to let me go. Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing it'll never stop." Elena takes a deep breath as tears drip from her eyes "You have to let me go. Go home to Jeremy take care of each other."  
Buffy freezes as the reality of the situation hits her, her cousin was about to leap to her death. She couldn't let this happen, she couldn't lose anyone.

She shakes her head only for a familiar pain to return, closing her eyes she allows herself to open up to the vision instead of fighting it.

 _"_ _You're just a girl." The vampire breaths as he stares at the brunette woman in shock, the brunette woman glances at the small boy in front of her before standing protectively in front of him.  
_ _"_ _I am more than just a girl." She says before launching the stake in her hands towards him, as it buries itself in his chest his body turns to dust.  
_ _"_ _Mama." The little boy cries._

 _As Tatia picks up her boy something in the vision changes, Buffy frowns as instead of Tatia standing before her it was the first Slayer watching her intently. The First Slayer stands up straight and approaches Buffy who was frowning in confusion.  
_ _"_ _I don't understand." Buffy tells her "Why am I here?"  
_ _"_ _To understand." The first Slayer tells her._

 _Buffy shakes her head none of this made sense, why did she keep seeing a memory that wasn't hers and why Tatia's specifically.  
_ _As though the first Slayer could read her thoughts she steps closer to Buffy and finally explains the truth "Doppelgangers are exact copies, the doppelgangers in the Petrova line may no longer be involved in the active Slayer's line but their blood has that power running through it. It's why doppelganger blood is so desirable. The blood of the Slayer is the key."  
_ _Buffy's eyes widen at that before she could say anything however the First Slayer reminds her of something "Death is your gift."_

Buffy's eyes widen, everything made sense, everything clicked. Tatia was a slayer, her blood, Elena's blood, Katherine's blood, it was all the same. The Slayer energy was in them, that same energy that was found in her blood. The blood of the Slayer. Death being her gift made so much more sense now. In that moment came relief as she realised what she had to do. Glancing back at the portal for a moment she allows the light of the sunrise to hit her for the last time.

However before she could do this there was something she wanted to do, turning back to Elena Buffy reaches into her pocket.  
"Not yet." She tells Elena before showing her the cure.  
Elena's eyes widen, in her mind, Buffy wanted to remember before she herself jumped, Elena was yet to realise Buffy's true reason.

Buffy takes a deep breath before bringing the potion to her lips, and after a brief hesitation, she swallows it. For a moment there is nothing, but suddenly it all came back like a tidal wave. She gasps slightly as her mind finally opens up.

 _Jenna wraps her arms around the small blonde "Buffy, last time I saw you, you could barely walk, now look at you" Buffy offers her a small smile and as Jenna steps back Elena hugs the blonde._ _  
_ _"Hey Buffy, it's good to see you. I'm so sorry about your mum." Buffy again smiles at the two of them "It's good to see you both."_

 _:_

 _Buffy notices Elena come back into the room with another girl and stands up as Elena introduces them  
_ _"Bonnie, this is my cousin Buffy. Buffy, this is Bonnie, my best friend"_

 _:_

 _"Caroline, this is my cousin Buffy, she just moved into the house with me Jenna and Jeremy. Her mom passed a few weeks ago so she had to come here from California." Caroline stares at the small blonde then throws her arms around Buffy "Oh, you poor girl I am so, so sorry."_

 _:_

 _Buffy chuckles as he smiles at her and takes a breath "I'm Buffy."_ _  
_ _"I'm Stefan."_

 _:_

 _The rather handsome guy finally speaks as she turns to face him "You must be Buffy. I'm Damon, Stefan's brother."_

 _:_

 _Damon goes on as if she hadn't even spoken and looks deep into her eyes "And right now...you want to kiss me." He starts to lean in smiling at her, but she shoves him away causing him to fall "What the hell?"_

 _:_

 _"Tell me." Buffy says with raw determination in her voice._ _  
_ _"I'm a vampire. I'm just not like the ones that reside on the Hellmouth."_

 _:_

 _Buffy looks up at Stefan with sad eyes "I gave you today just like you asked. I understand that you're good and would never try to hurt me. I won't tell anyone who you are. I get wanting to have a normal life but... I can't be with you, Stefan._

 _:_

 _"_ _Stefan...I don't care. I want to risk the hurt and all the bad stuff. And that's because of... how I feel about you." Stefan turns around slowly tears in his eyes he then quickly walks over to her and kisses her._

 _:_

 _Buffy picks up the old looking photo only to see herself and Elena. Except the photo was not of Buffy and Elena, as Buffy looks at the bottom she spots where two names were written and the year. 'Mary and Katherine 1864'_

 _:_

 _Damon chuckles slightly then looks at her seriously "You saved my life."_ _  
_ _"I know."_ _  
_ _"Why?"_ _  
_ _Buffy looks over at Damon "Well, 1- I like having people owe me favours. Which by the way, you now owe me like 5 favours."_

 _:_

 _"I was perfectly polite." Damon turns to Buffy "Buffy...would you like to dance?"_ _  
_ _Buffy smiles "Absolutely" Buffy turns to Stefan "You up for a dance?"_

 _:_

 _Damon shakes his head "I'm not trying to compel you. I just want you to answer me. Honestly."  
Buffy sighs and looks Damon in the eye "Yes."_

 _:_

 _Stefan sighs "Fine. I'll stay but you promise to be careful."_ _  
_ _Buffy smiles "Always."_ _  
_ _Stefan hugs her "I love you." He tells her._ _  
_ _"I love you too."_

 _:_

 _Buffy turns to Isobel "Here's what I'm not getting if you don't care then why take the risk when you told Elena to get me to get the device off Damon. How did you know he was going to give it to me?"_ _  
_ _Isobel turns to Buffy "Cause he's in love with you."_

 _:_ _  
_ _Buffy hears movement behind her and turns around to see Mary and Katherine watching her intently. "You must be Buffy." Mary says._

 _:_

 _Stefan tries to protest but Buffy cuts in off "No. Listen to me I will not let you do this by yourself. It's you and me. We can make it through anything." Stefan nods slowly then takes her hand in his and brings the finger to his lips. After a moment he pulls away and Buffy smiles "See. Not so bad."_ _  
_ _Stefan smiles at her then leans forward kissing her._

 _:_

 _Buffy pulls away after a moment and looks at Jeremy "She's going to pay, Elena." Jeremy assures his crying sister, before looking over at Buffy._ _  
_ _Buffy shakes her head "Yes, but first... She's going to suffer. I'm gonna make sure she begs for death."_ _  
_ _"Buffy." Elena says softly as she turns to her cousin._ _  
_ _Buffy backs away "No, Jer's right. Bitch is gonna pay. I'm gonna make sure of it."_

 _:_

 _"I know what you're going to say." Stefan says sadly, hoping she won't continue._ _  
_ _Buffy walks closer so she is standing in front of him "Then you gotta let me say it. I lose myself in you, constantly. And I know that's how it's supposed to be when you love someone, but... because of who I am...I can't be selfish anymore. I can't risk losing anyone else. So it has to be over."_

 _:_

 _Katherine takes the stake out of Damon's hand but Buffy grabs her and smashes her against the wall again "Jer, check on Elena now!"_ _  
_ _"Let's all make sure poor Elena is ok."_ _  
_ _:_

 _Buffy moves and pulls Elena up "Come on, we gotta go."_ _  
_ _Suddenly though Trevor appears behind Elena and hold her tightly cutting off, her oxygen supply "Move and she dies."_ _  
_ _Buffy freezes and hold up her hands in surrender_

 _:_

 _Buffy shakes her head "I don't know but Elena, listen to me. You have to get out of here."_ _  
_ _Elena shakes her head panicked "What? No. I'm not gonna leave you here. They'll kill you."_ _  
_ _"You don't know that. But I can handle myself. Elena, you need to run, whoever is coming is coming for you, so I need you to run."_

 _:_

 _"Well, we have a long journey ahead. We should be going." Elijah says to Elena._ _  
_ _"Elijah, there's more..." Rose starts._ _  
_ _"No!" Elena screams "Leave my cousin out of this. Please."_

 _:_

 _Elijah moves closer so he is standing right in front of Buffy, he slowly pulls the duck tape from her mouth, the moment he does Buffy turns to Trevor and Rose "I swear to God, if anything happens to my cousin, just because he lets you go doesn't mean I will."_

 _:_

 _"Elena!" Buffy screams, she pulls on the chains and manages to pull them from the wall, the moment she does she runs at Elijah and tackles him to the ground. Elijah throws her off and slams Buffy against the wall "Where is it?"_

 _:_

 _Buffy takes a deep breath "If I had just stayed dead after the Master...maybe none of this would be happening, it's my fault. My entire life everyone around me has died and it's not anyone else, it's me. I'm the problem." Buffy feels tears begin to fall and Stefan pulls her into a hug holding her tightly._

 _:_

 _Buffy turns to Elena "Then do me a favour and move your ass. Because right now your decisions are really causing me to question how many times I'm gonna have to save your life every week."_ _  
_ _"You're not listening to me, Buffy. I don't want to be saved. Not if it means Klaus kills everyone we love and he finds out about you."_

 _:_

 _"You guys are wrong, you don't need to protect me." Elena tells them._ _  
_ _"I'm with Buffy on this Elena." Bonnie tells her "We're not gonna let you get used in some creepy sacrifice ritual. And we're not gonna let Buffy be forced into becoming some psycho's Queen slash prisoner."_

 _:_

 _The two sit together quietly for a moment before Elena gets to the reason she came in here "I brought you a present."_ _  
_ _Buffy raises an eyebrow "My birthday is not for 2 weeks, why-?"_ _  
_ _Elena sighs "It's not that kind of present. Look I'll explain how tomorrow cause I'm guessing you're gonna be pretty pissed. But take tonight."_

 _:_

 _Buffy giggled before turning to face to shirtless Stefan, she then leans up and kisses him. As they pull away Stefan smiles "Good morning."_ _  
_ _:_

 _Damon walks out of the room and Buffy follows him "She's dying, isn't she?"_ _  
_ _Damon nods "Probably. The wolf bite caused some kind of infection. It's getting worse. Sooner she dies, the better. It's gloomy as hell in here. So get your cousin to actually do something useful for once and watch her."_

 _:_

 _Buffy!" Elena yells._ _  
_ _Buffy shoots up "Elena what's wrong?"_ _  
_ _"It's Rose." Elena explains completely panicked and terrified "Something's wrong with her. She thinks I'm Katherine and she-she-she's trying to kill me."_

 _:_

 _"_ _Ever since Mary's little secret spill you deny everything, you deny that you're full of rage and grief." Damon pauses "Go home. There's been enough doom and gloom and personal growth for one day. And I would really rather get through this day without you threatening to kill me again."_ _  
_ _Buffy sighs and picks up her bag "No problem." She is about to walk past Damon but she freezes, slowly she wraps her arms around him and gives him a hug. A few minutes later she pulls away "Goodnight Damon."_

 _:_

 _"Happy Birthday!" Elena, Jenna and Jeremy yell as they enter Buffy's room._ _  
_ _Buffy moans "No! Go way." She says pulling the sheet back over her head._

 _:_

 _"Somebody, please help me!" Buffy screams as she runs._ _  
_ _Suddenly someone grabs her from behind and covers her mouth "Shh."_ _  
_ _Buffy looks up to see Damon "Dam..."_

 _:_

 _The moment Kralik is gone Buffy runs back over to Jeremy "Are you okay?" She asks him as she pulls at the ropes._ _  
_ _"Yeah fine. What the hell was that?"_ _  
_ _:_

 _Buffy looks at him confused but he smiles at her softly before knocking on the door, through the window Buffy see Caroline, Bonnie and Elena appear "We're gonna slumber it." Elena tells her._ _  
_ _Buffy's eyes widen and tears fill her eyes "Thank you." She whispers to Stefan._

 _:_

 _Buffy nods "He let it slip. He's all miserable and with the terrible guilty feelings."_ _  
_ _Jenna raises an eyebrow "Is this some kind of disguised attempt to cheer me up?"_ _  
_ _Elena shakes her head "No. No, this is about us girls hanging out. And, you know, we'll be here if you happen to want to talk, or..."_

 _:_

 _"I have the power to save you! Both of you!" Bonnie says "If I don't use it and something happens to either of you, it would kill me more."_ _  
_ _Buffy shakes her head as tears threaten to fall "You can't-I can't let you."_ _  
_ _Bonnie looks between her two best friends "Just answer one question—if the situation was reversed, would you guys do it for me?"_

 _:_

 _Buffy shakes her head "True. But I'm sure Rick won't mind a couple broken bones and bruises if it means I kicked your ass."_ _  
_ _Klaus smiles at her "You know this was not how I envisioned us meeting."_

 _:_

 _At that moment Damon steps into the hallway "Where's Bonnie?" Elena asks him._ _  
_ _"She's doing what she has to do." He tells her._ _  
_ _Buffy's eyes widen "Where is she?" She hisses._ _  
_ _"Buffy—"_

 _:_

 _Suddenly the room goes dark and Klaus disappears, Buffy kicks down the doors sending them flying across the room then runs over to Bonnie and crouches down next to her "Bonnie?"_ _  
_ _Elena runs over and starts to search for a pulse, she looks up at Stefan in a panic "Stefan! Stefan! I can't find her pulse!"_ _  
_ _Buffy's mouth falls open and her lip begins to tremble "No." She cries "No. No." She begs as tears begin to fall._

 _:_

 _Buffy shakes her head "You knew! You knew it would kill her if she used that much power didn't you?"  
"Yes." Damon says without a moment's hesitation "Yes, I knew."  
Buffy glares at him then sends a full strength punch at his face sending him flying across the room._

 _:_

 _"Apology accepted." Damon says with a smile before looking at her seriously "Let me be clear about something. If it comes down to you and the witch again, I will gladly let Bonnie die, I will let Elena die if it comes to that. I will always choose you."_ _  
_ _Buffy watches him for a few moments before sighing "Goodnight, Damon."_ _  
_ _"Goodnight." He says before watching her leave the room._

 _:_

 _"Jenna, thank God." Buffy breaths as she enters the living room at the boarding house, she tries to step towards her but Jenna backs away "No."_ _  
_ _Buffy looks down at her sadly "I'm so sorry. I didn't want this to happen."_

 _:_

 _"_ _This is my choice, I don't care what happens to me, as long as Elena lives, this is the only hope I have."_ _  
_ _Damon tilts his head "I can't lose you."_ _  
_ _Buffy sighs "You won't._

 _:_

 _"_ _Please, I don't want you getting hurt." She then leans up and kisses him softly "I love you."  
He looks down at her sadly tears in his eyes "I love you." He says back before kissing her one last time._

 _Buffy takes a deep breath "Close your eyes." She tells him, Stefan hesitates but slowly does; she steps away removing her hand from his and takes Elena's hand before moving towards Klaus._

 _:_

 _Both cousins, then watch as Klaus drives a stake through Jenna's heart "No! Jenna!" both girls scream, Buffy pulls at the chains, again and again, trying to get to her but collapses and lets tears overcome her._

 _:_

 _Buffy screams as Klaus grabs onto Elena and bites her "No! No!" Buffy screams as Klaus drains Elena's blood, once he is done Buffy watches in horror as Elena's body falls._

 _:_

 _Jeremy turns to leave the room "Jeremy..." Buffy says stopping him in his tracks, Jeremy turns to the blonde "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry you've lost so many people."_ _  
_ _Jeremy gives them both a small smile "I still have you two."_

 _:_

 _Damon's breathing begins to get weaker "I know you love Stefan. And it will always be Stefan. But I love you. You should know that." Buffy sniffles slightly and lets the tears fall "I do."_ _  
_ _"You should have met me in 1864." Damon tells her "You would have liked me."_ _  
_ _Buffy looks up at him "The way you are now, your jackass self, is exactly how I like you." Buffy hesitates but slowly leans in and places a small kiss to his lips._

 _:_

 _Buffy refuses to watch as Mary bleeds to death and quickly walks over to Stefan, she strokes his head "I love you." She whispers "Goodbye."_ _She says, her lips shaking as she places a small kiss to his lips._

Buffy gasps and blinks several times, turning to look at Elena she lets out a small breath of joy "Elena?" She stutters.  
Elena's eyes widen, filling with tears she looks at her cousin "Buffy? You remember?"  
Buffy nods her head happily before hugging her cousin tightly, it felt like it had been so long since she had seen her, it had felt like a lifetime "I remember everything." Elena smiles brightly as tears roll down her cheeks, as the two cousins embrace Buffy takes a deep breath, "I didn't want to do this before I got my memory back."  
Elena frowns at that and pulls away from Buffy in utter confusion "Do what? Buffy?"

Buffy glances back over at the edge of the tower before turning back to Elena and smiling sadly.  
Elena's eyes widen in panic, there was no way in hell she was going to let this happen "Buffy, no, no way..."

"Elena please..." Buffy begs her as she speaks "...Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen. I love you, I will always love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles..." Buffy pauses trying to figure out what exactly should be said to him "...tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends. And go home. You are my sister and I need you away from the Hellmouth and safe. Tell Stefan I love him and I'm sorry." Elena shakes her head refusing "Elena, You have to take care of each other, our friends, you and Jeremy. You have to be strong...The hardest thing is this world...is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."

Elena shakes her head as tears roll down her cheek "No!" Elena yells "You are not doing this! You will not die for me!"  
Buffy takes a shaky breath before closing her eyes "I love you. I'm sorry." She says before punching Elena in the face, not hard enough to seriously hurt her just enough to knock her unconscious.

"Buffy!" A voice exclaims as footsteps approach.  
Buffy turns away from the portal and her eyes widen as she spots Stefan running to the stop level.

Buffy freezes as she turns to face him, things were so fresh now that she had her memories back "Stefan." She breaths out drawing his attention away from the knocked out Elena.  
Stefan frowns "What happened?" He asks gesturing to Elena, he turns to Buffy only to freeze as he spots the empty vial on the ground.  
"Did you..." He starts to ask only to be cut off as Buffy runs over to him and kisses him passionately.  
He wraps his arms around her waist tightly as she wraps her arms around his shoulders kissing him strongly.  
Slowly he pulls away and cups her face in his hands "You remember?"

She smiles happily and nods taking his hands in her "I loved you." She tells him as a sad look crosses her face "I just didn't know." Looking into his eyes she places a hand on his cheek "I still love you...but this is the work I have to do."  
Stefan frown in confusion but leans in as she kisses him once more.

He turns his head as he hears Damon running up the tower only to gasp in pain as he feels a sharp object impale him.  
Gasping he turns to spot Buffy holding the knife that Elena's had been stabbed with.  
She pushes him away leaving the knife in his gut.  
As he falls his eyes widen as he spots Buffy running towards the portal.

"NO!" Elena screams as she wakes only to spot Buffy leaping from the tower into the energy.

Damon gets to the top of the tower only to freeze as he spots Buffy leap off the tower "Buffy!" Stefan and Damon yell as they watch the energy surround Buffy before it disappears leaving Buffy's body to crash to the ground below.

* * *

"Elena, stop!" Stefan calls as Elena runs down the stairs as fast as she can ignoring the blood dripping from her stomach.  
Climbing down the last two steps she freezes as what she sees, Spike was crying on the ground, Xander and Giles were both staring at Buffy in shock and misery while Willow was in bits.

As Elena's eyes fall in Buffy she gasps "No." She breathes out as she runs towards her cousin "No!" Elena cries as she crouches down by Buffy's head and lifts her cousin's head into her lap.  
"No, you are not dead." Elena insists as she shakes Buffy "You are not dead!" She cries as she collapses on Buffy's chest crying badly.

Elena shakes her head as tears roll down her cheeks, "Elena." Xander says softly as he bends down next to her.  
He tries to help her stand but she pushes him away "Where's Bonnie? Willow, Bonnie!?"  
"Elena." Bonnie tries as tears roll down her own cheeks, Buffy was one of her best friends and she was barely holding it together.

"Bring her back!" Elena yells as she stands and pushes Xander away from her "Bring her back! She can't be dead...I can't...she can't be dead." Stefan who had tears rolling down his eyes tries to move towards her but she steps away "NO!" She screams "She can't be dead!"  
Damon sighs before glancing down at Buffy momentarily before turning to Elena "She is dead Elena."

Elena starts shaking violently, as she starts hyperventilating she shakes her head and glances down at her cousin "Why are we supposed to do?!" She yells, making everyone sigh she was losing it completely "She can't be dead, there's no room in the Summers or Gilbert Family plots, Jenna and John took the last spots!"  
"Elena, stop." Xander tries as he steps closer and places his hands on her shoulder.

Elena pushes him away again "There's nothing here for me anymore Xander! Everyone I loved has died, she wasn't supposed to. My mom, my dad, Joyce, Jenna, John even John, they're all dead. Everyone is dead. She isn't supposed to die! She is all I have left!"

Xander sighs glancing back at Stefan and Damon neither of them looked in the headspace to deal with this, "Elena...I need you to calm down." Xander tries but she shakes her head and collapses on her knees by Buffy's body sobbing uncontrollably.  
"No, no, no I can't, I can't—I can't—I can't-I can't. No! It hurts, it hurts, just make it stop, please make it stop. please make it stop, It hurts."  
As Elena continues to sob Xander bends down and hugs her letting her hold onto him as she sobbed.

Stefan glances over at Elena as she breaks down before his eyes fall on Buffy, taking a deep breath he closes his eyes, she was dead. He had nothing left anymore.

* * *

One Week Later – Mystic Falls

In the middle of the forest off the beaten path, in a place hidden away where no one would find it stood a group of people.  
Jeremy, Elena, Bonnie, Matt, Caroline, Tyler, Rick as well as Damon and Stefan stood in the middle of the forest looking at a grave.

Caroline steps forward and places a bed of red roses on the grave sobbing violently as she does, slowly she walks back over to Tyler who hugs her tightly as she cries.

Matt then steps forward and looks down at the grave miserably before placing a cue cube tip tool next to the flowers, he takes a shaky breath before placing a hand on the grave. After a long moment, he backs away allowing Rick to step forward.

Rick stares at the grave miserably blinking back tears, it killed him what had happened and that he hadn't been there to help. When Elena had come back accompanied by Buffy's friends she had not spoken merely continued to cry as she went over to Jeremy.  
Rick pulls out the stake Buffy had given him and placed it on her grave before backing away slowly, he places a hand on Jeremy's shoulder comforting the boy who was close to breaking down.

Jeremy steps forwards, with a shaky breath he looks down at the grave before placing the bracelet that she had given him on the grave.

Finally Bonnie and Elena step forward, clutching onto each other they move towards the grave, Bonnie holds up several feathers letting them fall onto the gave while Elena clutches onto a photo of herself, Buffy, Bonnie and Caroline. She begins sobbing violently as she places the photo on the grave. Caroline runs forward and holds onto Bonnie and Elena as the three of them sob violently together.

Stefan and Damon stay back and watch, allowing the humans to have their final moments with Buffy.

Jeremy takes a shaky breath before raising a small bell "We ring this bell, in honour of Buffy. A remembrance for her." Jeremy shakes the bell before placing it back down "Buffy was our family. Our friend. She was a hero."

"She saved the world a lot." Rick finishes as a tear drops down his cheek "She was a hero, a pure heart. She was a selfless, brave, strong, kind woman. And the world will never be the same without her."  
Elena smiles slightly at Rick before hugging her brother tightly as they look at their cousin's grave.

 _Buffy Anne Summers_

 _1992 – 2012_

 _Beloved Sister_

 _Devoted Friend_

 _She saved the world a lot_

Hours passed and slowly everyone left leaving only Stefan, Damon, Jeremy and Elena. Elena wouldn't speak, she couldn't, all she felt was guilt, her cousin was dead because of her, she felt like she couldn't breathe without her.  
Jeremy holds onto his sister before glancing at Stefan "The Buff-bot?" He asks.  
Stefan sighs "Sunnydale. They can't let anyone know she's gone. The Hellmouth would be overrun, so for now. Now one can know."

"It's not fair." Elena hisses "She's gone and we can't even have a proper funeral for her. It's not fair to her." Elena says before glancing at the grave once more, slowly she nods at Jeremy and the two of them turn and leave.

Once the two siblings were out of earshot Damon turns to his brother, when they had arrived back in Mystic Falls Stefan had destroyed every room in the house before breaking down in tears.  
Damon clenches his jaw refusing to let emotion show as he turned to his broken brother "What now?"

"Excellent question." A voice that wasn't Stefan's says from behind them.

Stefan and Damon's eyes both widen as they turn to spot Klaus walking towards them.  
Stefan growls and runs towards Klaus, he jumps at him but Klaus merely tosses him away.  
When Damon tries Klaus runs him through the stomach with a large tree branch.

Both brother glare up at Klaus, her death with his fault. He had known what was going to happen the whole time and he had let her die.

"I'm not here to fight." Klaus tells them as he moves over to stand in front of Buffy's grave.  
Stefan growls at him as he helps his brother "There's is nothing here for you Klaus."

Klaus merely laughs slightly before bending down in front of Buffy's grave "You have no idea."  
Klaus' hand hovers over the letters on the grave before he stands and turns back to the brother "You remember when Buffy had that little trip to the hospital..."  
Both brother's freeze, Stefan's eyes widening as Klaus speaks.  
Klaus smirks at them both "Ever wonder why she healed so quickly. Let me put it this way I am very good at sneaking in and out of places unnoticed."

Stefan shakes his head, it wasn't possible Buffy had been gone over a week, a painfully long week.  
Klaus smirks as he notices the confused look on Stefan's face "She already had my blood in her system she just needed a touch-up."  
Damon rolls his eyes before glancing down at his healing stomach "If she was a vampire she would have risen already."

"She's not a vampire." Klaus tells them making both brothers even more confused "What she is, is so much more. It takes longer because she's the Slayer. The Powers will be fighting it, trying to keep her in Valhalla; they won't want another immortal creature on this earth. Anyway someone with that much power...well their body needs time to adjust. She is dead. For now." Klaus smirks "A Slayer who has experienced death, she needed the experience the whole of it, that's the prophecy, she needed to die go to the afterlife. And now she needs to experience...resurrection."

Stefan and Damon glance at each other in shock, what he's saying couldn't be true, the two of them turn and look at the coffin, there was nothing however as they listened carefully they could hear a heartbeat. It was fast pounding like a terrified rabbit.

Stefan's eyes widen "Buffy." He breaths just as a small female hand comes crashing out of the grave.


	85. Highway To Hell - Part 1

**A/N:** _I'm Back!  
Hi everyone here we go with the our next season.  
This season our Buffy is going to be a little darker, we will watch her struggle with controlling her new strength, with learning what she is. She will deal with new villains and finally that pesky connection between her and Klaus will come into play.  
_ _New heartbreak to come, new romances and all new struggles so stick with me because there is a whole lot of drama coming your way.  
_ _Hope you all enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think and what your hopes for this season are._

 _Here we go..._

* * *

Previously on Buffy's New Home

 _Buffy glances back over at the edge of the tower before turning back to Elena and smiling sadly.  
Elena's eyes widen in panic, there was no way in hell she was going to let this happen "Buffy, no, no way..."_

 _"Elena please..." Buffy begs her as she speaks "...Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen. I love you, I will always love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles..." Buffy pauses trying to figure out what exactly should be said to him "...tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends. And go home. You are my sister and I need you away from the Hellmouth and safe. Tell Stefan I love him and I'm sorry." Elena shakes her head refusing "Elena, You have to take care of each other, our friends, you and Jeremy. You have to be strong...The hardest thing is this world...is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."_

 _She smiles happily and nods taking his hands in her "I loved you." She tells him as a sad look crosses her face "I just didn't know." Looking into his eyes she places a hand on his cheek "I still love you...but this is the work I have to do."_ _  
_ _Stefan frown in confusion but leans in as she kisses him once more._

 _"NO!" Elena screams as she wakes only to spot Buffy leaping from the tower into the energy._

 _"_ _Elena...I need you to calm down." Xander tries but she shakes her head and collapses on her knees by Buffy's body sobbing uncontrollably._ _  
_ _"No, no, no I can't, I can't—I can't—I can't-I can't. No! It hurts, it hurts, just make it stop, please make it stop. please make it stop, It hurts."_

 _Klaus smirks "A Slayer who has experienced death, she needed the experience the whole of it, that's the prophecy, she needed to die go to the afterlife. And now she needs to experience...resurrection."_

 _Stefan and Damon glance at each other in shock, what he's saying couldn't be true, the two of them turn and look at the coffin, there was nothing however as they listened carefully they could hear a heartbeat. It was fast pounding like a terrified rabbit._

 _Stefan's eyes widen "Buffy." He breaths just as a small female hand comes crashing out of the grave._

* * *

Valhalla 

On a beautiful island where the sky was an unbelievable blue and the mountains oversaw the most stunning view of the horizon, were warriors, hundreds of them, the best fighters from the beginning of time.  
All of them were fighting, training with each other while still enjoying the benefits of this world, a world where there was no war, no violence merely warriors receiving their gifts for the work they had done.

Among the many warriors was a small blonde, her hair was in plates all the way down to her waist, she was stood on the edge of one of the many beautiful mountains soaking up the beauty of it all. It was so peaceful, more so than she could have ever imagined, for the first time in so long she felt good, she felt at peace. The promise of peace was right.

"Buffy." A soft voice says from behind her, Buffy turns and smiles as she spots her mother heading towards her "You've been spending a lot of time here."  
Buffy smiles and stabs her sword into the ground "I like it here. It's more than I ever thought it would be...I feel so..." She pauses unable to find the words to express what this place made her feel.  
Joyce smiles and places her hands on her daughter's shoulders "At peace." She finishes "It's because you're a warrior, you're soul belongs here. But you do now that you don't have to spend your every moment here."  
Buffy chuckles slightly and leans her head on her mother's shoulder before taking a deep breath "Just one more...then I'll head back."  
Joyce shakes her head in amusement before stepping back and cupping her daughter's cheek's in her hands "My dear Buffy...I sometimes wonder how I had a daughter with such a strong heart." She kisses her daughter's cheek before backing away "Have fun."

Buffy smiles before grabbing her sword, she turns back to the other previous Slayers who were all waiting for her to take her turn. Buffy takes a deep breath before looking over at Kendra and nodding "I'm ready."  
Kendra smirks before nodding at the other Slayers, the girls all raise their bows and arrows while Kendra raises a spear aiming it towards the blonde.

As Kendra launches the spear towards Buffy, the blonde leaps up her body flipping through the air as she flies over the spear before she lands back on her feet.

Suddenly Kendra runs at her swinging her sword, Buffy ducks and rolls across the floor before pulling the shield off her back and launching it upwards towards one of the Slayers who was pulling back an arrow.  
Buffy then grabs the rope off the ground and swings it towards the Slayer, she watches as the rope wraps around the girl's ankle, once she was sure it was wrapped around her properly Buffy yanks on the rope causing the Slayer to topple to the ground.

* * *

Our World - Mystic Falls, Virginia

Stefan walks into his bedroom after the flight and as he stands in the doorway he freezes, despite the fact that she hadn't stepped foot in this room in 2 years he could still feel her prescience. She was everywhere, from the clothes in the spare draw to the pillow on her side of the bed, he could still feel her here.

Buffy.

He closed his eyes remembering what it had felt like to wake up with her, his arm wrapped around her waist as he held her close. He remembered the way she would always try and hide her morning hair by kissing him hoping to distract him not that he had minded.  
But now...not she was gone.  
In a few hours she would be nothing more than another body in the ground...but she wasn't just another body in the ground...she was Buffy...his Buffy...the woman he loved...the woman he had fought to keep his humanity for.

He clenches his jaw taking a shaky breath as the reality of the situation hit him, she was gone and this time there would be no searching. There would be speaking to contacts in hopes of finding her...because she was just gone. She had sacrificed herself to save the world. Again.  
Stefan shakes his head and water begins filling his eyes, why did it always have to be her, why did it have to be her who died?

He moves closer into the room as thoughts continue to plague him, he could have stopped her, but he had been too overwhelmed by the fact that she had remembered him. That she had still loved him despite everything. He had stupidly let that joy make him forget about the danger they were in...he should have seen the knife, should have recognised the look in her eyes. It was the same look she had the day she gave herself over to Klaus, the look that said she knew that there was no other choice.

Suddenly he slams his hands on his table shattering it in two, he felt like he couldn't breath, like he was suffocating. He pulls at the end of his hair before kicking the remains of the table into the bookshelves causing them to shatter and all the items on them to crash to the ground.  
Stefan yells loudly finally allowing himself to scream as tears roll down his face, she was gone, the love of his life was gone, it felt like he was dying inside, right when he had gotten her back he had lost her all over again.

He slams his hand into the nearby wall and rips out large chucks of the concrete as he rips his hand back out, he ignores the brief pain and repeats the action over and over again, hoping to feel anything other than agony.  
He growls slightly and grabs the next bookshelf before launching it out of the window.

As the glass shatters Stefan takes a breath and stares at the remains of his room before collapsing onto the ground. He drops to his knees and merely sits there until something catches his eyes, the photo that had been on his desk. It was of him and Buffy on their one-year anniversary.  
He stares at the image of her, he couldn't understand how someone so strong and kind and selfless could be taken from this world. He shakes his head, his heart broken in two, she was gone, there would be no getting her back this time, how was he supposed to live in a world without her.

* * *

Klaus wipes the dust from the coffin before standing above it for a moment, it was time to wake her, she would be the most temperamental of all his siblings so waking her first made sense, it would take longer to convince her to forgive him. Plus with the Salvatore boy around she may be more willing to forgive him for his past misdeeds, or at least he was hoping she would be.

Taking a deep breath he pulls open the coffin and stares down at his sister, still in her white dress from the 20's, the dagger poking out from her chest where it had been resting for 90 years.  
Klaus hesitates slightly, she was not going to be lovely when she woke, angry and vengeful yes, but lovely no.

Sighing he grasps the dagger and slowly pulls it from her chest, it would be quite some time before she woke, plenty of time for him to go and collect his Slayer. That group of hers should be having her pitiful excuse for a funeral right about now, which meant he needed to get to work.

Turning away from the coffin he leaves the dagger on the side before making his way to the next room where one of his witches was waiting.  
The witch who was currently standing in the middle of the room by the table where a dead human male laid turns to Klaus as he slices open the man's wrists letting his blood fall to the ground.  
"I thought you were sacrificing Bambi." Klaus says with a chuckle as he moves into the room.  
The witch rolls his eyes "As I cannot be at her grave myself I need a larger sacrifice, this..." He says raising a photo of Buffy as well as her necklace "...will have to be used in place of her."

The witch moves around the table before picking up the Urn of Osiris and grabbing the dead man's wrist letting his blood drip inside of it before he crouched down in front of the picture of Buffy and her necklace.  
Klaus watches for a moment before rolling his eyes "How long is this going to take? I've things to do."  
The witch opens one eye and sighs "Perhaps if you hadn't allowed her to be buried in a coffin this would go quicker."  
Klaus groans, he hadn't exactly had the opportunity to steal Buffy's body at any point since her death, with those Witches and the Salvatore's watching her like a hawk.

"Osiris, keeper of the gate..." His witch mumbles as he wipes the human blood over his face "...all fate, hear me. Before time and after, before knowing and nothing..."  
As he speaks his voice grows deeper and he begins growling more "Accept my offering. Know my prayer..."

Klaus chuckles in amusement as cuts begin to appear on his witch's arms, it was working, the tests had began, the only way he would have enjoyed this moment more is if Marianna herself was the one suffering through these trails.  
"Osiris! Here lies the warrior of the people! Let her cross over!"

The witch groans in agony as bumps begin rising under his skin, the size of large beetles, which were racing around his arms.  
"Go!" He tells Klaus "It won't be long now."

* * *

Valhalla

Buffy smirks before turning back to Kendra "Dey you really think you can beat me, Buffy?"  
"I think I can." Buffy says with a small smirk of her own as the two stand face to face, they both stay still for a moment before Buffy swings her sword out, Kendra side steps out of the way while Buffy quickly drops to her knees and spins her leg around.  
Standing back up she raises her sword blocking the blow from Kendra before shoving her fellow Slayer backwards.

Kendra runs at her and Buffy steps out of the way raising her sword to the side to block the blow, twirling the sword she forces Kendra's away before she spins around swinging her sword towards the brunette.  
Kendra blocks the blow and then swings the sword at Buffy's head, but the blonde spots it and ducks before dropping to her knees once more and attempting to take Kendra's legs out.

Quickly standing back up she comes up behind Kendra and swings her sword again and as it makes contact with Kendra's Buffy raises her leg kicking the other Slayer in the stomach.  
When Kendra stumbles Buffy swings her leg again this time kicking the sword from Kendra's grasp, the piece of metal crashes to the ground causing Buffy to grin before she points the sharp end of her sword at Kendra's throat.  
Kendra raises her hands before smiling "I see you did improve then." She says with a small chuckle, her accent still as thick as when she had been alive.

Buffy smiles before hugging her friend, as she pulls away she watches as the other Slayer's approach her, it was all of them here, not one girl in the world, but many of them, a community of strong women who thought to protect each other.  
Buffy smiles, this was right, she knew it, this was how it was supposed to be, all of them as one unit, having fun and working together...if only it had been like this back there.

"Honey you ready?" Joyce asks as she appears from behind Nicky who was moving towards Kendra.

Buffy smiles at her friends once more before making her way towards her mother, she takes her mother's hand and the two of them slowly move towards the light that would take them back to the main land.  
However just as they were about to reach the light it was snuffed out, filling with darkness.

Buffy's eyes widen as suddenly the land of light fills with darkness and thunder fills the land. This wasn't possible, darkness had never been able to reach this place, it was beyond such things.  
"Mom...what's happening?" Buffy asks in a panic, she didn't understand, non of this should be possible, yet here they were watching as the sun was filled with darkness and bright flashes of lightning filled the land.

Joyce turns to her daughter in a panic and cups her cheeks in her hands "Buffy, listen to me there isn't a lot of time..." Buffy shakes her head in confusion and turns to her friends only to see them all running for cover, something was wrong, something horrible was about to happen, she could sense it, so she knew they could too. But she just didn't know what, non of this made sense, she was so confused.

"Buffy!" Joyce yells over the thunder trying to draw her daughter's attention "Buffy, you need to listen to me!"  
Buffy turns back to her mother and clutches onto her arms "Mom...wh—what's happening?"  
Joyce looks at her daughter sadly before tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear "Buffy, honey...I love you...I always will...but it seems like the world is not ready for you to be here..."  
Buffy frowns in confusion "Wh—what?"  
"You're leaving. I don't know how but you are."

Buffy's eyes widen, she didn't want to leave, she was happy here, she was finally at peace after all the hurt and the pain, she couldn't leave, she wouldn't "No! I don't want to...I'm—I'm not done...I don't understand...I don't want to leave you..." She whispers the last part, her voice breaking as she speaks. She didn't want to do this, she couldn't go back to a world where her mother wasn't, she just couldn't, she wouldn't survive without her.

"Buffy, you are so strong." Joyce tells her as she takes Buffy's hand and holds it against her heart "You're heart is strong enough to handle this...but you are going back, now..."  
Buffy shakes her head as tears roll down her cheeks "No...no...it's not enough time..." She gasps out the words as she begins sobbing "We...we haven't had enough time together...this is supposed to be our peace. I was supposed to be finished."  
"The world needs you once again." Joyce tells her sadly before wiping the tears from her cheeks "One day we will be together again, all of us, but Buffy I need you to promise me something."

Buffy takes a shaky breath but nods, she was too much of an emotional wreck to speak right now "Okay..." Joyce says softly "Whatever you do...I need you to be strong, temptation is going to be more difficult for you than ever...and you will give in at some point...but you must always fight back for what you believe in. Because you are good and no matter what...remember I love you."  
Buffy takes a deep breath before hugging her mom tightly and tucking her head into the crook of her mother's shoulder "I love you too."

Suddenly an strong force forces Buffy off her feet and out of her mother's arms, as she crashes to the ground she rolls against the grass before looking up at her mom in a panic, she didn't want to leave, she wanted to stay with her "Mom!"  
Buffy groans in agony as her body begins moving against it's own will, her legs begin hovering off the ground and she stabs the two knifes attached to her arms into the ground as she tries to keep herself grounded here. She wouldn't go without a fight.

"Buffy, don't fight it." Joyce says softly as she looks at her daughter sadly "Goodbye."  
Buffy's eyes widen in a panic as she feels herself begging to lose her grasp on the knifes "Noooo!"

* * *

Our World - Mystic Falls, Virginia 

Buffy gasps loudly as her eyes slam open only to be filled with darkness once more, she could barely see where she was...she couldn't understand anything...her vision was blurry and her mind cloudy.  
She attempts to move only to find herself trapped, this place, it was too small, too tight, she couldn't breath, she needed to be able to breath.  
She moves away and hits the small walls entrapping her, it was too much, she needed air, she needed to move.

Her breathing begins picking up causing her to hyperventilate, she was panicking, she didn't understand where she was...or why she was trapped in such a small space.  
She was feeling claustrophobic and she needed to escape...but she couldn't she was trapped.

She opens her mouth trying to scream for help as the horror of her situation hits her but no sound left her, her throat was too horse, she couldn't speak, she couldn't scream...she couldn't do anything.  
Her eyes widen in horror as the reality that she was going to suffocate hit her, she needed to get out of her. Grabbing onto the material of the box she pulls at it, attempting to rip it to shreds and to her surprise it rips easily. She doesn't acknowledge this as she continues to pull, her fear driving her to move faster.

Once the material had been torn to shreds and she feels the wood she starts thrusting her fist upwards into the wood. The wood splinters around her hand as she punches the top of the box again and again, desperate for escape.

Suddenly dirt and grass begins falling through the hole her fist had made, her eyes widen and she continues to pound on the wood till the hole was large enough for her to climb through.

* * *

"She's not a vampire." Klaus tells them making both brothers even more confused "What she is, is so much more. It takes longer because she's the Slayer. The Powers will be fighting it, trying to keep her in Valhalla; they won't want another immortal creature on this earth. Anyway someone with that much power...well their body needs time to adjust. She is dead. For now." Klaus smirks "A Slayer who has experienced death, she needed the experience the whole of it, that's the prophecy, she needed to die go to the afterlife. And now she needs to experience...resurrection."

Stefan and Damon glance at each other in shock, what he's saying couldn't be true, the two of them turn and look at the coffin, there was nothing however as they listened carefully they could hear a heartbeat. It was fast pounding like a terrified rabbit.  
Stefan's eyes widen "Buffy." He breaths just as a small female hand comes crashing out of the grave.

* * *

When she feels her hand finally reach the surface Buffy moves as fast as she can thrusting her other hand upward, when it reaches the surface she grabs onto a wet stringy surface, she couldn't remember what it was called but she didn't care.  
She pulls herself up through the ground and gasps loudly as she can finally take a breath of air, her body drops forward on the ground from exhaustion. She takes panicked breaths finally relishing in the oxygen before she pulls the rest of her body from the ground.

Grunting in pain and fear she climbs onto her knee and looks up, but nothing was clear, she couldn't process what was happening, or where she was. She could vaguely see three figures which only made her heart batter more against her chest in fear.

"Buffy." She hears one of the voices say but the noise was too much, it was too loud, it made her ears scream. She covers her ears and shakes her head, this wasn't right, she wasn't meant to be here.  
Slowly she stands on shaky legs and ignoring the figures she turns to the spot that had just had her entombed.

However as she does her eyes widen in horror as right behind the hole she had made during her escape was what looked like a tombstone but what horrified her more was the name. It was a grave...her grave.  
Buffy stares in horror before shaking her head, non of this made sense if she was supposed to be dead, then how was she here, living out her worse nightmare.  
She blinks for a moment a short memory filling her vision, of a place with light, and people who understood her, a place of peace.  
As she opens her eyes again she was back in the darkness with the three figures approaching her, they were a threat.  
This...this couldn't be real...she remembered...she had been ripped from her peace and placed here...this had to be Hell.  
It had to be because nothing else made sense.

Stefan and Damon continue to stare in shock, just a few moments ago she had been dead and now here she was, standing there like a traumatised rabbit, reading to pounce and run at any second.  
"What did you do?" Damon hisses at Klaus who merely smirks at them both before moving towards Buffy who backs away fearfully and hugs her arms around her stomach.  
"Nothing. My witch however...that's another story."

Buffy steps back as one of the figures move towards her, they were a threat, she could feel it. This was hell and these were the monsters sent to punish her.

Stefan's eyes widen as he watches Klaus approach Buffy.  
No.  
He wouldn't let Klaus take her again, he runs at Klaus and tackles him away from the blonde.  
"Damon!" Stefan grunts as Klaus punches him in the face causing him to crash into a tree "Get—her out of here."

Damon groans as he watches his brother get thrown around by Klaus but makes his way over to Buffy. He was in shock, here she was, breathing and moving. Her hair flowing halfway down her back as she continued to stare at them all fearfully.  
As much as he wanted to be happy that she was alive, he had almost killed Elena if Stefan hadn't stopped him he would have snapped her neck, but still despite his wanting to be happy the look on her face made him pause. It was pure agony and terror, he had never seen her so vulnerable not even on her 18th Birthday.  
"Buffy." He whispers softly as he moves over to her, being more delicate with her than he thought he could ever be with anyone, he was so scared that he would spook her.

Buffy spins her head away from the two figures rolling on the ground and turns to the tall man in front of her, she tried to register his voice but there was nothing, just a blanket of different noises, there was too much.  
She covers her ears and blinks back tears before glancing back over at him, he was still moving towards her.

"Buffy." Damon whispers softly only for her to back away again, he could see from her expression that she was confused and scared but why she kept clutching her ears was beyond him.  
Suddenly a hard body connects with his own causing them both to go rolling across the floor, as he blinks open his eyes he spots his brother lying beside him while Klaus merely chuckles.  
"I told you both once to get over her. You should have listened."  
Before either of them could so anything Klaus speeds over to Buffy lifting her into his arms and disappears into the darkness.

"No." Stefan breaths as he stands but it was too late he had taken her, she was gone.

* * *

The minute they stop Buffy pushes herself away from the creature that had taken her, desperately trying to escape from him. She steps away from him crouching against the wall letting her body drop to the ground as she buries her head in her knees while her body shakes violently.

Klaus watches the blonde for a moment before hesitantly approaching her, he crouches down in front of her "Buffy" He whispers softly causing her to look up at him with big green doe eyes.  
He smiles at her, trying to seem as unthreatening as possible, he didn't want to risk traumatising her any further.  
"My name is Niklaus. You can trust me."

Buffy continues to lean her head against the wall hoping for the man to go away, she wanted to be alone however, as he speaks she feels her stomach go into knots, there were was like an invisible thread between her and this man, a connection she couldn't shake. She blinks up at him with big eyes, her eyes were filled with confusion and she couldn't remember a lot.

"That's my girl." Klaus says with a grin as he moves to sit beside her, hesitantly he cups her cheek for the first time feeling that connection between them, he felt drawn to her "Trust me my dear. This is where you are meant to be."

Buffy tilts her head in confusion only for images of death and violence to fill her head. Of necks being snapped and hearts being ripped from people's chests.  
Her eyes widen as the memories hit her, this was Klaus, the man who had caused her family so much pain, "Klaus." She whispers, her throat still sore and rough.  
Klaus grins at her however the grin quickly falls as Buffy headbutts him in the face before speeding over the other side of the room.

As she hits the wall Buffy gasps, she had never moved that fast before, it wasn't possible, she wasn't supposed to move like a blur.  
She takes gasping breaths before turning to Klaus and staring at him in horror "What—what did...what did you do to me?"

Klaus takes a deep breath and stands, she way much stronger than he thought she would be, and faster, he couldn't help but smile, the power suited her.  
When she glares at him angrily he raises his hand "Buffy...you need to understand I am trying to help you."  
"Help me?! You did this to me!" She whispers before hitting her head on the wall repeatedly, she wanted to wake up, to go back to Valhalla, she didn't belong here, her body felt like it was trying to tear itself in two.

Klaus sighs, she needed time, time to rest, to adjust, if she was going to trust him then he needed to give her that "This is your room." He tells gesturing to the large room they were in "Rest. There are clothes in the nightstand, all your size. The rest of the house is still being constructed so stay in here for now."  
He groans before leaving the room shutting the metal door behind him.

Buffy stares at the door before collapsing on the ground, she stares at her bloody knuckles only to frown in confusion, she wipes her hands and the blood disappears, there were not cuts no wounds from when she had torn herself out of the grave, her knuckles were healed.

* * *

Damon downs his glass of bourbon before holding the glass in his hands as he stares at the fire in the fireplace, it wasn't possible but they had just seen it. Buffy had crawled her way out of her own grave, she was alive...but the question was what was she? Not a vampire. But from what Klaus had said she was powerful, more so than she had been before.  
Suddenly the image of Klaus running off with Buffy fills his brain and he launches the glass into the fire as a wave of fury fills him, she had been torn away from them again.

Stefan who was in the same state of fury and shock as his brother sits down on the couch trying to process what they had just seen, she was scared and hurt and god knows what Klaus had done to her.  
They needed to find her, they couldn't wait another year again.  
"She's alive." He whispers still needing to admit it out loud to himself, as happy as he was that she was alive and no longer trapped in some Hell Dimension like Willow had predicted he was still worried about her. Whatever had happened to her had caused some type of trauma, he had seen it all over her face, that being pilled on with crawling out of her own grave, she was scared and traumatised.

"What do you think Klaus did to her?" Damon asks as he paces the living room before coming to sit beside his brother.  
Stefan rubs his jaw, they couldn't be sure of anything, "I don't know...he said she's not a vampire but...we don't know what he turned her into."  
Suddenly a thought occurs, "We need to tell Elena."

* * *

Buffy stares at herself in the mirror in confusion, she had ignored the clothes Klaus had left for her...well if that even was the real Klaus. Whatever Hell Dimension this was it was using people she knew to torture her.  
She takes a gulp and raises a shaky hand running it through her hair, she didn't look dead, pale and sickly yes but not dead.  
She thought she would look dead.

Stepping away from the mirror she circles the room but a buzzing sound was causing her head to hurt painfully. It was too loud but she couldn't tell what it was coming from.  
She hisses slightly and covers her ears before looking around the room hoping to find out where this noise was coming from.  
Suddenly she spots it, the lamp in the corner of the room, walking over she grasps the bulb in her hand and shatters the glass finally silencing the buzzing noise.

 _"_ _Cute PJ's."_ A voice says from behind her causing her to gasp in fear, she grabs some of the broken glass and drops into a crouch only to frown as she spots Damon sat in the corner of the room staring off into the distance. She frowns in confusion, they were going to use more familiar faces to torture her, faces of the people she cared about.

 _"_ _What are you doing here?"_ A voice asks causing Buffy to frown in confusion, she steps forward only to spot herself, alive and human with bruises on her neck and a slight limp. The other her glances down at her yummy sushi pyjamas before turning back to Damon _"I'd really rather get some sleep. You know try and heal."  
_ _Damon nods "How's your shoulder?"_

Buffy frowns in confusion, none of this was real, this never happened, this didn't make any sense.

 _"Back in place, but hurts like hell. Don't change the subject."_ _The other Buffy tells him as she stares at him with a pointed gaze.  
Damon chuckles and stands "I brought you these." He says holding out two necklaces. "Thought you and your cousin would want them back."  
"Figured those be gone."_ _The other Buffy breathes stunned._

 _Damon shakes his head and places Elena's necklace on the table but keeps a hold of Buffy's "Thanks." Buffy says as she tries to take it back but Damon pulls it out of her reach "Damon, please give it back. I've already had one person going through my memories today, it's a painful experience, so I swear—"_  
 _Damon cuts her off "No. Look I just have to say something."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "And you need my necklace because?"  
Damon sighs "Look this may not make sense to you. But right now I just need to get this out. Because what I'm about to say is...probably the most selfish thing I've ever said in my life."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Damon, don't...don't do this."_

 _Damon steps closer to her "No. I just have to say it once. You just need to hear it. I love you, Buffy. And it's because I love you that...I can't be selfish with you. Why you can't know this. I don't deserve you...but my brother does." Damon steps closer again and places a soft kiss to her forehead as he pulls away he looks down at her sadly "God I wish you didn't have to forget this...but you do." As a tear falls Damon places the necklace around her neck and quickly heads out the window._

Buffy blinks and as she reopens her eyes herself and Damon were gone leaving her alone in the unfamiliar room again, she lets out a breath and shakes her head, that wasn't possible, that had never happened.  
She blinks again and rubs her sore head, this was all wrong, all of this was wrong.  
None of this was real, it was just her own personal hell, it had to be.

* * *

Buffy's Dress . /images/PzFLXf  
Buffy in Valhalla . /images/ba3qFh


	86. Chapter 86

Hey guys

Sorry this isn't an update but I just wanted to let you guys know this story is being uploaded onto Wattpad now and I've actually made some edits blending the two shows so if you wanna have a peek it's on there.

Also I will be creating a youtube channel soon where I will upload all the Buffy's New Home videos.

I'll let you lot know when it's up but please go onto Wattpad and leave some comments on what you think of the the Stefan/Buffy gifs I made.

xx

Lots of Love

Kitkat

story/117419151-buffy%27s-new-home

{If the link fails then just search for Buffy's New home on google and there will be a link there for it ;)}


	87. Sorry not an update

Hey everyone

Sorry this isn't an update just wanted to let you know I've started uploading videos for this story on my new Youtube channel so go check it out and comment letting me know what you think.

/TnY7FUo06cs

channel/UCGPVN01yfN71mocJ3FZ2-Zg

xoxo


	88. Highway To Hell - Part 2

Elena sits down unable to keep herself standing as Stefan reveals to all of them the truth of what had happened after the funeral.  
She couldn't believe it but she knew they weren't lying...Buffy was alive and she was out there alone...with Klaus.

"She's alive?" Jeremy asks again still in shock, this was all so insane, they had just buried her and now she was back, how could this even be possible?

Bonnie who was sat beside Caroline and Alaric looks up "The Urn of Osiris." She breaths.  
"What?" Elena asks her voice quiet and still rough from all the crying she had done over the past week.

Bonnie stands suddenly and shakes her head, she should have known this might happen, she should have known "Before Willow and the other's left two days ago. Willow told me something." Bonnie takes a deep breath and looks over at Jeremy and Elena who were watching her like hawks "She found a potential way to resurrect Buffy."  
Caroline frowns in confusion "Is that even possible? To bring someone back from the dead without vampire blood."  
"Apparently."

Damon lets out a breath, if she had known about a way to bring Buffy why hadn't they done it sooner, like before they buried her six feet underground "And you didn't mention this because..."  
"Because it's a strong spell." Bonnie tells them, "It causes the witch who casts it to go into the depths of darkness, it's the type of spell Mary would do. But Willow wanted to do it, but to do it she needed to find the last remaining Urn of Osiris but...it was missing, we were going to search for it but it was just gone...we didn't think Klaus had it."

Stefan runs a hand through his hair, they needed to understand what this spell had done to Buffy.  
Alaric beats him to the punch though "I've heard of Osiris, he's the keeper of the Gate."  
Elena frowns in confusion, what did that mean "The Gate?"  
Alaric takes a deep breath, a heavy look crossing his face making him look twice the age he was "The Keeper of the Gate between our world and Hell."

Elena gasps as the reality of the situation hits her, her sister had been suffering in Hell for God knows how long there.  
Stefan takes a deep breath the horror evident on his face as well, that explained why she was so scared, she was traumatised and scared. "We need to find her."  
"Finding her requires finding Klaus." Matt points out as he stands in the corner of the room.

* * *

"Rebekah?" Klaus call as he walks down into the basement where he had kept Rebekah's coffin hidden, he couldn't risk her going near Buffy yet, she would be furious with him and would likely attack the still traumatised young woman.

He glances over at her now empty coffin before glancing at the dead guard on the ground, his throat had been ripped open and blood was covering the floor.  
"Rebekah? It's your big brother." He whispers as he glances around the room trying to get her attention "Come out come out wherever you are."

Suddenly the blonde he was searching for appears speeding towards him, she grabs him by the neck and backs him up against the wall as she shoves the dagger into his chest.  
Klaus gasps in agony and shock as he stares at his sister, who merely glared at him with a furious gaze.

* * *

Buffy rips the metal door from it's hinges as she steps out of the bedroom Klaus had told her to stay in. But it was too small, too tight, she needed space, needed air.  
She steps outside the room only to realise the rest of the house seemed to still be under construction, it all seemed so real, it all felt so real but it wasn't, she knew it wasn't.

She walks along the halls hoping to escape she needed to get back there, to the tower, that had to be the way she could go back, it had to be the doorway.

As she walks a tall man approaches her "Summers, you need to stay in your room." One of Klaus' hybrid's says as he moves to take the Slayer's arm and lead her back to her room.

However as he touches her Buffy's eyes widen in fury, she grabs his wrist before backhanding him across the face, as he stumbles she speeds over to him and swings her hand at his neck with such force that his head rips from his neck causing his body to drop to the ground as blood splatters all over her.

She watches the body fall to the ground in horror before she runs, she needed to get away from here.

* * *

Klaus yanks the dagger from his chest before staring at his sister as he drops it onto the ground.  
Rebekah stares daggers at him, she had been hoping for more pain and suffering.  
"Don't pout." Klaus tells her as he spots her miserable look "You knew it wouldn't kill me."  
"No." She answers as she glares at him "But I was hoping it would hurt more."

As she turns her back on him Klaus clenches his jaw knowing the next few decades with her were going to be very unpleasant.  
He sighs and moves to follow her "I understand you're upset with me Rebekah so I'm going to let that go."

As he speaks she stops in her tracks and turns to face him, her expression completely un-amused "Just this once." He warns, the underlying threat there making it very clear she wasn't to cross him, she could read between the lines with him, there was always some threat.

Before Klaus could say anything else there was a loud crashing noise from upstairs "What the bleeding hell was that?" Rebekah hisses.

Klaus growls slightly, it appeared the Slayer didn't like to stay put, he ignores his sister before making his way upstairs, instantly he spots her just as she runs one of his hybrids through with a metal pipe from the scaffolding surrounding the home.  
She growls viciously before snapping one of the hybrid's neck and then ripping his heart out with her bare hands.

Buffy gasps as another body falls at her feet, this wasn't possible, she was too strong, too fast, she shouldn't be able to cause this much damage without losing her breath.  
She looks down at her hands and gasps in horror at the blood on them, it was everywhere, dripping down her fingers to the ground.

Suddenly Klaus appears in front of her, and instead of looking angry like she would have expected he looked at her with a strange fondness and proud-ness she had never seen on his face. It was eerie, and completely wrong.  
"Luv, as good as you are, Hybrid's are quite a rare find, can't have you killing them all."

Buffy looks up at him carefully, her eyes were wide filled with horror and confusion, she didn't understand any of this, why would they make a Klaus like this, one who seemed like he cared for her, was it just to form a false sense of security?  
So that when they came to torture her she would suffer more.

She flinches as he takes her hand causing her let go of the heart she was still clutching in her hand "I'm going to help you control this." He tells her softly as he pushes a strand of hair behind her ear carefully, trying not to spook her.

Rebekah stares in confusion she had never seen her brother like this with anyone, never kind and caring, he had never been that way with her but this woman...he was careful, as though scared that she would leave.  
She scoffs he was unbelievable sometimes, she steps closer only for her eyes to widen as the blonde dirt covered girl turns to face her.

Buffy turns her head to the other blonde in the room her eyes filling with confusion, she didn't recognise her, but from the look on the girl's face she recognised her.  
Before Buffy could realise what was happening the blonde walked over and slapped her across the face.

As Buffy's head swings to the side Klaus growls at his sister before pushing her away from the Slayer "I warn you sister, do not touch her again."  
Rebekah scoffs in disbelief "You are really going to defend her! After everything she has done!"  
"This isn't Mary, my dimwitted sister!" Klaus hisses as he steps in front of Buffy shielding her from his nutcase of a sister.  
Rebekah stands there in confusion for a moment before the reality of the situation hit her, if this wasn't Mary than that meant... "She's the Slayer."

* * *

"So this is it?" Damon asks a little unsure as him and Stefan pull up outside the large estate, it was certainly big and tacky enough to belong to Klaus, but there was large amounts of construction going on around the area. Klaus didn't seem like the type to have construction going on at a house he was already living in.

Stefan checks his phone once more before coming to stand beside his brother "Bonnie says this is where Jeremy's blood lead to on the map, Buffy has to be here."  
Damon groans before the two of them stare at the house, even if she was here they would have to go through Klaus, a bunch of hybrid's and then convince a traumatised Slayer to come with them

"Well this is going to be fun." Damon says sarcastically.  
Stefan rolls his eyes before slowly heading towards the house, it was time to make sure that history didn't repeat itself this time.

* * *

Buffy wipes the blood from her lip with a shaky hand, slowly her eyes glaze over in fury and she turns back to face Rebekah who was still staring at her in shock.  
Buffy steps around Klaus and punches Rebekah in the jaw causing her to stumble, she then spins around and swings her leg out sending Rebekah flying into the other corner of the room.

"Buffy!"  
A familiar voice yells causing her to turn away from Rebekah only for her to widen as she spots Damon and Stefan now standing in front of her.

Klaus rolls his eyes, the two of them really were a nuisance "You really should learn to knock."  
Damon shrugs "You stole our blonde. So fair game."

Rebekah who was now standing growls slightly and runs at Buffy who hears her coming from a mile away, she turns to face the still 20's clad vampire and kicks her in the gut before grabbing her by the back of the neck and slamming her head onto her knee.  
"Nik!" Rebekah yells only to have her brother chuckle slightly "Sorry sister, you did upset her...she's had a very long day."

Rebekah growls slightly, of course she should have expected this, she should have known that he would pick her over his family, it had always been about her.  
She stands and dusts off her dress, she turns back to Klaus and Buffy only to freeze as she spots a familiar face standing opposite Buffy.  
"Stefan?"

Stefan frowns in confusion and glances at the other blonde in the corner of the room who Buffy had just thrown, she seemed to regonise him but there was nothing familiar about her.  
"You know Barbie Klaus?" Damon asks curiously.  
"No." Stefan answers still confused as to why this girl was staring at him "Never seen her before."

Rebekah's eyes widen at his words and her eyes filled with heartache, turning to her brother she looks at him furiously "You didn't."  
"I did." Klaus says swiftly before grabbing Buffy's arm intent on taking her back to her room "We will discuss this at other time Rebekah."  
"Don't touch her." Stefan hisses as he speeds over moving in between Klaus and Buffy forcing Klaus to back away from the blonde.  
When Klaus merely smirks and grabs Stefan by the throat Damon runs over and runs Klaus through with a large metal pole.

Buffy gasps at the sight of the violence before backing away from both brothers, this was all so wrong, there was too much she didn't understand, too much that didn't make sense.  
Non of this was real...it couldn't be...she refused to believe it.

Stefan turns to Buffy and sighs sadly, she looked terrified, and the look of her terror was directed at him at the moment, which broke his heart, she had never looked at him like that.

"No." Rebekah breathes as she glances in-between Stefan and Buffy, this couldn't be happening again "No, no, no. What is it with bleeding Slayers!?"  
Stefan ignores the blonde's outburst and focuses on Buffy "Buffy." He whispers softly as he takes a step towards her.  
Buffy shakes her head clutching at the ends of her hair, this wasn't right, she couldn't breath this was all too much.  
When Stefan steps towards her her eyes widen in panic she places her hands on his chest and pushes him away causing him to crash into Damon as the two of them went crashing to the floor.

She quickly speeds over to Rebekah in a panic, all these people were going to hurt her, she needed to get away, needed to find a way out of here.  
Snapping Rebekah's neck Buffy lets her body fall to the ground before she speeds towards the window leaping out of it and into the darkness below.

Damon groans before forcing his brother off of him and sitting up staring at the window in shock, she had moved so fast that he had barley seen it. She was 10 times stronger than she had been and her speed was far beyond theirs now.  
How was any of that possible?

Stefan quickly stands and speeds over to the window hoping to find her track but she was gone, she was confused and scared and alone. He runs a hand through his hair in worry, God knows what would happen to her, or what she would do out there.

They needed to help her.

Stefan sighs before turning to face his brother only to spot Klaus now picking up his sister and dumping her on a nearby table "Well that was unfortunate." Klaus breaths as he turns to the brothers "It seems we're at something of an impasse."  
Damon glares at the hybrid they wanted answers and now "What did you do to her?"  
Klaus shrugs before heading for the exit "Nothing...this was who she was meant to be." He pauses when he notices that neither brother had moved causing him to roll his eyes "I suggest we find her, she could cause a lot of damage to your little town with her new strength or to herself."

* * *

"She's gone!" Caroline yells into the Gilbert living room as she hangs up her phone after speaking to Stefan.  
Jeremy and Elena both turn to face the blonde in confusion "What happened?" Jeremy asks as he stands and crosses his arms.  
"They found Buffy..." Caroline starts before frowning this was not going to go down well "She ran. Something's wrong with her...she attacked all of them, Klaus, Stefan and Damon."

Bonnie frowns in confusion, Buffy was strong yes but she had never been able to properly take down Klaus, he had always held back against her, and how was it possible for her to get away, she wasn't as fast as even Stefan or Damon.  
"How's that possible?"  
"Something is different..." Caroline tells them "Klaus did something to her...they don't know what, but she's faster than both of them now."

Elena rubs her temples, trying to think of what to do now, her sister was out there alone and terrified of what she had become and what was happening to her.  
"We need to find her."  
Caroline nods in agreement "Me and Tyler can search the woods, Buffy may go to the graveyard it's familiar."

Elena sighs before thinking, she watches as Caroline leaves the house while Bonnie and Jeremy walk into the kitchen. As she sits there alone she realises something, that last thing Buffy remembers is being in Sunnydale on that tower, she would be looking for something familiar, something that could help her understand what happened.  
Elena's eyes widen, she knew where Buffy would go.  
She knew Buffy better than anyone and there was one place she would go.

She glances back into the kitchen, knowing that Bonnie and Jeremy wouldn't let her go out alone, so quietly she grabs her car keys and making sure they didn't see her she sneaks out the front door and heads towards her car, she needed to get to Buffy.

* * *

"So how strong is she now?" Stefan asks Klaus as they make their way through the forest following the trail Buffy had left, it was more difficult than they thought however, she was moving too fast to make strong imprints in the ground so they were following the trail of broken branches and trees.

Klaus chuckles slightly as the three of them continue to walk "Well...to say should could most probably lift a car in an understatement." He stops walking and turns to them "She's as strong as me now. The moment she was brought back both of our strengths grew. We're the same now."|  
Stefan scoffs angrily "Buffy is nothing like you."  
"Not yet."  
Damon rolls his eyes before continuing to walk "So what is she exactly?"

Klaus thinks for a moment trying to think of the best way to explain it "Think of it this way...she has all of our strengths, none of our weaknesses."  
Stefan's eyes widen "So no bloodlust, no sun..."  
"Exactly." Klaus says as he claps his hands together "She is extraordinary."

Damon rolls his eyes, Klaus' obsession with Buffy was really getting on his nerves, if he didn't have answers about what was happening to Buffy he swore he was going to go straight back to trying to kill him.  
"So what's with Barbie Klaus?" He asks hoping to change the subject.  
"Ah." Klaus breaths grinning slightly "You've actually reminded me of something."

Before either of them could blink Klaus had Stefan pinned against a nearby tree by his throat. He looks into Stefan's eyes carefully, it was finally time for the big reveal "Now..." Klaus breaths "...you remember."

Stefan closes his eyes only to have his vision filled with flashes of himself in the 20's with Klaus' sister, they had been together during his Ripper days...until Klaus had taken it away.  
Klaus grins slightly as he watches the memories return to the Salvatore "Stefan." He says drawing the vampire's attention.  
Stefan's eyes widen as he stares at Klaus, remembering their bond, he had considered Klaus a brother "I remember you. We were friends."

"Say what now?" Damon asks in confusion as he stands to the side.

Klaus chuckles before releasing Stefan "We are friends. Which is why once we find my Slayer you will finally understand what needs to happen."  
At the mention of his girl Stefan growls slightly and shoves Klaus away only causing the hybrid to chuckle "You both need me." He tells them "I am the only one that can help her control her new strength and senses."  
Damon rolls his eyes "Great...first a God with a girl complex and now a big girly hybrid with a God complex...this past month really has majorly sucked."

* * *

Buffy runs through the forest trying to find an escape, as she runs she freezes as she comes to stand in the middle of a dirt road, she frowns in confusion, this wasn't right, she wasn't supposed to be here.  
Turning her head her eyes widen as she spots the sign on the street.

 _Welcome to Mystic Falls_

Buffy shakes her head, she couldn't understand, of all places for her Hell to be...why here?  
How was she supposed to get back to her peace if she was no where near where it had all ended for the final time?  
She walks along the dirt road trying to remember where everything in this town was, but there was nothing, it was all just fog and mirrors.

As she walks however something catches her eyes, the mountains, the one Stefan had taken her too, it was the highest point in the town.  
She takes a deep breath before running forward, that would have to do.

* * *

Buffy stands at the bottom of the mountains staring up at the sight before her, even in the darkness it was beautiful just like she remembered. Taking a step back she leaps up landing halfway up the mountain with a stumble. She takes a shaky breath and leans her had against the stone.  
Looking up she takes a breath before looking at her fist, slowly an idea forms in her head.  
Punching her fist into the stone she pulls herself up slightly and then punches her other hand into the wall just above her head pulling herself further up the side of the mountain.

She continues to climb up the mountain before finally she reaches the top, standing she stares at her bloody hands watching as the wounds healed too quickly for her to even process the pain that she should be feeling.  
Taking a breath she climbs onto the edge of the mountain and glances down at the floor below, memories of her last moments filling her head.

 _"Elena please..." Buffy begs her as she speaks "...Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen. I love you, I will always love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles..." Buffy pauses trying to figure out what exactly should be said to him "...tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends. And go home. You are my sister and I need you away from the Hellmouth and safe. Tell Stefan I love him and I'm sorry." Elena shakes her head refusing "Elena, You have to take care of each other, our friends, you and Jeremy. You have to be strong...The hardest thing is this world...is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."_

 _Elena shakes her head as tears roll down her cheeks "No!" Elena yells "You are not doing this! You will not die for me!"  
Buffy takes a shaky breath before closing her eyes "I love you. I'm sorry." She says before punching Elena in the face, not hard enough to seriously hurt her just enough to knock her unconscious._

 _"Buffy!" A voice exclaims as footsteps approach.  
Buffy turns away from the portal and her eyes widen as she spots Stefan running to the stop level._

 _Buffy freezes as she turns to face him, things were so fresh now that she had her memories back "Stefan." She breaths out drawing his attention away from the knocked out Elena.  
Stefan frowns "What happened?" He asks gesturing to Elena, he turns to Buffy only to freeze as he spots the empty vial on the ground.  
"Did you..." He starts to ask only to be cut off as Buffy runs over to him and kisses him passionately.  
He wraps his arms around her waist tightly as she wraps her arms around his shoulders kissing him strongly.  
Slowly he pulls away and cups her face in his hands "You remember?"_

 _She smiles happily and nods taking his hands in hers "I loved you." She tells him as a sad look crosses her face "I just didn't know." Looking into his eyes she places a hand on his cheek "I still love you...but this is the work I have to do."  
Stefan frown in confusion but leans in as she kisses him once more._

 _He turns his head as he hears Damon running up the tower only to gasp in pain as he feels a sharp object impale him.  
Gasping he turns to spot Buffy holding the knife that Elena's had been stabbed with.  
She pushes him away leaving the knife in his gut.  
As he falls his eyes widen as he spots Buffy running towards the portal._

Buffy opens her eyes once more and gazes down at the ground, this was her way out, her way back to the peace that was slowly disappearing from her memory, the details of it all becoming fuzzy. But she remembered the feeling, the feeling of being loved and at peace. Of being finished. And she wanted that back more than anything.

She closes her eyes again and remembers looking over at the portal, remembers that moment of clarity, everything in that moment had felt so clear, it had been right.  
 _"_ _Buffy, no, no..."_ She hears Elena's voice in her head and can't help but speak out loud.  
"Elena, please..." She whispers her throat still sore.

"Buffy?" A voice calls from behind her, Elena's voice.  
Buffy frowns in confusion that wasn't in her head, that was a real voice. She opens her eyes and turns away from the edge only to spot Elena standing opposite her staring at her with tears running down her cheeks.

"Buffy?" Elena breaths still so much in shock, it was one thing being told that she was alive but seeing her here, alive and breathing, it was so unbelievable.  
Elena frowns in worry Buffy was covered in dirt and dried blood, there were twigs in her hair and she looked...she looked lost.  
"Is it you?" Elena couldn't help but ask, as much as she wanted to believe it, the pain of Buffy's death was still so fresh, she didn't dare to hope "I mean, really? What are you doing?"

Buffy tilts her head in confusion, this was just enough trick, the cruelest of all tricks but it was a trick non the less and one she wouldn't let deter her from going back.

Turning back to the edge of the mountain Elena's eyes widen "No!" She exclaims desperately as she realises what Buffy was planning to do. She couldn't watch her die all over again, she just couldn't "Buffy, don't jump...please..." Slowly Elena walks towards her only causing Buffy to back away closer to the edge.  
Elena stops instantly in her tracks and raises her hands "Okay." She breaths "Walk to me. Please." She begs tears rolling down her cheeks "Please." She asks again sounding so much younger than her 21 years.  
When Buffy doesn't speak and turns away from her again Elena takes a breath "I'm your sister. Elena. We were in Sunnydale on a tower...together...and then..." Elena takes a shaky breath the memory of the incident crippling her "...you went away. And you don't wanna do that again. You can't do that again. I know you're confused about the changes you're going through but I can help you..."  
Elena looks over at Buffy who was still staring at the ground "Buffy...please...I need you."

Slowly the blonde blinks "Is...this Hell?"  
Elena's eyes widen in shock, the question had shocked her to her very core, so much that she found herself unable to speak.  
Buffy turns to face Elena a lost look on her face "Is this hell?"  
"No." Elena breaths "Buffy, no. This is our home. Whatever happened to you...whatever you've been through...it's over now. You're back here. Buffy, I know you're scared about what is happening to you...but you have a choice, you have always fought and you can do it again. But only if you're here with me."

Buffy takes a small breath, this couldn't be real but if just felt so real "What am I?"  
Elena looks at her sister pitifully, it broke her heart to hear Buffy like this "You're my sister. Me and Jeremy need you."  
Buffy pauses at the familiar name "Jeremy?"  
Elena smiles slightly "Yes. Jeremy our little brother who can't survive without us. I can't survive without you Buffy. I tried and I can't...you are my family, my best friend...I can't do this without you."

Buffy shakes her head, these words they were all a trick, non of it was real it couldn't be, "I'm a monster."  
"No. You're not." Elena says strongly "You have never been a monster...you saved my life. So many times. Let me save you."

Buffy blinks back tears for a moment before finally she gasps loudly a heavy feeling weighing on her chest, this was reality, it was real. She was back in this world, a world of violence and pain and suffering "Elena." She whispers her voice shaking.

Suddenly Buffy couldn't hold herself up any longer she collapses on her knees falling to the ground as she continued to gasp loudly unable to breathe.  
Elena quickly runs over and hugs her sister clutching her to her tightly "It's gonna be okay." She whispers into Buffy's ear as she strokes her hair, trying to calm her.  
She sits there with her crying cousin holding her tightly, but inside a burst of joy escaped her. Buffy was alive. She was home.

* * *

Charlotte, West Virginia 

"How do you know that that little ghost bitch wasn't tricking you?" Katherine asks Mary as they walk up to the mausoleum in the Graveyard.  
Mary rolls her eyes "She wouldn't dare." She says simply "She knows that I go to the other side every time I die...and I can make sure her and her mother are separated again."  
Katherine grins slightly "I love your vicious side."

Mary grins slightly before raising her hand causing the stone doors to the entrance to slam open "It seemed like the witch that entombed her wasn't as powerful as dear Anna thought."  
Katherine chuckles before the two of them move across the room coming to stop right by the large stone casket. Katherine forces the lid off revealing Mikael, wrapped in chains, desiccated.  
Mary tilts her head before crouching down so she could get a closer look "Hello father."


	89. What Has She Become? - Part 1

**A/N: Hey guys because I am a bleeding twat I updated the wrong chapter Here is Something You Can't Understand was supposed to come after this one so so sorry. I'm a moron I know.**

* * *

"Maybe she's at home." Stefan suggests as he, Damon and Klaus continue to search the woods for Buffy, they hadn't found anything and the trail had run cold. The moment it had stopped at the town line they knew they were running out of options.  
Damon shakes his head "Right now crazy pants thinks she's in Sunnydale. She hasn't been in this town in 2 years."

"As I much as I hate to agree with your brother..." Klaus starts looking as though the words leaving his lips were causing him physical pain "...he may have a point. Her last memory is of leaping off that tower, where in this town would come close to that."

Stefan thinks for a moment digging through his memories trying to think of where she may go, it's then that it hits him. One of their last moments of peace together before the storm that was the Curse and Elena and Jenna's deaths.

However before he could say anything Klaus' phone begins ringing loudly.  
Klaus growls slightly before grabbing his phone and turning away from the brothers "This better be good!" He hisses into the phone.  
 _"_ _You need to come back."_ His witch tells him urgently, it was clear from his gasping breaths that something had gone wrong.  
"What is it?!" Klaus hisses, he did not have time for this, he needed to find Buffy.  
 _"_ _Something came through with her and your sister is destroying the house."_

Klaus groans and clenches his jaw slightly "I'll be there soon." He grunts out before hanging up his phone and before either brother's could question him he sped off leaving them both alone in the dark forest.

Damon lets out a relieved breath "Clearly he's done with the helping." He mutters before turning to his brother, he frowns at the look on his younger brother's face, he knew something, he could see it.  
"Stef?"  
"I think I know where she went."

* * *

"Home." Elena says softly as she stands beside Buffy outside their house, she frowns slightly in worry, Buffy hadn't spoken since they had left the mountain and it was worrying her.

Buffy stares at the familiar house, it felt like an eternity since she had been here, it was the same yet so different at the same time, for one, it didn't have that feeling of comfort like it used to. The feeling the house was summoning was more one of dread. She couldn't explain it but the idea of going into this house scared her.  
"You're back home." Elena tells her softly as she takes a step towards the porch "Welcome home, we're gonna be okay."  
Buffy merely stares at the house, she couldn't speak it but she knew deep down, nothing was going to be okay ever again.

* * *

"She was here." Damon breaths as him and Stefan reach the top of the mountain Stefan had lead them to. The minute they had stepped out here he could feel her, her presence was everywhere.

Stefan sighs, she had been here Damon was right, he could feel it but now she was long gone, he glances around the top of this mountain before walking towards the edge, as he does he spots something on the ground, he was a piece of black cloth. Frowning he picks it up and instantly smell's the blood. Buffy's blood.  
She had been here for sure, but what if she was injured or hurt?

* * *

Buffy follows Elena into the house feeling extremely uncomfortable in the environment as she does. Something felt wrong being here and she couldn't put her finger on it, she felt like her skin was crawling, she had never been this uncomfortable in her own skin or her home ever.

She gulps slightly as she looks around the dark house, images of the way the house had looked last time she had been here filling her head.  
Suddenly light fills the living room causing Buffy to clinch her eyes shut "Ow." She whispers quietly as the light filled her vision, it was too much, too bright, her eyes felt like they were burning through her skull.

Elena glances over at Buffy a little unsure of what to do, however before she could speak she catches Buffy glancing around the now brighter room, taking it in.

Buffy blinks slightly before frowning, she barely recognised anything here, this wasn't how it had looked two years ago "It's different."  
Elena nods slightly uncomfortable as she fiddles with the cast around her hand "Just a little. Um...we kind of trashed the place after you disappeared plus...Ric lives here now."  
Buffy frowns for a moment as the name causes a flow of memories to go through her head, all of her times with Ric "Alaric."  
Elena smiles slightly, she had been a little unsure if Buffy remembers but so far so good "Yeah...he moved in after you...well when..."

"Klaus took me." Buffy finishes quietly before a picture draws her attention, it was of her mother, she blinks as images fill her head, images of light and laughter...a place of pure happiness.

Elena who hadn't noticed Buffy spacing out attempts to fill Buffy in "He slept on the couch for the first few months...we finally convinced him to move into Jenna's..."  
Elena stops speaking as she notices Buffy turn away from her and move down the hall towards the kitchen.

She sighs before going after her, as they enter the kitchen she switches on the light hating the fact that Buffy was wincing due to the light.  
"See this is the same." Elena pauses as she notices the bottle of bourbon on the table "Well other than that."

Buffy merely stares, non of this was having the desired affect, she wanted to feel something but every one of these rooms just gave her that same feeling. Hollow.  
As Elena speaks she turns away from the kitchen and heads towards the staircase.

* * *

"Maybe she went to the bridge...she'd remember that." Stefan says in a panic as him and Damon make their way through the forest towards Damon's car.  
Stefan was in a full on panic mode, they had been so close yet so far, Buffy's blood had been there, she must be hurt, what if it was serious "I mean she has to be. Where else would she go?"

Damon groans slightly, a little unsure of what to say he had no idea where she would go, they had no idea what she was thinking right now, all they new was that she was faster than both of them, there was no way they would catch her if she ran off.  
"Stefan!" A voice yells causing the two brothers to turn raising their fists for a fight only to lower them as a second later Caroline speeds over to them with Tyler by her side.  
"Anything?" Stefan asks.  
Caroline shakes her head sadly, she was worried, she hadn't seen her best friend in two years and now she was god knows where, probably scared and hurt.  
"I was gonna ask you the same thing."

Damon groans loudly before running a hand over his jaw "Alright...let's check the bridge then go from there."  
As the group walk Tyler glances at Damon and Stefan "How can you be sure she came this way?"  
"That's how." Damon says gesturing to the dead hybrid's body that was on the ground just to their left "Unless you know someone else who enjoys a good beheading of creepy crawlies."

Caroline rolls her eyes and places a comforting hand on her boyfriend before walking beside Stefan, she frowns at the sight of him, she could see the worry all over his face.  
"It was her right?" She couldn't help but ask, despite wanting it to be it was just so hard to believe "I mean you guys saw her and it was really her?"  
Damon scoffs slightly "She's a crazy lunatic but yeah...it's her."  
Stefan glares over at his brother "Damon, she's been getting tortured in a hell dimension."

At that Caroline's eyes widen and her hand covers her mouth in horror, the idea that one of her best friends had been suffering like that made her want to burst into tears.

Damon clenches his jaw slightly as they finally reach the outskirts of the woods where luckily his car was still parked from before they had met with Klaus "Well, something is wrong with her in that bottle blonde head of hers. She might be dangerous."  
Tyler hating to admit it nods in agreement "Look at what she did to the hybrids, she's ripping them apart..."

"I don't care!" Stefan suddenly screams loudly causing all of them to freeze for a moment as they stare at him in shock, he was never like this.  
Stefan clenches his fist before turning to the car "I don't care. It's Buffy and we will save her no matter what."

Before any other word could be uttered Jeremy's jeep pulls up next to the group.  
Jeremy and Bonnie quickly climb out of the car in a panic "Elena's car is missing." Jeremy tells them "She's gone."

* * *

Buffy stares at her reflection in the mirror of Elena's bathroom as the brunette dips a cloth into the water filling the sink.

Buffy doesn't watch her she merely stares at herself almost all the dirt was off her face now and she was wearing her old blue jeans with her white shirt and a white vest underneath, she looked like herself again. But there was something off, something about her reflection that felt wrong. She was wrong.  
She flinches slightly as Elena brings the cold cloth to her neck, she could feel every thread in the material, everything was heightened...every she touched, smelled, heard it was all heightened...but then she was just flat. She couldn't feel any joy or anger...she just felt hollow...like a piece of her was missing.

"There you are." Elena says with a small smile as she cleans the dirt and blood from Buffy's neck...almost too scared to ask where the blood had come from...clearly something had happened after she was brought back.  
"Knew my little sister was there under all that dirt." Elena says sweetly as she places the cloth down and turns to Buffy who was still staring at her blankly, not a stroke of emotion going through her features.

Elena sighs before moving to help Buffy button her shirt "At least your not as bad as Jeremy...I swear that boy summons dirt too him." She chuckles slightly only to silence herself as Buffy merely remains there silent allowing an awkward silence to fill the room.  
Elena takes a deep breath, this was killing her, she didn't know what she was supposed to do here, she didn't know how she was supposed to help her.  
She shakes herself and focuses on the buttons only to freeze as she spots the blood covering her knuckles, her eyes widen slightly as she realised that Buffy must have seriously hurt her hand "Buffy..." She breaths as she places a hand on Buffy's fist only for Buffy to pull it away from her reach.  
Elena gulps slightly, swallowing the hurt that was flowing through her, she knew she shouldn't take it personally Buffy just needed time.  
Focusing back on her buttons she helps the blonde "We'll take care of that after." She says gesturing to Buffy's fists.

Buffy opens her mouth a little unsure of what to say, there may be blood covering her hands but the wounds that had been their earlier were gone.  
She pulls away from Elena slightly, she wasn't sure if she wanted her to know just yet, about what was happening.  
She shakes her head, this room was beginning to feel too small, she felt like she couldn't breathe.

She quickly escapes the bathroom moving down the hall only to found herself drawn to the room at the end of the hall.  
Entering it slowly she freezes, it was familiar yet it looked so different.  
"Jenna's room." Elena breaths as she walks into the room after Buffy and switches on the small lamp knowing that Buffy's eyes were still sensitive.

She takes a deep breath and watches her cousin carefully, she didn't want to push her "I know it's different. Ric stays here most of the time now."

Buffy nods processing that before she circles around the room taking in all the changes, gone were the flower paintings and art that Jenna had hanging on the walls, they were just bare now...as though Ric was scared to make this his permanent residence. Not wanting to put down roots.

After she was sure she had seen enough she moves back towards the door only to hear Elena sigh and step in front of her "Buffy." Elena breathes praying for her cousin to look at her without that blank look.  
Elena takes a deep breath as Buffy merely stares at her again "Buffy...look I know it's been a long time since you were here...and I will tell you about all the changes but for now...do you maybe wanna stop? Talk to me?" She practically begs just wanting her best friend...her sister to open up to her.

Buffy stares at Elena slightly uncomfortable, all of these questions the constant speaking it was making her skin crawl, "What else is different?"  
She asks trying to change the subject.

Elena frowns slightly "Do you mean about the house, or things that have happened here what...?" When Buffy merely turns away from her gaze again Elena takes a heavy breath trying to think of what to tell her "Um...a lot here I guess. Most of our stuff is still in boxes we haven't finished unpacking since we got back from Sunnydale..."

At the mention of her former home Buffy's eyes widen for a brief second emotion almost grazing her features "Sunnydale..." She says quietly letting the familiar word graze her lips "My friends?"  
Elena takes a short breath not sure as to how Buffy would react to this "They are all okay...but um Giles...he went back to England because you were...but I'll call him...all of them."

Buffy frowns for a moment keeping her gaze away from her sister as she thinks "What..." She breaths out struggling to get the question out.  
"What, what?"  
"What, um...will you say to them?" She asks curiously however the sudden slamming of the front door instantly makes her tense up and causes her to swing her head around the room in a panic "What was that?" She asks in a panic, unsure where the noise had come from.

"It's ok." Elena assures her quickly "It's ok." She tries again focusing on Buffy's wide and panicked eyes. It killed her seeing that expression on her face, she had never seen Buffy like this. So lost and scared.

"Elena!" A voice yells loudly, the sound of it filling the house.  
At the familiar voice Elena exhales in relief "It...it's just Stefan." She tells Buffy trying to calm Buffy but to her surprise the blonde just looked more uncomfortable than before.

Turning her head towards the door Elena calls out to him "Just a second!" She yells through the halls before turning back to her traumatised cousin. She gives her a small smile trying to reassure her that everything was alright before she makes her way down the hall to the staircase.

As she lowers herself down the stairs she frowns as there standing at the bottom of the staircase was Damon and Stefan.  
"Where the hell have you been?" Damon asks angrily, he really did not want to be here right now, they should be tracking down Buffy.  
Stefan glares at his brother not liking how he was talking to Elena, she had become one of his closest friends. With a sigh he turns to Elena "Elena, what were you thinking, you can't just take off like that with Klaus in town. We told you to stay put while we look for Buffy."  
Damon rolls his eyes "And now we're here...waisting time...can we get back to searching for the blonde battle princess instead of having a heart to heart here."

Elena merely continues to walk down the stairs, as she reaches the bottom step she looks at the brothers seriously "Guys...look." She says quietly before turning her head towards the staircase.

Both brothers frown before turning to follow her gaze both of them freezing as they spot the woman they had been searching for slowly walking down the stairs towards them.

Stefan takes a deep breath as he stares at her, she looked like herself again, gone was the ripped and dirty black dress, gone was the blood and dirt that had been covering her face. She looked like Buffy again. She was really here right in front of him, alive.

Damon much like his brother merely stared at the blonde unable to tear his gaze away from her, here she was after being gone, despite it only being a week since she had died it had felt like eternity, and now here she stood. Like nothing had happened.

Buffy hesitantly makes her way down the stairs towards the brothers, she keeps her face flat and her mouth closed, she didn't want to speak, she didn't want to have to answer questions which she knew she would have to eventually.  
She gulps slightly as both brothers stare at her, it was honestly beginning to make her feel a little uncomfortable like she just wanted to crawl into a ball and hide, to get away from the eyes watching her like a hawk.

"She's um..." Elena says breaking the silence much to Buffy's relief "...she's been through a lot...with the..." Elena winces slightly as she finds herself unable to find any other word for the situation "...death. But she's here..."  
Elena pauses as she notices Buffy quickly begin buttoning the rest of her shirt up, clearly not comfortable at the idea of having any of her skin on display to the guys.

Damon and Stefan continue to stand there in silence, despite having already seen her this was different. She wasn't running away from them or cowering away in fear, she wasn't screaming and attaching people she was just stood there. Looking like her old self and it was nerve racketing for both brothers.

As Buffy moves to button her shirt Damon frowns at her hands, they were covered in dried blood majority of it covering her knuckles "Her hands." He breaths out, his voice softer then in had been in months.  
Elena sighs and glances over at Buffy's hands wincing at the sight of them "I was gonna clean them up. I don't know how they got like that."

Stefan and Damon glance at each other "We do." They both say before Damon turns to Elena and tilts his head towards the kitchen gesturing for her to follow him.  
Elena frowns in confusion and glances over at Stefan who nods at her, getting the picture Elena squeezes Buffy's arm smiling at her before she follows Damon into the kitchen, leaving Buffy and Stefan alone.

Buffy clutches her hands to her chest as Stefan stares at her, she didn't feel comfortable right now, she didn't want him looking at her, it just made her want to run away.

"Um..." He says softly noticing her discomfort, he buries his emotions and focuses on helping her "Let me help with that." He says gesturing to her bloody hands hating the fact that he knew exactly how the blood got there "Come here."  
He slowly raises his hand towards her and waits patiently as she merely stares at him as though unsure of what to do.

Buffy takes a deep breath before moving down the rest of the steps, when he moves to place his hand on her back she glances back at him making it clear to pull his hand back and quick.  
She hears him sigh but ignores it as she makes her way into the living room and sits on the couch.

Stefan sits down in front of her and carefully takes her bloody hands in his own lifting them slightly however as their hands make contact Stefan looks up and catches her eyes and in that moment he couldn't help but relive their last moment together before her death. Their final kiss before she had jumped off the tower.  
He clenches his jaw at the memory before focusing on her.

Buffy stares at Stefan for a few moments before finally finding the words inside her "How long was I gone?"  
"A week." He breaths out making her frown, she thought it had been longer...much longer.  
"8 days today." He tells her before smiling slightly "But today doesn't really count, does it?"

When her face merely remains flat not a stroke of emotion passing through it he continues "How long was it for you, where you were?" He asks hesitantly.  
"Longer." Buffy states, she didn't want to talk about this, the memories of that place had slowly becoming nothing more than a blur of light and a feeling. She remembered what it felt like but everything else was filling with haze.

Stefan swallows the guilt filling him, he should have been faster gotten to Elena quicker that day, then Buffy never would have had to sacrifice her life. She never would have had to go through all of this. Never would have had to suffer...or claw her way out of her own grave.  
Deciding to focus on her hands her grabs a cloth off the table from where Elena had clearly been cleaning her wounds from the battle earlier and brings it up to Buffy's knuckles.

To his shock as he began to wipe away to blood something made him pause, any sign of those injuries were gone. There were no cuts it was as if it had never happened.  
"They're healed."  
Buffy nods "Yeah." She says quietly as she looks down pulling her hands away from Stefan as she does "I want the scars." She whispers under her breath, admitting it, she would rather have the scars than not knowing what she was.

* * *

"Is she okay?" Damon asks Elena hesitantly as he stands in the kitchen with the still bruised Elena.

Elena sighs a little unsure of what to say, what was she supposed to think? She had found her cousin alive, traumatised and covered in blood. And worst of all she was about to try and kill herself because she thought she was in hell.  
"How is any of this okay, Damon?" Elena hisses slightly as she runs a hand through her hair "I found my little sister about to jump off a cliff, she was traumatised, and covered in blood." Elena takes a shaky breath before looking at him desperately, clearly she was close to breaking down "She clawed her way out of her own grave. She didn't deserve this."

Damon groans and locks his jaw as he turns away from her, she was right, non of this was okay, what Klaus had done to Buffy was not okay.  
"What are we supposed to do?" Elena asks him drawing his attention back to her.  
He sighs as only one though fills his mind "We find out what the hell Klaus did to her."

"Elena!" Jeremy yells suddenly as he runs in through the back door with Bonnie, Caroline, Ric and Tyler came running though in a panic.  
When Jeremy spots his sister he quickly runs over to her and hugs her tightly, he had already lost too many people he couldn't lose her as well and her disappearing like that had terrified him.  
"What the hell were you thinking!"  
Elena sighs and turns to her brother however something catches her eyes "Jeremy..."

"No, Elena." Jeremy says sharply "Klaus is still here you cannot just go running out while your still hurt I mean..."  
"Jeremy!" She hisses again raising her voice slightly.  
Jeremy glares at his sister however suddenly Caroline's gasp and Bonnie placing a hand on his arm causing him to frown.

Turning his head he freezes as standing at the doorway to the kitchen was his other sister, the one he had lost.  
"Buffy."

Caroline places a hand over her mouth "Oh my God." She breaths out as Bonnie takes her hand both of them clutching onto each other as they stare at their best friend who was stood with Stefan. She was real, it was actually her, alive and breathing.

Buffy merely stands there beside Stefan playing with her hands nervously as the new guests in the house continued to stare at her in shock.  
"Are you okay?" Bonnie suddenly asks taking a step towards her best friend as Buffy moves towards the table and sits down not wanting to stand any longer.  
Caroline nods in agreement and moves closer to the other blonde "Are you pain? Hungry?"

"Thirsty?" Alaric asks still shell shocked by the fact that she was actually alive and sat in front of them.

Jeremy glances around the room as the group continue to toss question after question at the blonde who was looking at her hands "Hey! Back off!" he yells loudly causing everyone in the room to quickly shut up.

Buffy's eyes widen as she glances over at her younger cousin who was now glaring at everyone in the room.  
"What did Klaus do?" Jeremy asks Bonnie gesturing to his cousin who was standing there like a deer in the headlights.

Bonnie sighs "A spell one me and Willow..." She trails off noticing the disapproving look some of the members of the group were giving her.  
Jeremy clenches his jaw "Is she going to be ok?"

Finally the blonde speaks drawing everyone's attention back to her "I'm ok." She tells them offering Jeremy a small smile which everyone could tell was forced "I'm gonna be fine." She says softly as she glances at everyone else before focusing on Elena "I'm gonna be okay. I remember...one of Klaus's witches brought me back."  
Caroline turns to her best friend and finds herself unable to stop herself from asking the question that was on everyone's minds "What was it like?"

Instantly Buffy looks down back at her hands and shakes her head, not wanting to force the memories to resurface, it hurt to much to think about "I can't..." She stutters out only to instantly relax when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.  
She frowns in confusion before glancing up and spotting Stefan now stood behind her with a worried frown on his face.  
"It's okay." He tells her "You don't have to talk about it Buffy."

Buffy nods before leaning out of his grasp causing his hand to drop to the side, she didn't want anyone touching her right now, she just couldn't handle it.  
Damon who had stayed rather quite throughout this whole train wreck of a reunion turns to Buffy focusing on only her "Do you need anything?"  
Slowly Buffy stands from her seat "I...I think I just wanna go to sleep."  
Caroline nods in agreement with that, not having any idea what else to say "Good. Sleeps Good. Long day and all."

Buffy nods not really making any facial expressions what so ever however before she could escape to her room Caroline smiled brightly at her "Buffy...be happy. You're out."

Buffy merely shakes her head, she didn't want to discuss this right now or ever "I'm tired." She repeats hoping that they would get the point.  
Damon chuckles "Jet lad from Hell has gotta be you know, jet lag from Hell."

Buffy merely looks down not wanting to face any of them right now, she just wanted to be alone. Glancing over at Elena and Jeremy she takes a deep breath before speaking "My room is still...?"  
Elena nods clearing her throat slightly before speaking "Yeah. Yes. It's your room."  
Buffy nods and quickly panics when she notices both Jeremy and Elena moving towards her for a hug, she quickly backs away and moves towards the staircase "I remember where it is." She says quietly before heading up the stairs without another glance at any of them.

The group all stand there is silence for a moment before Bonnie sighs "She's fine right?" She asks mostly to herself before glancing around at the other people in the kitchen.  
Caroline nods hoping that what they were saying was actually the truth "Yeah. She used to go the bed all the time."

Alaric sighs before glancing over at the Gilbert siblings who both had hurt looks on their faces, he steps around the blonde vampire and places a hand on Elena and Jeremy's shoulders "She just needs time."  
Elena sighs and glances back at the staircase Buffy had disappeared to "We need to find out what Klaus did to her...what she's become. For her own sanity."

* * *

Buffy stands in her old room merely staring at the things she had left behind when she had left Mystic Falls.  
All of her things had been left untouched, everything was exactly how she had left it, all the photo's were there, photos which she hadn't had in Sunnydale.  
Walking around her room she moves to sit on her bed and merely stares at the wall for what felt like hours, as she continued to let her thoughts plague her.

She felt empty, hallow but more importantly she felt out of place. She wasn't meant to be here anymore and her body...her soul knew it as well.  
She takes a shaky breath before picking up a photo of herself Elena, Bonnie and Caroline.

She stared at the photo waiting for that sense of joy at the memory to hit her but there was nothing. No joy, no bitter sweetness for the past memory, there was just nothing.

Deciding that she didn't want to sit still any longer the blonde stands and moves over to her mirror where photos were plastered all over it. Most were of her and Elena.  
Some of her friends from Sunnydale there was even one of her and Angel, most probably the only photo of it's kind.  
At the bottom was one of her and Stefan on their anniversary which was right beside a photo of her and Jeremy with her mom when they were kids.

She stared at the photos letting them fill every square inch of her vision as she waited, waited to feel something. But again there was nothing.  
She sighs only for her eyes to widen as the images changed, instead of young vibrant smiles there was nothing but dead people, dead eyes staring back at her.

The blonde Slayer quickly blinks her eyes shut, pressing the lids tightly together for a moment before finally she opens them again only to spot the photos back to normal.  
She shakes her head, she really was going crazy.

* * *

"Did you get though to everyone?" Alaric asks Elena as he walks into the living room after everyone had left and sat opposite Jeremy and Elena who were huddled on the couch.

Elena nods remembering back to the very long and confusing conversation she had had with Giles as well as the very long argument her and Willow had had "Yeah. Giles is gonna come in a few days and I told the gang to give her some time...to adjust to being back, Willow wasn't too pleased but um...Xander's gonna talk to her. I just..." Elena sighs and rubs her forehead trying to calm the pounding in her head "I don't think she's ready to be around so many people, we saw what she was like when it was just us, maybe soon..."

"She's not going back there." A stern voice says suddenly cutting Elena off.  
Elena gasps slightly stunned by the anger in her brother's voice, she turns to him only to sigh sadly, he looked horrible then again she most probably looks just as bad. With the bright red eyes and puffy cheeks from where tears had been dripping. Tears of grief and joy spilled over the course of one day.  
"Jeremy..." She tries but he snaps suddenly anger overwhelming him.

He stands getting away from his sister and moves to the other side of the room "No. They are gonna want her back on the Hellmouth!" He yells suddenly making Elena wince because he was right. Despite all the drama tonight that hadn't occurred to her, Buffy was still the Slayer and the Hellmouth was currently missing one.

"They aren't taking her away." Jeremy continues as he shakes his head in a panic, the idea of losing one of sisters all over again making him furious and terrified all at once "We just got her back. I don't care about the Hellmouth I care about my sister not the Slayer. And what our sister needs is us. We're her family, she's needs us."

Alaric sighs before looking in between the siblings he understood the anger that was evident on both of their faces they had spent a year separated from their sister and when they finally got her back she died saving the world. They were so scared about losing her again, they just wanted to keep her close.  
He pats Jeremy's shoulder hoping to calm the boy as he turned to glance at Elena, trying to change back to the original topic "What did Giles say?" he asks knowing that both Elena and Jeremy were fond of the British Watcher.

Elena sighs as she leans her elbows on her knees remembering her conversation with the Watcher "I mean...he was glad...but um...kind of weirded out which is understandable. Lots of 'dear lords'. His personal catch phrase." She smiles slightly "I think I actually heard him clean his glasses."  
Jeremy smiles at that before turning to look at his sister seriously "Are you worried?"

Elena sighs before running a hand through her hair, she was worried yes because she knew there was something Buffy wasn't telling them "I don't know. When Angel came back Xander said he was wild like an animal. And I know she's not like that but that experience being in...in..." She pauses struggling to get the word Hell out, not wanting to admit her sister had been tortured.

"Hell." Alaric finishes looking as though the word literally hurt him physically to say "But this is Buffy." He says smiling at her softly "She's stronger than anyone. And people all react differently to trauma. Angel was literally a demon a place like that would have brought that out more but she's good."

Elena shakes her head what he was saying made sense but she couldn't shake this feeling, couldn't shake the feeling that something was very very wrong "I don't know. I just have this feeling...that something is wrong. There is something bout her that we are missing." She takes a deep breath before looking up at Ric and Jeremy "If she was taken out of that place wouldn't you think she would be happy that she was back?"

"Sure she is." Alaric tells her not really believing it himself, he had seen Buffy today and there was no joy in her eyes "Just give her time. She'll get there. I'm sure it's okay. Elena...she doesn't know what's happening to her, can you blame her for being a little freaked out?"

* * *

"So what do we do?" Stefan asks his brother as they stand in their living room after getting back from Buffy's.  
They had been in silence the whole trip back, neither of them willing to be the first one to break the silence but now they needed to start getting together a game plan.  
They needed to figure out what they were going to do about Klaus and how they were going to help Buffy.

Damon sighs and rubs a hand along his jaw, much like his brother he was still dealing with all of his emotions although he chose to deal with them in a very different manner than his brother "We help her."


	90. What Has She Become? - Part 2

Elena screams instantly shooting up in bed as the glass that had been thrown towards her shatters around her bed. She gasps loudly in a panic as broken glass cuts her cheek, she winces slightly before glancing over to see who had done it only for her eyes to widen when she spots that the culprit was in fact Buffy, who was stood at the foot of her bed with a furious look on her face.

Elena who was still hyperventilating slightly turns to her cousin who was still hidden in the shadows "Buffy, what the hell!?"  
"Do you know what you did?" Buffy asks ignoring Elena's question "You filthy little bitch you caused this!"  
Elena's eyes widen in shock and horror, never in her entire life had Buffy scared her, till this moment, it's like she was possessed or something she was acting like a completely different person.

"You should be dead!" Buffy screams "You cause death like a revolving door!"  
Elena eyes widen and before she could do anything else Buffy grabs the flower pot off the side table and launches it at her causing a scream to erupt from Elena as she covers her head.  
As the pot shatters above her head Elena tilts her head to look at her cousin in horror who was still ranting.

"You have more blood on your hands than any of us! You are stained! You're going to kill again! You're a killer! You are death!"

As she continues Elena fills tears prickling her eyes but she shakes her head refusing to let them fall she was stronger than that, she crawls across her bed and switches on the light just as Jeremy and Alaric kick open her door, both with guns in their hands.  
"Elena!" Jeremy exclaims as he quickly runs over to his sister in a panic, he had heard her screaming and had panicked, he couldn't lose her.

As Jeremy examines her for injuries Elena just frowns in confusion, the second light had filled the room Buffy had disappeared, her eyes widen and she turns her head only to realise something "There's no glass." She breathes out as she stares at the bed.

"Elena?" Alaric asks as he lowers his gun and turns to the clearly terrified young girl "What happened?"  
Elena shakes slightly as she moves to sit on the edge of her bed "Buffy." She whispers "She was screaming at me, she threw glass but..."  
Jeremy glances at her bed before frowning and turning to Alaric who sighs "Elena, I just checked on Buffy a second ago. She's asleep."

Elena frowns in confusion before shaking her head, it hadn't been a dream she was sure of it "You didn't hear it?"  
Jeremy shakes his head "No. Hear what?"  
Elena sighs running a hand through her hair as she tries to think "Something...it looked like Buffy, it was screaming me. Telling me I was death...I..."  
"Maybe it was a dream." Ric offers but instantly Elena shakes her head "It wasn't a dream." She whispers before standing.  
"I'm sure of it." She says as she leans against the wall for support only for her eyes to widen as she spots something crawling in the wall, it was as though a large creature was just underneath the wall paper.

Both Alaric and Jeremy turn to see what had drawn her attention only for both of them to freeze as they spot the creature.  
"Told you it wasn't a dream."  
Alaric instantly grabs his gun again making sure it was at the ready "There's something in the house."  
Jeremy frowns in confusion "What is after? Is it...Buffy?"  
Elena shakes her head, she wasn't sure but right now she was sure of one thing, there was no way in hell she was going to get back to sleep "I don't know but I'm calling Bonnie."

* * *

Caroline groans in annoyance as the phone goes off in her and Bonnie's dorm room, as nice as it was having Bonnie back she never answered the damn phone, when Elena had lived here she would normally get it but now that Buffy was back Elena had chosen to move back into her house on a permanent basis to be close to the blonde.  
Caroline turns over and looks over at Bonnie's bed only to spot it empty she frowns before shaking her head and grabbing the phone "This better be good or I'm gonna eat you."  
 _"Caroline it's me Elena."_ At her panicked voice Caroline instantly sits up in bed, something was wrong _"I was just attacked."  
_ The blonde vampire panics "What? By what? Are you guys okay?"

 _"No, it was Buffy. Or something that looked like her."_

At that Caroline frowns in confusion and moves to climb out of bed while still listening to Elena _"It was like she was possessed or something. Then she just disappeared, and we just saw something a bit...there's something in the house. So we need Bonnie."_

Caroline sighs before running a hand through her hair, she quickly grabs her robe and stands "Okay. Elena listen to me I'll talk to Bonnie but just get out of the house. All of you."  
Suddenly the sound of laughing draws Caroline's attention turning her head she spots Bonnie now sat on her bed with a large blade in her hand. Her eyes widen the witch was singing a children's lullaby while swinging the blade at her fingers "Bonnie!" Caroline screams instantly speeding over and yanking the blade from Bonnie's hands.  
Her eyes widen in horror as the witch merely collapses into her arms "Bonnie! Bonnie!"

* * *

"There has to be more to this dress." Rebekah hisses as she stares at the dress she was trying on while her brother and along with one of his witches were sat in a department store the next morning.  
Klaus rolls his eyes as he holds up his glass allowing the sales assistant to fill his champagne to the top of the glass. He smirks up at her before taking the bottle off her and sending her on her way.

His witch Marcus merely rolls his eyes "We need to discuss the spell, Klaus."  
"Not now." Klaus tells him before glancing back towards the dressing room "There's not." He calls out to his sister.

At that moment his sister walks out of the dressing room in a skimpy black dress with a very unamused look on her face "So women in the 21st century dress like prostitutes then." When Klaus rolls his eyes at her she glares back "You know I got dirty looks for wearing trousers."

Klaus rolls his eyes again before allowing his head to rest against the back of his seat "You wore trousers so women today could wear nothing."  
Rebekah ignores his comeback and just winces at the music filling her ears, if it could even be called music "And what is this music it sounds like a cable car accident."

"It's dance music." Marcus tells her before turning back to Klaus who merely chuckles.  
Rebekah glares at the witch "People dance to this?"  
Marcus rolls his eyes at the blonde before pulling out his grimoire while Klaus merely chuckles "Are we done?" He asks his sister "We have business to attend to." He gestures to the witch who was currently flipping through the grimoire.

Rebekah arches a brow at her brother looking at him with an amused frown "And why are you so grumpy, does this have to do with the Slayer telling you to go take a hike?"  
Klaus growls slightly at the mention of Buffy "She did not!"  
Rebekah smiles in amusement she had not seen anyone get so under his skin in her entire life "You really do like her."  
"Sod off." He hisses before turning to his witch as his sister storms off back to the dressing room.

Marcus sighs before pointing at an image on the page "Something came through with Buffy."

* * *

"It was majorly gross. I think I need therapy." Caroline moans as she sits in the living room of the Salvatore house with everyone watching her.  
Bonnie sighs "Whatever it is, it's not the traditional haunting, because it's not limited to one specific place and there's not, you know a dead person."

Alaric nods in agreement with that as he glances out the backdoor where Buffy was currently walking around in the garden trying to re-familiarise herself with the building that she had spent so much of her teen years in "Not anymore."

Elena sighs before glancing out in the same direction as Alaric and watching her cousin curiously, there was still something off about her, and as much as she wanted to dig into it she didn't want to push Buffy before she was ready.

"So we got a damn hitchhiker." Damon says with a small laugh drawing everyone's attention, everyone was surprised that he knew that.  
Damon merely rolls his eyes "You know I do have contacts in the Supernatural communities."  
Stefan sighs before turning to the group trying to explain what that meant in normal terms and not Damon-speak "A hitchhiker...it's a standard was to travel through dimensions. Demon creatures who don't have any body or form often grab onto someone moving between worlds. Using them to travel."  
Damon shakes his head in amusement, this really was some sick joke "Basically some demon hell dick decided to hold onto Buffy during her trip back."

Elena frowns in confusion, what she couldn't understand here was why it was coming after them when they were not the ones involved with Buffy's resurrection "Yeah but...why come after us...why not go after Klaus and his witch."  
Bonnie thinks for a moment "Maybe it's because we were on her grave. I mean magic like that...Klaus' witch would have been preparing that spell for hours. We were on her grave while all that mystical energy was around. Lines must have been crossed and now it's haunting us."

Alaric groans in annoyance everyday they were getting more and more reason to hate Klaus's guts "Yet another reason to hate Klaus."  
"Amen Brother." Damon agrees as he raises his glass of bourbon only causing Ric to frown, it was 10 in the morning.

Elena sighs before rubbing her hands together, slightly grateful that Matt had agreed to let Jeremy come back to The Grill because she wasn't too sure how he would react to all this. Plus honestly she just wanted him out of the way and safe.  
"So what do we do?"  
Bonnie shrugs she wasn't completely sure "I guess we just have to kill it. I can talk to Willow ask her..."  
Elena shakes her head "It's fine. I already spoke to Giles...he's gonna talk to them get them to look into this for us. But it's likely we're on our own for now."

Stefan sighs before walking around the room desperately trying to remember the things he had learned over the years from different supernatural creatures "I don't know if we can kill it."  
Damon frowns at that "And why the hell not? I had my whole day planned around it."  
At the comment Stefan rolls his eyes "Killing it isn't exactly that simple Damon."

"Are we killing somethin'?" A voice says from the corner of the room causing everyone to turn their attention to the blonde vampire Slayer who was now standing in the doorway holding a mug of coffee.  
"Buffy." Elena says softly drawing her sister's attention "I thought you were still exploring."  
Buffy merely nods at her "I still remember where everything is. Just wanted to see what was different." She then pauses and glances at the mug in her hands before glancing over at the brothers "I got thirsty I remembered where the kitchen was—"

"It's fine." Stefan tells her offering her a small smile, honestly the fact that she felt comfortable enough to just go make herself a cup of coffee made him smile, reminding him of all the times he would find her making a drink in his kitchen while wearing his shirt when she spent the night.

"How are you feeling?" Caroline asks her drawing Stefan away from his own thoughts as he watches Buffy shift uncomfortably under everyone's gaze. "Are you okay?" The blonde vampire asks her friend hoping for a smile only for the other blonde to turn to Elena completely ignoring the question "So what are we killing?"

"A demon you brought back from Hell with you." Damon says bluntly causing everyone in the room to glare at him in shock while Buffy merely shrugs if she could feel amusement at the moment she most probably would appreciate him being so blunt with her.  
"Oh." She merely says not really knowing what else to say to that.

Bonnie sighs before turning back to Buffy "Ignore the dumbass. It's a little haunting-type stuff..." Bonnie pauses realising that she had spent way too much time with Willow while they were in Sunnydale, she quickly shakes her head before continuing "...It's fine."  
Elena nods in agreement and turns to Buffy with a small smile "Don't worry."  
Buffy merely stares at them all before closing her eyes as she remembers what happened last night in her bedroom "Um, I remembered something last...night...uh..." She struggles through her words trying to think.

When she doesn't speak for several moments and merely stares at the wall everyone frowns "Buffster?" Damon calls causing the blonde's eyes to fly to him before she shrugs slightly.  
She shakes her head cursing herself for spacing out before continuing "Uh, the photographs. Of us. They changed."  
Bonnie frowns before turning to Buffy needing her to clarify a bit more "Changed? What do you mean?"

Buffy glances down again trying to find her words, this was the most she had spoken since she had come back and it was a bit difficult trying to form sentences "They were...dead. I mean, we were dead. Like, um...dead bodies? But...but then they were ok." She stutters slightly as she speaks not really enjoying the fact that everyone was staring at her "So, I just, you know, figured it was me. That I was going crazy."  
Damon offers her a small smile "To be fare you always have be a little on the nuts side."

Elena glares at the eldest Salvatore before standing and making her way hesitantly towards her cousin "You're okay. Whatever this is we will figure it out together. Like always. We're not gonna let this thing send you back."

As Elena speaks both Damon and Stefan notice something a small flicker of emotion on Buffy's face at Elena's words only instead of joy or gratefulness it looked more like anger.  
"We want you to stay here." Caroline says cheerfully trying to ignore the depressing nature of the room "You're not going anywhere again."  
Buffy merely stares at them all emotionlessly "We should get to work."

* * *

"How many we got now?" Alaric asks a few hours later as the group now accompanied by Jeremy sat in the Salvatore living room/library searching for anything that could help explain what had come back from the afterlife with Buffy.  
Stefan sighs and glances down at the list they had been creating, "This pilled with the research Xander sent us...about 300 possible demons."  
At that number Jeremy groans loudly before dropping his head on top of the table causing it to bang loudly "This is impossible." He mumbles into his book.

Damon rolls his eyes before sighing, he had a point there were too many breeds of demons and they didn't have the resources here that they had had in Sunnydale "Baby Gilbert's got a point. Even with the SunnyD morons help all we got is Skaggmore demons, Trellbane demons, Skitters...all good options, not right though."  
Bonnie arches a brow "How do you know so much about demons?"  
"I pissed off a lot of different breeds." He says simply with a shrug before picking up his next book ignoring the disapproving glares everyone was sending him.

Caroline frowns in confusion unlike the others she hadn't spent the past year on the Hellmouth dealing with demons so this was a little weird to her "So do we keep finding out how to kill these ones or try and find more?"  
Elena shrugs even when they had been doing research in Sunnydale there had been more of them so jobs were often split up "Um...maybe..."

"I miss Giles." Buffy says suddenly as she stares off into the distance with a blank look on her face. At her words everyone turns to face her stunned that she had spoken, she had barely spoken at all since they had all started researching.  
Elena smiles slightly and turns to her sister "He's coming here. I talked to him."  
Buffy turns to her and Elena swore she saw a brief streak of emotion cross the blonde's face "The others?"

Elena panics at that, how was she supposed to tell her that her and Jeremy had basically banned Willow and the others from coming here any time soon.  
Elena looks over at her brother for help however he merely hides himself behind his book pretending that he couldn't see her, which just made her glare at him.  
Traitor.  
She sighs before looking back at Buffy "Um...it's just Giles. For now. But soon the gang can come here. Okay?"

Buffy freezes before glancing around the room noticing that everyone was staring at her again, she clenches her jaw slightly, she needed space, time away from those worried frowns.  
She puts down her book and glances over at Elena "I think I should patrol."  
Everyone freezes, that had been the last thing they had been expecting her to say.

When she stands and starts to head for the front door Stefan stands moving towards her "I'll come with."  
"No." Buffy says suddenly as she turns back to face him shaking her head.  
Damon frowns and turns to the blonde "Buff, you shouldn't go alone. I have no problem beating up vamps or hybrids for a few hours."  
Buffy shakes her head backing away slightly as the two vampires approach her "No. I—I need to go. Sorry."  
Without another word or even a glance at any of them Buffy merely walks out the front door closing it behind her as she heads out into the woods.

* * *

"I come baring coffee." Matt says drawing everyone's attention as he enters the Salvatore living room with two takeaway bags from the Grill.  
At his presence Damon groans "Who invited the Quarterback."  
"Can it Damon." Elena hisses before turning to Matt and offering him a sweet smile "Thanks."  
Matt smiles at his best friend and squeezes her shoulder before frowning as he spots the lack of a certain blonde.

Elena sighs noticing his confusion, Matt was the only person who hadn't seen Buffy yet and he had thought she would be here "She went out to patrol."  
Matt nods before taking a seat beside the brunette "Is she okay?"

"She died. Again. What do you think?" Damon asks sarcastically as he downs his bourbon before glancing back down at his book.  
Stefan sighs before shaking his head, he could tell Damon was worried about Buffy. He was too, watching her walk out of the house had killed him, he wanted to go with her, keep her safe. The idea of losing her again terrified him more than anything.

Matt who was now staring at the image of a demon in the book Elena was reading gulps, slightly glad that he had not gone on the trip to Sunnydale if those were running around down there.  
He groans in disgust before grabbing the bag of fries Jeremy had asked for...more like demanded...and turns to the kid "Jer! You're food."

"Moron!" Jeremy yells suddenly his voice coming out all distorted.  
Everyone backs away and turns to Jeremy only to spot him glaring at all of them with pure white eyes, the demon had possessed him.

"All of you did it." Jeremy hisses "You stupid children. Did you think the blood wouldn't reach you? I smell the death on you. Look at what you've done!"  
Suddenly Jeremy growls and opens his mouth causing everyone to stumble back as a strong flame flies out of his mouth setting some of the books on fire.

"Jeremy!" Elena screams in horror as Caroline pulls her out of the way of the fire.  
As Jeremy collapses on the ground everyone freezes in shock while Elena runs over to her brother to check on him.

"What the hell?! Since when did the kid become a damn fire breather!" Damon hisses.  
"It was possessing him." Stefan realises.

Elena who was crouched down by her brother glances up at all of them "That was it." She says pointing at the creature that was crawling underneath the floorboards "Like Buffy, but more with the flames."  
"Is he okay?" Bonnie asks in a panic worried for her ex-boyfriend as she ran over to help Elena with him.  
Elena ignores everyone as she stares down at her still unconscious brother "Jer?" She whispers quietly trying to stir him.  
Slowly he opens his eyes looking around in confusion "What? Elena?"

Damon rolls his eyes, this was not the time to be coddling the kid "You might have some dry-mouth."  
Jeremy frowns in confusion "Huh?"

* * *

Buffy continues to walk through the forest in the back of her mind knowing exactly where she was heading, but she would never admit it out loud. She couldn't explain it but she was being drawn here, she felt a pull tugging at her, making her feel something, something other than dead.

She continues to walk through the darkness until finally it appears, the mansion on top of the hill, the one that he had brought her to when she had woken up.

"Well isn't this a surprise." A voice says from behind her, instead of being startled or scared that he had snuck up on her she simply turns to face him, his sudden presence not having an affect on her.  
Klaus smiles down at the blonde watching her cautiously, she looked different than last time he had seen her. For one she wasn't covered in dirt and blood but...that fear and any trace of emotion that had been in her eyes that night was gone.

Buffy merely watches him as he looks her up and down, she tilts her head slightly at him before she notices something "There's blood on you shirt." She says softly gesturing to the small drops of blood on the collar of his white shirt.  
Klaus frowns before nodding "I'll heal. Like yourself." He says gesturing to her now healed knuckles.  
Buffy curls in on herself slightly hiding her hands behind her back nervously "Yeah."

Klaus nods at her understanding that she clearly did not want to speak about that, he merely gestures towards the gazebo that was further down the path towards his home.  
Buffy merely nods and walks beside him in silence as he leads her towards the Gazebo.

"I'd invite you in..." He tells her as he gestures for her to sit on one of the large leather chairs before moving to sit opposite her, he chuckles slightly "...but as you well know the place in still under construction. It will be rather stunning once it's finished."

When she doesn't speak he merely sits there opposite her in silence, listening to the sound of her heartbeat, it was calm, she wasn't scared or worried about breaking into a fight, she wasn't even angry. She was just calm.

"Was I always going to die?" Her hesitant voice asks suddenly causing Klaus to frown in confusion. He looks up at her, looking straight into her eyes.  
The blonde holds his gaze merely waiting for an answer.  
After a long moment Klaus sighs and decides to tell her the truth, when it came to this woman he couldn't act like the heartless Hybrid, not if he wanted her to trust him "I looked for other ways, for centuries I spoke to witch after witch, I even spoke to a few demons but one way or another..." He takes a deep breath and for the first time in a long time lets a guilty look take form on his face as he gazes at her "...there was nothing I could have done. It was fate."

Every word out of his mouth had been the truth, he had looked for other ways, looked for ways to get her out of it but there was nothing. No matter what he did she was going to die, fate always found a way so he had only had the choice of making sure that he could bring her back.

Buffy looks up at him not understanding why she believed him but she did, every word that left his lips she knew deep down were the truth.  
"Thank you." She says finally after trying to figure out explain how to respond to his words.  
However her choice of words only made the hybrid frown in confusion "For?"  
Buffy looks up at him looking him straight in the eye as she answers "Helping me."

She doesn't elaborate but he didn't need her too, he knew that she meant when she had been losing control in his house and had been scared.

* * *

As the others continue to research Alaric moves over towards Bonnie his curiosity about this spell digging at him. If her and Willow had been thinking about casting this spell then she most know more about it than she was letting on.  
"Bonnie." He says quietly making sure not to draw anyone else's attention.  
Bonnie who was half asleep on her pile of books groans slightly her body aching from the chair she was lying in, sitting up she looks over at Ric in confusion "Huh?"

"What do you know about the spell? The one Klaus used."  
When Bonnie opens her mouth to say nothing he sighs before shaking his head at her "Don't give me that. You and Willow were planning to perform this spell, you would have had to do research into it."

Bonnie sighs slightly before turning to face the teacher, honestly she only knew a little bit about the ritual itself she and Willow had only just begun researching a few days ago.  
"I don't know a lot." She tells him honestly "But...there were risks."  
At her words he arches a brow "Risks?"

Bonnie takes a deep breath "Risks to Buffy and whoever performed the ritual. It could have brought Buffy back wrong. The spell consists of trails, trails that can kill the witch." She takes a deep breath before running a hand through her hair "It's dark magic, darker than anything I've ever seen. Things that Mary would do. And that type of magic...it always comes with a price."

Alaric nods at that, the idea that both the young girls had been willing to put themselves through painful trails to bring back Buffy scared him, especially if this spell was as dangerous as Bonnie had said.  
But what worried him was this price, because it seemed as though the price of bringing back Buffy meant it would damage Buffy's soul, it would explain her lack of emotion since her resurrection.  
Before either of them could say anything else Stefan suddenly stands from his seat drawing everyone's attention "Thaumogenesis!"

"Alright hold him down, I'll start to exorcism." Damon yells as he stands and moves towards his brother.  
Stefan rolls his eyes at his brother before turning to the others "I'm not possessed. Thaumogenesis, I should have realised before. Powerful spells always come with a price...this demon is the price of the spell. When Buffy was brought back it was created a demon which is out of phase with this dimension."

Caroline frowns in confusion and raises her hands "I'm confused."  
"Me too." Jeremy says from the corner of the room.  
Stefan sighs "It doesn't have any form that's why it possesses people."  
"So how do we un-create it?" Damon asks as he crosses his arms over his chest facing his brother.

Bonnie who had grabbed the book Stefan had been reading panics slightly as she reads the words "It's linked to the spell." She tells them all "So if we send it away, it would be like the spell never happened."

Elena's eyes widen at that filling with fear at the idea of losing her cousin all over again, she stands and shakes her head in a panic "We need to find another way, okay. I just got her back. We can't even consider for a second taking her away again. No. That's worse than if she had never come back."  
Caroline looks over at her best friend "We'll find another way, Elena. We have to."  
The group all turn back to Bonnie who was now smiling brightly which made them all frown in confusion, how could she be smiling at a time like this "What's with the grin bon bon?" Damon asks the annoyance evident in his tone.

"It's temporary." Bonnie tells them all as she looks back up from the book "The demon. It's gonna dissipate. The only way for it to survive on this plane is if it were to kill the subject of the original spell."  
Alaric frowns at that "It would live if it killed Buffy?"

Suddenly Caroline's head turns to Alaric, her eyes filling with white "Thanks for the tip." She hisses before collapsing on the ground.

* * *

After leaving Klaus' Buffy walks back into her bedroom and finds herself again staring at the photo's on the mirror, praying and hoping to feel something, anything. She just wanted to feel something, any sort of emotion, something to make her happy that she was alive, but still...there was nothing.

 _"You don't belong here."_ A voice hisses from behind her causing her to frown in confusion she spins around to face the door only for her eyes to widen as she spots what looked like a ghost hovering above her.

On instinct she swings her fist out only for it to go straight from the creature before it backhands her sending her crashing into her bookshelf.  
Buffy groans in pain before pushing herself back up only to freeze when she can't spot the creature, she glances around just as the creature shoves her through the door causing her to go face first into the wall of the hallway outside her room.

Buffy growls slightly, if she could feel anything right now, it would be rage.  
She pushes herself away from the wall and walks back into her room searching for the creature that was taunting her.

 _"Did they tell you that you belonged here?"_ The voice asks before materialising right in front of her, Buffy quickly reaches out attempting to grab the creatures' only for it to evaporate under her grasp.  
 _"Did they say this was your home again?"_

Buffy attempts to hit the creature again only for it to disappear causing her to back away as she searches for it _"Were you offered pretty lies, little girl?"_ The creature asks as it comes up behind her wrapping it's arms around her as it attempts to suffocate her.

* * *

"Faster!" Elena hisses as her Caroline and Stefan all sit in Damon's car speeding towards Buffy's house.  
"I can't go any faster Elena!" Damon hisses back at her looking like he was about to snap her neck like a twig.  
Elena glares at Damon the worry for her sister overwhelming her with anger right now "Damon I swear to god if you don't go any faster I'm gonna shove a stake so far up your as-"

Elena is cut off as Caroline places a hand over her mouth silencing her "We get it!" The blonde screams, slightly impressed by the wit Elena seemed to have gained over her year in Sunnydale.

"Damon." Stefan hisses as Damon takes a hard right causing the car to turn violently.  
"I'm going as fast as I can St Stefan!" Damon screams at his brother "If blondie hadn't had sent the demon after Buffy we wouldn't even be in this mess!"  
"Me?!" Caroline screams from the back seat making Elena wince slightly and cover her ears due to the volume, Caroline truly was a scream queen.

"I did not send the demon..." Caroline continues as she yells at Damon "...I was possessed."  
"Great!" Damon yells "So what we have to come up with some anti-demon code?"  
"Damon shut up!" Stefan yells in panic "We need to get to the house!"

* * *

"I don't know how to make it solid!" Bonnie yells as she paces in the Salvatore living room trying desperately to figure out a way to help Buffy but she had no idea how to cast a spell like this, she only knew the basics of the magic Willow used and this spell really was not in the basic selection.

"Luckily for you all I do." A voice says from behind them causing everyone to gasp as they raise their weapons.  
Klaus chuckles at the sight of the guns and crossbows aimed at him "If you think that any of you have a chance against me without losing a limb think again."  
Jeremy glares at Klaus "Get out!"

Klaus merely smiles at the young boy before whistling, as he does Marcus walks into the book with a spell book in his hands.  
"My witch and yours..." He says gesturing to Bonnie "...are going to make this creature solid so our dear Slayer can fight it."

Alaric glares at the immortal hybrid who had been the cause of so much of their pain "Why the hell would be trust you?"  
"Because for once we having something in common." He says simply before gesturing to his witch to sit beside Bonnie and begin the chant "We all want to protect Buffy."

:

"Child of words, hear thy makers." Bonnie and Marcus begin to chant as they sit in the middle of a circle of candles their hands entwined. Normally Bonnie would have just sent this man packing but he knew this spell, she didn't and right now all that mattered was saving Buffy.

"Child of words, we entreat. With our actions did we make thee, to our vices wilt thou bend."

* * *

Buffy continues to struggle for breath as the ghost type creatures keeps it's arms wrapped around her middle, she groans in pain and grunts as she tries to escape only failing each and every time.  
Suddenly a growl escapes her and she rips her arms free of the demon sending it flying back.

Buffy's eyes widen in shock and she glances down at her hands only for the demon to take advantage of her distraction and send her flying across the room crashing straight into the nearby wall.

* * *

"With our potions thou too motive, with our motions came to pass." Bonnie continues to chant suddenly feeling a wave of magic she had never felt before pass through her. It was stronger, stronger than anything she had ever felt and it was dark.

"We rescind no past devotions, give thee substance, give thee mass."

* * *

Buffy groans as she lands on the floor by her bed only for her eyes to widen as she spots her old weapons chest underneath the bed, reaching for it she quickly grabs an axe and stands just as the creature approaches her again.

 _"You're the one who's barely here, set on this like a bubble."_

She speeds over to the creature shocking both the demon and herself at her speed, but Buffy quickly shakes it off and swings the axe which instantly just cuts through the demon like air with no affect.

 _"You won't even disturb the air when you go."_

Suddenly footsteps draw her attention, she turns her head only to spot Caroline, Damon and Stefan along with Elena run into the room all staring at the demon in shock. It was still very clear despite being around demons for a year that they weren't fans of them.

"Go!" Buffy screams "Take Elena out of here!"

* * *

"Child of words..." Marcus continues now noticing that Bonnie had stopped chanting "Hear they makers."  
He pauses as he notices her eyes closed before a bright light surrounds her, instantly he lets go of the witch the power coming off of her almost burning him.

"Bonnie!" Jeremy screams in worry as he takes a step towards her only for Alaric to block his path not wanting him to get hurt.

Suddenly Bonnie's head shoots up towards the ceiling and as her eyes widen everyone freezes in shock, her eyes had gone completely black.  
"Solid."

* * *

Buffy raises the axe again just as the creature seemed to take a more solid form her eyes widen in shock allowing the creature to backhand her sending her crashing into the wall.  
She hisses in pain before speeding over to the creature and standing in front of it, the creature raises it's fist at her and it was as if Buffy had all the time in the world to catch it.

Everything seemed to slow around her while she moved at a normal pace, she catches the creatures fist in her palm and squeezes causing the creature to howl in pain as the bones crack under the Slayer's grasp.  
Buffy merely growls before grasping the demons head and ripping it from it's neck with her bare hands.

As the body drops at her feet Buffy breaths heavily trying to calm herself, to make sure she didn't freak out about her new strength or speed. There would be time for that later.

"Wow." Caroline breaths from the doorway "You really are stronger."

Buffy merely shrugs before dropping the head to the ground allowing it to roll across the floor "Seems like."

* * *

The next morning Buffy walks into the Salvatore home and merely stands in the doorway that she had spent so much of her time.  
So much had happened in this house, things she had forgotten for so long before it call came rushing back in one blow.

"Buffy?"  
A confused and shocked voice says from behind her, disrupting her silence.

The blonde turns to see both Damon and Stefan staring at her in confusion, they hadn't been expecting her here, especially not alone.  
When she doesn't speak both men frown in worry "Are you okay?" Stefan asks.

Buffy forces a fake smile on her face before chuckling "I'm going to start charging every person that asks me that."  
Damon smiles at that, enjoying seeing a bit of the old Buffy through the cracks "You could just kill them."  
"I have a feeling people would disapprove." Buffy replies with a small smile

"Probably." Stefan says with a laugh before smiling "Do you wanna sit?"  
Buffy shakes her head, she honestly didn't want to be here very long, the longer she was here the harder it was going to be to hold up a happy charade.

"I won't be staying long." She says kindly offering him a small smile before looking at them both seriously "I wanna know what he did to me." She says suddenly shocking both of them "I wanna know what am I. I don't crave blood I walk in the sun so what am I? Ultra Buffy? Buffy on steroids? I need to know what am I capable of."

Stefan glances at his brother before glancing back to Buffy, he had so much he needed to talk to her about, their relationship for one but clearly that wasn't her focus right now, which he completely understood. So swallowing his feelings he nods and offers her a small smile "We'll help you."

* * *

"Hi Buffy." Caroline says cheerfully as she spots Buffy walking into The Grill.  
Elena swings her head around and smiles brightly as she spots her cousin moving towards their table, she waves at her before moving along so that Buffy can seat next to her.  
Buffy smiles at her sister before glancing over at her brother and her friends, friends which she had missed.

"I didn't say this before..." She says softly focusing on Caroline "...but I missed you."  
Caroline looks at her sadly a guilty look crossing her face "I was gonna come but then when Tyler became a hybrid—"  
"It's fine." Buffy tells her offering her a small smile "I get it."

Buffy pauses for a moment summoning her courage to do what she had planned, she glances around the table before rubbing her hands together nervously "Look, you guys, um...there's this thing...so I'm just gonna say it." For the briefest of moments Buffy considered telling them the truth but after everything they had all been through she wanted to spare them that pain and guilt "You brought me back. I was in a...I was in hell."

At her words water fills the three other girls' eyes while Jeremy stares at his elder sister with a heartbroken expression, hearing her say the words broke all of them inside just imagining the torment she suffered through for god knows how long.

Before any of them could speak Buffy continues wanting to get this over with before she lost her nerve "I, um...I can't think too much bout what it was like. But it felt like the world abandoned me there. And then suddenly...the world came rushing back. So even though you guys didn't do this..." She says gesturing to herself "...I wouldn't have survived without you all. You guys gave me the world. I can't tell you what it means to me...and I should have said it before."

Elena merely smiles a small tear dropping from her eyes, she glances over at her brother before they both finally pull Buffy into a hug. She was home.

* * *

Buffy takes a shaky breath as she closes the backdoor of The Grill behind her, the others were ordering food and she just needed a few minutes to herself.  
She sighs slightly and turns her head only to spot Klaus sitting on a crate at the end of the alley, basking in the sunlight that was covering him.

"Klaus." She breaths drawing his attention to her, as his eyes land on her he instantly smiles his dimples making his smile seem so much bigger than it was.  
"You know you never truly appreciate the sun till you cannot go in it." He says softly as he closes his eyes allowing the light to cover him for a moment before he speaks keeping his eyes closed as he does "Not in the mood for the group hug?"

Buffy's eyes widen at that and she crosses her arms over her chest as she stares at him "How—"  
"I always know when your miserable." He says simply as he opens his eyes and turns to glance at her catching her gaze.

Buffy looks away and tucks a strand of her behind her ear "How do you always..." She pauses as she realises the reason herself "Never mind. That damn tether."  
Klaus merely chuckles making her look back up at him catching his gaze as he corrects her "Actually it's the only time when you're alone."

Buffy sighs before moving to sit on the crate beside him "I just wanted to be alone."  
When Klaus arches a brow she shakes her head in amusement "It's ok. I can be alone with you here."  
"Well I was here first." He jokes hoping to get a laugh out of her however she merely shrugs and looks away from him.  
"Right." She mumbles under her breath as she stares at her hands.

Klaus frowns allowing a more vulnerable side of himself to show as he watched her, he was worried and as much as he would deny it he felt guilt for not getting her out of that coffin before performing the spell "Slayer? Are you ok?"  
Buffy merely sits up straight and nods at him "I'm here. I'm okay."  
Klaus arches a brow at her staring at her unconvinced, something was wrong with her he could feel it, he could feel her confusion, her pain and how it was eating away at her.

He turns to face her looking at her seriously "Buffy...if you're in pain or need anything or if I can do anything for you..."  
Buffy looks away from "You've done enough." When Klaus frowns in confusion she couldn't help the escape of a harsh laugh that escaped her "Is the big bad Klaus going soft?"  
"I suggest you don't tell anyone." He tells her playfully "I do have a reputation to uphold."

When she cracks a smile he moves closer to her "You know, I know a thing or two about torment..."  
"I was happy." She says quietly immediately making him freeze in shock.

Buffy takes a deep breath before continuing "Wherever I was...I was happy. At peace. I knew that everyone I cared about was all right. I knew it. Time...didn't mean anything. Nothing had form, but I was still me, you know? And I was warm. And I was loved. And I was finished. Complete. I don't understand theology, or dimensions, or any of it, really...but I think I was in heaven. And now I'm not." Buffy stops and turns to look him right in the eyes "You tore me out of there. You pulled me out. Everything here is hard, and bright, and violent. Everything I feel, everything I touch. This is Hell. Just getting through the next moment, and the one after that. Knowing what I've lost."

Buffy finally stops speaking and glances over at Klaus who was merely staring at her speechless, she sighs before standing "They can never know."

Klaus who was still shocked to his core for the first time in centuries nods before standing and approaching her hesitantly "Buffy..." He says softly as he moves to stand in front of her causing her to have to look up at him, he sighs before tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear which only made her back away "I did this to you...so let me help you."  
Buffy arches a brow at him in confusion "How?" She couldn't help but ask with a small voice.  
Klaus grins down at her "I am going to help you understand what you are."

* * *

 **A/N: Hey everyone hope you enjoyed this chapter xx So much drama xx  
** **Let me know who you guys are shipping and please help with some ship names cause I suck at stuff like that.**

 **Also for Damon/Buffy shippers I made a Damon/Buffy Vid to War of Hearts by Ruelle and have posted it to my channel Kit Summers so hope you enjoy.**

 **See you guys next time xx**


	91. Here Is Something You Can't Understand

**A/N: OMG guys this story has hit over 80, 000 views. I never would have imagined this story would be that popular, so thank you to everyone who stuck we me during the early chapters where I struggled slightly. So you guys know I have been going back and editing the chapters, not making major changes just changing some little bits of dialogue and the spelling.**

 **Also I know I've already uploaded this chapter so I will upload another one today.**

 **One more thing if you all ever wanted to see what a scene between Mary and Buffy would look like go to youtube and look up Buffy's New Home - Season 2 Wattpad trailer. I made some clips of Buffy and Mary and mainly Buffy kicking her and Katherine's ass. It's quite fun.**

 **Anyway thanks again to all of u and keep reading.**

 **xxx**

* * *

At 05:15 in the morning Elena's alarm began blaring filling her room with a loud beeping noise, like it had done every morning at this time for the past 2 years.

However today was different, today the young Gilbert was already wide awake in her bed. She had been awake for the past half hour merely staring at the wall in front of her as she thinks about all that had happened in the past few weeks.

Slowly she sits up and switches off her alarm but doesn't move from her bed at first, she merely buries herself against the pillows for a moment before huffing and slowly climbing out of the bed.

Walking over to her mirror she winces as she lifts up her shirt spotting the still healing wounds on her stomach from the ritual. She takes a deep breath before slipping on her wrist cast which she had been wearing for the past few weeks, maybe breaking her thumb and forcing it out of place hadn't been the best idea but it had been all she could come up with at that moment in time.

* * *

Buffy walks along the dark highway soaking in the darkness of the hour, the sun hadn't come out yet and she was dreading the eventual rise. Another day another sunrise another problem for her to deal with.

Stopping in the middle of the road she takes a deep breath and glances down the empty road, there were no cars yet, she doubted anyone was even awake yet, she was alone.  
Which was a rarity these days. Some how since coming back her friends and family had made it their mission to never leave her alone or by herself, no matter how many times she snuck off they would always find her.

Slowly she sits down and leans back allowing her back to lay on the cold concrete, her hair splayed out around her as she closed her eyes soaking in the quiet.  
This was one of the few moments she had had to herself in the past two weeks and it felt nice. To not have to speak. Not have to claim that she was okay or continue with her lie of being just fine.

* * *

"Good morning." Elena says cheerfully to Ric as she walks out of her room in her workout gear.  
Ric unlike the brunette was not a morning person he merely raised his hand silencing her and rubbed his head, he was clearly hangover which made her laugh slightly.

Elena watches in amusement as he makes his way down stairs towards the kitchen before she moves towards Buffy's room.  
Knocking on the door she frowns when she doesn't hear the blonde, pushing the door open she peeks inside "Buffy? You up?"

When again there is no response Elena frowns and finally steps into the room only to frown in confusion, Buffy's bed looked like it hadn't even been slept in. A small panic fills Elena, she quickly runs down stares terrified that her sister had disappeared.

She was full on freaking out allowing thoughts of what may be happening to her to plague her mind.  
"What's wrong?" Ric asks as he spots the brunette run into the kitchen in a panic.  
Elena turns to him her eyes filled with worry and terror "Buffy—she-she's not in her room."

Ric's eyes widen, as worried as he was he knew Buffy could handle herself and he needed to calm down the terrified Elena "I'm sure she's fine. She's probably at Stefan's."

Elena shakes her head, she knew for a fact that there was now way Buffy would be at Stefan's right now "She's hasn't spoke to him about..." She sighs clearly talking about the fact that Buffy and Stefan had kissed right before her death and now things between them were still unresolved "...well them yet or if there is even a them. It's really confusing."

Ric couldn't help but chuckle at that, the situation really was complicated "That's what happens when your girlfriend forgets she's your girlfriend and then dies right after she remembers."

Elena sighs her fear for her sister not allowing her to find the amusement in Rick's words, she groans and rubs a hand through her hair before grabbing her phone hoping that Buffy would pick up.

* * *

Buffy closes her eyes as she listens to the rush of water from the nearby river and the birds chirping from a mile away, allowing her new senses to take in all the sounds of the forest.  
Suddenly a loud piercing noise causes her to groan slightly and cover her ears, the noise was causing a painful throbbing in her head which lead to her digging her nails into her palm in pain.

After a long moment of adjusting to the sound Buffy opens her eyes and looks down to see her hands now covered in blood she sighs as she watches the wounds heal rapidly, she wished that she could have the scars, the scars made her feel human but alas she wasn't even sure if she was anymore.

Swallowing the lump in her throat Buffy sits up and answers her phone "Hello." She says flatly with no emotion.  
 _"_ _Buffy!"_ Elena yells in relief making Buffy frown in confusion _"Where are you? I was worried."  
_ Buffy groans, she had completely forgotten that she had promise to get back to her and Elena's training routine this week.

"I went out for a run." Buffy lies not wanting to worry her cousin "I'm fine. I'm coming."

* * *

"So the pressure of your punch ejects the stakes." Alaric tells Elena as he demonstrates punching the dummy they had brought out to the woods while Buffy stands off to the distance watching the training session.  
Elena nods and glances at the device on her arm, she remembered how to do it "I remember."

She raises her fist and punches the dummy, as she does the stakes ejects and go right into the gut of the dummy.  
Ric smiles at that, she had improved so much in the past year while she was in Sunnydale. Her strength and speed had all grown so much in that time.  
Elena smiles at him before glancing over at her sister in worry "Ready?"

Buffy stands and shakes her head at the two of them this wasn't safe, it was a stupid idea to be honest "This is stupid."

Ric sighs before glancing at the blonde "Buffy, we need to know your strength now."  
Buffy scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest "Then I should be doing this with someone I can't hurt."

"Buffy..." Elena tries but Buffy just shakes her head before speeding over to the brunette causing Elena to gasp in shock and back away.

"I'm faster...stronger...more dangerous than ever before." Buffy tells them both honestly before speeding over to Ric's bag and taking out a Vervain grenade "I could kill you both with the blink of an eye." Buffy takes a shaky breath and closes her eyes remembering what had happened that first night she had used her strength "I literally caused a hybrid's head to go flying across the room without even trying. So don't worry about me..."

Ric shakes his head, no matter what she said he was going to worry and he was going to try and help "Buffy...Klaus is not exactly the person you should go to for help on this."  
Buffy shakes her head before raising her hands in frustration "Who else? I need to be able to protect you all of you!"  
Elena sighs and looks over at her sister "Buffy...you don't have to protect me."

Buffy rolls her eyes before an idea comes to her "Elena you fought vampires yes. But not these, not Damon and Stefan."  
As her cousin speaks Elena watches her, curious as to where this conversation was going, however again she gasps as Buffy disappears in a blur before suddenly reappearing behind her causing her to spin around to face the blonde.

"All you have is surprise." Buffy tells her before unclipping the grenade and tossing it at Elena.  
Elena catches it and immediately her eyes widen, it was about to blow "Oh my God." She breaths before tossing the grenade in the air just as it explodes.

Elena stares at her cousin in shock before glancing over at Ric for help but the vampire hunter merely shakes his head, he couldn't argue with Buffy she was right "Elena, vampires will take whatever they want. They will hurt whoever they want. And they'll do it without remorse. It's in their nature."

Elena sighs and runs a hand through her hair before glancing over at Buffy who seemed to be lost in thought "Buff?"  
Buffy shakes her head coming back to reality before focusing on her cousin and forcing a smile on her face "I'm fine."  
"You sure?" Ric asks her unconvinced.  
Buffy smiles at him before shrugging "Honestly I was just wondering if I consider charging people for saving their lives as viable option."  
Elena's eyes widen at that "No."

* * *

"Here we are." Caroline breathes out as her Buffy, Bonnie and Elena all stand outside of Whitmore College; there was a benefit to vampires being in their lives. It meant that transferring Bonnie, Elena and Buffy over from UC Sunnydale to Whitmore had only taken like 10 minutes.  
"Junior year of college." Caroline says softly still in awe, time had gone so quickly, their time as students was almost over. But at least now it would feel right, the four of them together again.

Bonnie glances over at Buffy who was staring at the college with wide eyes, honestly she looked like she was about to run for the hills "You ready?"  
Buffy looks over at her best friend before glancing back at the school, this didn't feel right "This is a mistake. A black-pit of a mistake. I should go."

Buffy turns on her heels and makes a move towards her black jeep only for Caroline to grasp her arm and turn her back so that she was facing the school "Come on." She whines before looking at all of them "Look, this past year has been suck-y yes. But we are accepting it, and we are moving on."

Buffy groans and tries to step back but Bonnie and Elena yeah grasp one of her arms pulling her towards the college while Caroline takes the lead.

"You're right." Elena tells Caroline "I mean, why should I let the fact that my ex-boyfriend is the New TA for me pre-med classes bother me."  
"Yes!" Caroline says cheerfully while both Bonnie and Buffy give Elena a sympathetic look before glancing at the blonde vampire as she speaks.  
"And why should I let the fact that the man who turned my boyfriend into a hybrid is back in town put a damper on this otherwise fabulous day."

Buffy pauses and stops in her tracks as she stares at the school, she closes her eyes as she remembers the fact that if he hadn't been for Klaus and all the horrible things that happened in Sunnydale, today would have been her four year anniversary with Stefan.

"Buffy?" Elena asks in worry as she turns to her sister with a frown on her face.  
Buffy clenches her jaw before looking at the school with an emotionless look "Today would have been our anniversary."  
All three girls shoot around to face Buffy, their eyes widening as she speaks "We would have been together four years if Klaus hadn't taken me...if I hadn't had..." Buffy pauses and looks down to the ground not wanting to talk about her death, it was still a tough subject for her.

Caroline looks at her best friend sadly "Yeah. You win."  
"Have you spoken to him?" Bonnie asks "About your status?"

Buffy shakes her head, honestly she had been avoiding it, it was too difficult "No. I don't wanna disappoint him." She tells them honestly, she was scared that the minute her and Stefan had an honest conversation about their relationship he would realise how damaged she was.  
Elena looks at her sister sadly before throwing an arm over her shoulder "He loves you. No matter what."  
Caroline nods "It's true. It's kind of sickening."

All the girls laugh including Buffy, which was nice for her, she had rarely laughed since her resurrection, she had almost forgotten how good it felt.  
Bonnie places a hand on Buffy's shoulder "You ready?"  
Buffy gulps and looks up at the college with a worried frown before nodding "It's now or never right. I can't live under a rock forever."  
"You probably could." Bonnie points out with a smile as all four girls stand in a line with their arms linked.  
"Wouldn't recommend it for the hair." Caroline says causing all of them to laugh as they step into college.

* * *

Damon watches in amusement as his brother blasts loud rock music while doing pull ups, he had been like this for the past week and as amusing as it was the music was starting to get on his nerves.  
"You planning to change the album any time soon?" He asks his brother as he leans against Stefan's doorway with an arched brow "Just wondering how much longer my ears are gonna bleed."

Stefan growls slightly and pulls himself up towards the ceiling once more before allowing himself to drop back to the ground.  
As he switches off the music Damon tilts his head "She still avoiding you?"  
At his brother's question Stefan's head shoots towards him "What? She's—not..."  
When Damon merely raises a brow Stefan sighs "Yes."

Damon chuckles "Yeah she mentioned that she hadn't spoken to you in a few days."  
That sentence made Stefan freeze in any and all actions, if she had said that to Damon, that meant that she had spoken to Damon which made his blood boil, not that he would let his brother see that "You've spoken to her?"

Damon shrugs slightly enjoying this but also hating it as well, he loved Buffy yes but it sucked hurting his brother, they had grown closer over the past two years so now he actually tended to care when his young brother was hurting, which was very infuriating "Couple times. Mainly via Ric when they are training with Elena." He pauses and looks at his brother "It's her first day today."

Stefan's eyes widen at that and he turns away from his brother and instantly catches sight of the photo of him and Buffy on his night stand, he swallows the lump in his throat and clenches his eyes shut, today would have been their anniversary but now she was avoiding him for a reason he wasn't sure of, and it killed him inside.

Before either brother could breathe another word the doorbell goes causing them both to frown.  
Damon groans at the noise "What's the bet that's someone coming to shoot us?" He asks sarcastically only to laughs slightly "Never mind that's actually a realistic question."

Stefan sighs before following his brother downstairs, as Damon goes to answer the door Stefan hangs back watching from the staircase.

"Where's Stefan?" The blonde bombshell that was Klaus' sister asks Damon the second he answers the door.

Damon arches a brow at the blonde's appearance before staring at the shopping bags and rolling his eyes "Well hello to you to Barbie Klaus."  
Rebekah rolls her eyes before attempting to enter the house only for an invisible field to stop her, she groans in annoyance before glaring at Damon "Invite me in."  
Damon smirks "Sorry can't."  
Rebekah growls slightly wanting to rip his head from his neck "Then fetch the bloody human who owns the house and let me in."

Stefan finally steps forwards and crosses his arms as he stares at his ex "She's busy." He finally reveals, so glad that him and Damon had had the house resigned under Elena's name after Buffy died.  
Rebekah merely smiles at him "Stefan, my brother is off God knows where and I'm bored."  
Stefan glances at his brother who merely smirks at him, Stefan sighs before tilting his head at Rebekah "Your tone implies that I'm actually supposed to care."

Rebekah's whole face falls at his words before she glances at Damon "Has he turned his switch."  
"No." Damon says with a proud grin "He's just sassy today."  
Rebekah scoffs before turning back to Stefan "You used to love me."  
Stefan merely shrugs, she was wrong there he had had no emotions back then, he hadn't loved her, the only person he had ever loved was currently avoiding him "Got over it."

When she growls slightly Damon grins before giving her a wave "Now before this gets any more embarrassing for you...bye!" He says loudly before slamming the door in her face and looking over at his brother with a proud grin "Well done brother."  
Stefan rolls his eyes at his brother "Shut up, Damon." He says before making his way back up the stares leaving his brother watching him leave in confusion "What?"

* * *

"What!" Katherine yells as she answers Mary's phone while Mary continues to dangle a live mouse in front of her adopted father's face which clearly was still having no affect.  
 _"_ _Katherine?"_ Damon asks in confusion _"Where's Mary?"_

Katherine rolls her eyes before putting the phone on speaker and glancing over at her brunette friend, who groans "What do you want Damon?" Mary asks as she tosses the mouse across the room before sitting on the stone coffin edge.  
 _"_ _What do I—I've been calling you for a week."  
_ "Funny." Mary says sarcastically clearly not in the mood for Damon "That's exactly how long I've been ignoring you."  
Damon sighs _"You find Mikael?"_

"Sort of." Katherine answers as she begins twirling a strand of her hair "He's a little bit out of commission. He won't eat. And I've tried everything—gravediggers, mourners, mice, rats, bats. He's just not interested."  
 _"_ _One of you is an all power witch!"_ Damon exclaims causing Mary to roll her eyes _"Just poof him awake!"_

Mary sighs wishing it was as simple as that "Doesn't work that way dumbass."  
 _"_ _I don't care. We need him to kill Klaus before he turns Buffy into a psycho like you."  
_ Mary glares at the phone "You say the sweetest things."  
 _"_ _Just do something."  
_ Katherine sighs before glancing out of the window and spots a man approaching one of the graves with flowers in his hands "Fine. We'll give it another shot."

Mary hangs up the phone before nodding at Katherine who makes her way of towards the man in the Graveyard.  
As she leaves Mary crouches down in front of Mikael "You always were a stubborn arse."

* * *

"Have you decided on you major yet?" Caroline asks Buffy as they move to take their seats in the class Caroline had convinced her to sign up for.  
Buffy shakes her, honestly her major had been a question that still hadn't been answered when she was at UC Sunnydale, the only class she found herself liking there was the art history class, doing it had reminded her of her mom.  
"No." She says simply before offering the other blonde a small smile as they sit and turn to face the board "I have a pretty good idea...but this gonna be great." She says cheerfully despite the fact she didn't exactly feel cheerful, she was dreading this.

As she grabs her notebook Buffy runs a hand through her hair, it was a little bit weird being back she had dropped out of UC Sunnydale but yet here she was like nothing had happened "I thought it would be a bit weird being back in school but...I mean it is weird but a good weird. Being a college drop-out was not fun."

Caroline smiles glad that Buffy was alright, or at least acting that way but she knew Buffy well enough to know that she still wasn't that comfortable.  
She places a hand on Buffy shoulder "It'll be fine."

"Social construction of reality." The lecturer says suddenly drawing the classes attention.  
Buffy turns her head only for her eyes to widen in panic, she had a horrible feeling that this wasn't going to go well.  
Buffy listens intently as the lecture begins questioning and at his words she feels herself sinking into her chair, this was a class full of brains, genius smart brains while hers was still crummy and confusing.

"Care!" Buffy hisses quietly drawing the blonde's attention.  
Caroline glances over at her friend before frowning in worry "Are you okay"  
Buffy shakes her head "I'm not following this too well."  
"Don't worry just do what you can."  
Buffy glares slightly "It would be a lot easier if your classmates weren't such brains."

Caroline sighs before raising her hand to the question the teacher just asked as she does she glances at Buffy "You'll be fine. I promise."  
"Miss Forbes."

At the teacher's words Caroline turns her head away from Buffy and answers "Because social phenomena..."

Buffy completely zones out as Caroline gives out a brainy answer, it was like this wasn't the first day of class, it was like she was joining a class halfway through it's midterm.  
She groans before sinking herself into her chair and letting her head fall onto the desk. This was going to be a long hour.

* * *

"I'm gonna kill her." Buffy tells Damon as she walks through the campus towards her car planning to get the hell out of there as soon as possible.  
 _"_ _Can I watch?"  
_ Buffy rolls her eyes at her friend's words...yes she considered Damon her friend.  
"Can it dumbass." She hisses as she walks into the practically abandoned parking lot "I felt like such an idiot. I shouldn't have let them talk me into this."  
 _"_ _I'm sure it wasn't as bad as you think it is."_

"I hid behind a book for the entire hour and when the teacher looked at me I shoved a highlighter into my mouth to make it look like I was following." She says flatly only causing Damon to laugh loudly over the phone.

Buffy growls slightly, she could feel her anger rising she stops walking and clutches onto a nearby lamp post. She takes a deep breath and once she finally releases the lamp post she groans in annoyance her hand had made a massive dent in the strong metal.

She winces at the sight and pokes the thing only for her to gasp as it breaks in half and the top half of the post crashes to the ground, the glass shattering around her.  
 _"_ _What was that?! Buffy?!"_

At Damon's panicked voice Buffy sighs, they were all worrying about her so much "It's nothing. So why did you call me anyway?" She asks quickly hoping to change the subject, she had been struggling with her new strength all week but she didn't want to worry any of them more than they already were.

Damon groans knowing exactly what she was doing but he didn't push her despite the fact that he was still completely in love with her he wouldn't risk losing his friendship with her, honestly she was his best friend...well his only friend.  
 _"_ _Well, Barbie Klaus showed up today."  
_ Buffy frowns at that and continue to walk towards her car "Rebekah?" She asks in confusion, she hadn't seen or heard anything from either Mikaelson since last week.  
"Why was she at your house?"

 _"_ _Attempting to flirt with Stefan who was too busy shaping his hair, kind like your other ex-boyfriend, not the doof but the one with the forehead."_

Buffy rolls her eyes at that "You are so funny." She says sarcastically before pausing, honestly the idea that Rebekah had been flirting with Stefan upset her. She sighs she didn't have any right to be jealous, they hadn't been together in a long time he could do whatever he wanted.  
She runs a hand through her hair before leaning against the brick wall to her left finding herself unable to walk anymore as she contemplates her thoughts. She was a mess right now, a big pit of a mess with a major amount of damage. It was better this way...or at least that was what she was trying to convince herself of.

 _"_ _You alright there Buffster?"_ Damon asks his voice startling her, she had almost forgotten that he was still on the other line.  
"Yep." She says flatly, her voice void of emotion "What happened?"  
 _"_ _Well she couldn't get into the house now that Elena's name is under the deed so she basically pouted and then I slammed the door in her face."  
_ Buffy smiles at that, the image almost making her laugh out loud...almost.

Suddenly a crashing noise comes from Damon's side of the phone causing the Salvatore boy to groan _"Dammit, gotta go."  
_ "What's wrong?" Buffy asks curiously.  
 _"_ _Stefan's put on the noise again."_ As he says it Buffy hears the music in the background " _If you excuse me I have to go break my brother's stereo."  
_ Before Buffy could get another word in Damon hangs up causing Buffy to sigh.

She remains against the wall for a minute before stepping away from it however suddenly something yanks onto her arm slamming her back against the wall.  
She grunts in shock as her back makes contact with the wall but quickly she grabs the thing that had grabbed her and launches it away from her.

Swinging herself around she turns to what had thrown her only for her eyes to widen at the sight of the green muscular demon that was approaching "What happened to no demons in Mystic Falls."  
The demon approaches her and Buffy merely speeds out of the way coming up behind him causing him to growl, he had not been aware that the Slayer had had an increase in power.

She taps him on the shoulder before smiling up at him sweetly "Can I help you? You seem lost. Over there..." She points out one of the buildings on camps "Is the history building." She then points at other "There is the abandoned science building. And here..." She says gesturing to herself "Is where you get hit in the face."  
She swings her leg out sending him flying towards the still under construction science building.  
Running at him she tackles him causing them both to go flying through the double doors, which break under the impact.

As she stands Buffy doesn't even give the demon a second she swings her fist out but he quickly blocks it so she swings her other out towards him when he catches that one as well, she twists his arms with her hands and headbutts him before kneeing him in the face sending him flying upwards into the ceiling before crashing back through it on the other side of the room, landing painfully on the ground.

Buffy lets out a small breath before glancing down at her hands, this really was going to take some getting used to.  
She shakes herself before punching the demon in the gut as it runs at her but he ducks under her next blow throwing her over his shoulder.  
Instead of crashing to the ground as he attempts to throw her across the room Buffy flips through the air higher than she has ever done before and lands on her feet on a nearby table.

She lets out a shocked breath before trying to focus on the fight, she grabs onto the pillar beside her to use it to get down only for it to break under her grasp.  
Her eyes widen as she realises that pillar was the only thing left holding the ceiling up "Oh no." She mutters just as the building collapses on her and the demon.

* * *

Buffy sighs as she walks back into her house, digging herself out of a collapsed building had not exactly been fun, honestly it had brought on some memories of digging herself out of her grave, and that was something she really didn't want to relive. Like ever.  
Tossing her now dirty jacket on the floor she looks down at the blood that was covering her white vest and sighs, yeah the healing factor she had now was cool and all but it didn't heal her clothes so what's the point of it.

"Hey what happened to you?" Alaric asks as he walks into the hallway and spots the blood covered Slayer.  
Buffy groans "Other than the loss of this very nice top and a demon trying to kill me nothing."  
"Wait demon?" Alaric asks in shock, demons never came to Mystic Falls, it had always been vampire territory.

Buffy nods, still a little shaken by the fact that she had destroyed a building...with her fist...by accident. It was kind of a lot to take in.  
"Are you okay?" Alaric asks her as they walk side by side towards the kitchen.  
Buffy nods before gesturing to her healed wound "No harm no foul. Literally. There is a benefit to new me. But my clothes still suffer."

Alaric chuckles slightly but the worry was still there in his eyes, he knew she was struggling with this, the not understanding about what she could do, her jokes were just a way of concealing that.  
He moves to sit down while the blonde in question grabs some juice out of the fridge.  
"What did it look like?" he asks already pulling out the books Elena had brought back with her from Sunnydale out of his bag and placing them on the table.

Buffy shrugs slightly as she moves to stand beside the table so she was facing the him "Green. Like's to wear red leather. No weapons that I could see but this thing was strong. I think if it wasn't for my little upgrade he would have thrown me around like a rag doll." She pauses and begins to tie her hair up in a ponytail, she honestly was a little frustrated and wanted to go down to the basement where her make shift gym was still untouched, and just pound on a bag for a few hours.

Alaric nods at her information, honestly since Elena had brought these books back he couldn't help but be intrigued by the other half of the supernatural, the side he had never seen "I'll have a look there might be something in the books Elena and Jeremy brought back."  
Buffy nods gratefully, she really had missed Alaric, he had become her Giles while she had been here...her slightly less stuffy more American-y Giles.

"Thanks. I'm gonna go train but I'll give the gang a ring..." She says referring to her friends in Sunnydale "...See if they can dig up..."  
Buffy pauses in sentence going silent as she spots Jeremy standing by the front door with a shocked looking Giles by his side.

Buffy couldn't help but stare at him, he was the closest thing she had to a father and even though she had only been back a week she had wanted to see him more than anyone.  
Jeremy smiles at his sister before stepping aside allowing Buffy to quickly walk over to Giles who does the same meeting her halfway.

He stares down at her stunned to silence before a bright smile covers his face "Oh God Buffy...you're alive...you're here." He breathes before stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her like it was the last time.  
Buffy smiles into the embrace and hugs him tightly completely forgetting that she had no control over her strength at the moment.  
Giles chuckles only to pause when his breathing becomes a bit more difficult "And you are still remarkably strong...if not stronger."  
"Huh?" Buffy panics before quickly pulling away.

Jeremy smiles at the scene before walking over to Giles who hugs him tightly, slapping him on the back before pulling away and smiling at the boy who he adored.  
Jeremy smiles, he had missed the man honestly when the everyone headed back to Sunnydale before Buffy's funeral him and Elena hadn't wanted Giles to leave.

"She's stronger than strong." Jeremy tells the Watcher "She's like the Hulk."  
Giles smiles "I have no idea what that means but..." He pauses and lets his gaze fall back on Buffy who was smiling back at him, he still couldn't believe it, she was here "Elena told me but didn't really let myself believe."  
Buffy smiles "I still take a little getting use to. I'm still getting used to me."  
Giles couldn't help but bask "It's still...your..." He pauses unable to find his words so Buffy finishes for him "A miracle."  
"Yes." He says sweetly before cupping her cheek in his palm "But then I always thought so."

* * *

As Elena shoves her books in her bags she spots Caroline at the other end of the hall putting up posters, she frowns before she realises what it was for.  
Moving towards her friend she lets out a breath as she stares at the poster, she couldn't believe she had forgotten all about it, but then again the past few weeks had been hectic "I forgot about the Bonfire."  
Caroline spins around the stare at the brunette "You have to go. It's the first party of the year. It sets the bar for all the parties this year."  
"Relax Caroline." Elena tells her calming the hectic blonde "I'll be there."  
Caroline smiles gratefully before a thought occurs to her "What about Buffy?"

Elena shrugs honestly she had no idea if Buffy would be up for parties at the moment she had only just managed to convince her to come back to college "I don't know if she's up the party speed yet. She's still really shaky about being around people and a lot of noise."  
Caroline nods sympathetically, she knew Buffy was worried about hurting someone plus she always had the least control in loud areas as she still wasn't used to how heightened her senses had become "Might be good for her." She says, it was true despite Buffy's fear she needed to believe that she could still live her life.  
Elena smiles before something occurs to her "Where is she anyway?"

"She left." Caroline says with a frown and the minute she spots the angry look on Elena's face she raises her hand in defense "She only had the one class today...plus she said she wanted to go and train...honestly I think it was a bit much for her but she did good. Made it through the whole class and only broke her desk at the end of class when she slipped and grabbed it causing the arm to snap off."

Elena takes a relieved breath, she had been worried that Buffy had just taken off and decided to go back to hiding in the house away from society...maybe Caroline was right about the party it might be good for Buffy.

Before either of them could speak another word Tyler appeared in front of Caroline and plastered a kiss on her lips making Elena look away slightly uncomfortable.  
After a moment Tyler pulls away from the now flustered Caroline and grins at her "Happy first day."  
Caroline smiles slightly but the smile quickly falls as a familiar taste hits her lips she frowns and glances over at Tyler.  
Elena does as well and instantly spots the mark on his shirt "Is that blood?"

"Oh God." Caroline hisses before grabbing Tyler forcefully and dragging him into the empty men's room with Elena following after them.  
"What the hell?" Tyler asks in confusion as he turns to Caroline.  
Caroline groans "You've been part vampire a year Tyler. You know Vampire 101-don't wear your breakfast to class!" She hisses getting slightly angry as she slaps his arm in annoyance, she couldn't believe how stupid he was being.  
"Chill out." He tells her "It was just a blood bag."

"From where?" She asks as Elena checks the stalls making sure the bathroom was empty and free of prying ears.  
Tyler shrugs "Rebekah hooked me up."  
Caroline's eyes widen at that, he was hanging out with Klaus's sister "Rebekah? And what are you even talking to her for?"  
Tyler shrugs "Klaus told her to keep a watch on me now that he's back in Mystic Falls. Protect his asset."

Caroline arches a brow in confusion, he had been a hybrid almost a year now and he had never acted this way, at least not until Klaus had shown up in town "His what? Why are you amused by this?"  
"I was his first successful hybrid, Caroline." Tyler says sounding more excited then he should "Don't you think that's the tiniest bit awesome?"  
Elena rolls her eyes "You idiot. How did you even get into college when you act so stupid?"  
Tyler merely shrugs "I'm rich."

Elena shakes her head before turning to Caroline "Good luck." She mumbles before heading out the door to get to her American History class.

* * *

Buffy and Giles stand in her training room in silence neither not really sure of what to say especially when they both knew that Jeremy and Rick were upstairs eavesdropping on them.  
As they stand there Buffy can't help but feel slightly uncomfortable, Giles had done nothing but stare at her for the past five minutes...it was a little freaky.

Finally the former Watcher shrugs "So..." He breaths as he punches her punching bag lightly before gesturing around the room "It's nice."  
Buffy nods "Yeah. It does the trick." She pauses before realising that if they stayed in silence anymore she was going to go crazy "So how was England? How was...life?" She asks curiously as she moves to sit down on her weapons chest.  
"I'm not really sure how to answer that." Giles tells her honestly "Well, when I arrived home. I, uh, met with the Council..."  
Buffy smiles "Always a good time." She says sarcastically making him smile.

"Yes." Giles says in agreement with a nervous chuckle "Otherwise there's nothing really to report. I've only been back a few weeks. But um...I um...keep a flat in Bath. I met with a few old friends. Almost made a new one, which I think is statistically impossible for a man of my age."  
Buffy nods she was nervous to say the least, both of them were avoiding the elephant in the room here, which was her new powers "And now you're here. In Mystic Falls."  
Giles smiles at her "Yes. Strange little town."  
Buffy arches a brow, he was acting really weird "Giles, are you just miserable about being in another freezing town or just really British?"

Giles smiles slightly before removing his glasses as he moves to sit beside her "I can't lie to you Buffy...leaving here and Jeremy and Elena was...difficult and, uh...coming back is..."  
Buffy looks down a weight of guilt now weighing on her chest suffocating her "I'm guessing the word is inconvenient?" She asks forcing a smile on her face.  
Giles looks at her seriously shocked that she would think that way "No. Bewildering?" He sighs softly before placing his glasses back on and placing a hand on shoulder as she continues to look down at her hands as she plays with them "And how are you...really? You look tired."

"Me? Nah. Fine" She says sweetly as she looks back up at him with a smile but she could tell that he didn't believe her "I mean, you know, sleeping's hard, but just because of the whole waking up in a box thing. So maybe waking up's the problem-but just for a second. I sleep ok. Great, even. Except, you know, for the dreams." She says stubbornly looking away from him trying to convince herself more than Giles, trying to convince herself that she didn't wake up gasping for air every night, that she was just fine.

Giles sighs and watches her sadly knowing there was still one subject that they needed to discuss "And your powers?"  
Buffy exhales quietly before looking up at the ceiling "So far, strength, speed all on a crazy high. Like I've taken a shot of adrenaline that I can't come down from."

Giles sighs he had spoken to Jeremy briefly upon his arrival regarding Buffy's gifts and knew that her emotions would be the biggest struggles "I hear enhanced senses more so than your old ones are part of this new..." He pauses trying to think about how to explain "...package."  
Buffy lets out a flat chuckle "Yep. My ears scream when phones goes off, when I'm sad I'm in dispair, when I'm angry...I can't control anything...it's like overwhelming rage."

As she finally looks over at him and Giles looks at the blonde fondly, he knew she was scared about all of this but honestly she was the strongest person he had ever known, with or without her powers, she could handle anything "You seem to be doing remarkably well under extreme circumstances. I'm proud of you."  
Buffy smiles before smirking a little bit "Well, actually it wasn't me, Klaus's witch brought me back. I just laid there."  
"No, I meant..."  
Buffy smiles fondly at him putting all jokes aside as she speaks "I know what you meant. It was just a little post-postmortem comedy."

Giles chuckles slightly before watching as she stands and glances over at the door at the top of the stairs "You guys can come in now!" She yells and suddenly there is the sound of a loud thump which was clearly them both falling over behind the door before finally the door opens and the two men walk downstairs.  
"So I guess it's time for formal introductions." Buffy says sweetly as she steps over to Giles before smiling over at Alaric "Giles, Ric, Ric Giles. You both like books."

Jeremy glances over at his sister with a raised eyebrow "Seriously?"  
"I'm getting the ball rolling."  
Giles chuckles in amusement "It's quite alright." He says before turning towards Ric and holding out a hand for him to shake "Rupert."  
Alaric smiles at the man and shakes his hand "Alaric." Alaric pauses before raising the book in his hand "Actually I'm a bit curious about these books Elena brought back with her."  
Giles smiles at the book, before looking at Alaric the two of them were going to get along just fine "Oh brilliant volumes. You study demons?"

"Well I was...am a vampire hunter..." Ric replies sheepishly "...still getting used to the demon part."  
"Fascinating." Giles mumbles as him and Ric begin walking up the stairs while conversing about books.

Buffy groans before looking over at Jeremy, a look of horror crossing her feature "Oh God what have we done."

* * *

Elena sighs as she quickly takes her seat in her next class, she was still worried about Buffy so honestly she just wanted this hour to go quickly so she could get home and make sure her sister was okay.  
"You okay?" Caroline asks curiously as she takes her seat beside Elena who merely shrugs before getting her history book out.  
Before Caroline could say anything else she spots Bonnie quickly running into the room before taking her seat before frowning "No Buffy?"  
Caroline shakes her head "She's starting off slow with classes."  
Bonnie glances over at Elena and sighs sadly before turning her attention to the lecturer.

"Alright welcome to AP American History 305. I'm gonna be honest it's a hard course. I don't do shortcuts. So if you don't think you can handle a heavy work load don't waste my time."

When no one makes a move towards the door the teacher nods before gesturing to the board "Alright this semester were starting with the founders of this county, Native Americans—"  
"What about the Vikings?" A small voice asks from the front seat, Bonnie, Elena and Caroline all frown before glancing down only to spot a blonde girl.  
The lecturer raises an eyebrow "There's no evidence that Viking explorers actually settled in the United States. Who are you?"

"My name's Rebekah."  
At her words all three girls eyes' widen in shock and they focus on the blonde who turns and smirks at the three of them.  
"Ahh." The professor says "The Transfer student from London. Well I don't know how they do things in England but don't interrupt me again."  
Bonnie, Elena and Caroline merely glare at the back of Rebekah's head, this wasn't good.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter let me know what you think xx**

 **Also check out Kit Summers - Buffy's New Home Season 1 Trailer on Youtube and comment please I will be posting more vids there and if you have any requests let me know xx**


	92. Sucker For Pain

"I'm bored." Mary moans as she watches Katherine hold the bleeding human man over her father's chained body.  
"Well then read a book." Katherine says flatly clearly annoyed by Mary's constant complaining.  
"I don't have a book."  
"Then summon the damn thing."

Mary rolls her eyes before standing from the chair she actually had summoned and walking over to Katherine, her heels clicking loudly against the floor as she does.  
She glances down into the coffin only for her eyes to widen as she spots the grey veins on Mikael's neck slowly disappearing as the blood from the human drips on his mouth.

Suddenly Mikael's eyes slam open "NO." He breaths instantly while Katherine merely frowns in confusion as he turns and glares at her "Get it away."  
"You need blood." Katherine argues not understanding why he was refusing it, he hadn't drank in over 14 years he needed this.  
"Get it away from me!" he screams as he struggles in the chains.

Katherine glances over at Mary in confusion but the witch merely nods causing Katherine to roll her eyes before tossing the human male aside "Happy?" Katherine asks before she frowns "I remember you. Chicago, 1920s. You were looking for Klaus." At her words he merely closes his eyes trying to ignore her "You're not so scary for a badass vampire vampire hunter. Honestly the blonde Slayer scares me more."  
Suddenly his eyes slam back open "The Slayer?"

Mary groans before finally appearing in front of the man who had practically raised her "Ready to listen now."  
"Mari?" He asks in confusion.  
"Hello father."

* * *

"Wait so there is a whole land of Hell Dimensions?" Alaric asks in fascination as him and Giles sit in the living room with Jeremy while Buffy watches from a distance.  
"Yes." Giles says sounding like a child on Christmas morning "Even different realities."

"There's a world without shrimp." Buffy says flatly as she continues to play with her glass not really looking at anyone.  
"Awesome." Jeremy breaths while Alaric immediately begins questioning Giles on different realities.

As the two bookworms speak Buffy zones out and merely stares at the mug in her hand watching the liquid move around inside to the point she was so entranced by it that she didn't even notice Jeremy standing in front of her with a worried frown.  
"Buffy?" He asks only for the blonde to not even glance at him so slowly he places a hand on her shoulder shocking her out of her state.  
She blinks before looking up at him and letting out a breathe "Sorry."  
"It's okay." He says with a small smile "Are you okay?"  
She nods quickly "I'm fine."

Jeremy frowns not believing her but nods anyway "There's someone here to see you."  
Buffy frowns in confusion she hadn't heard the door open, hell she hadn't even realised that Jeremy had left the room.  
She turns her head only for her eyes to widen as she spots Stefan standing at the end of the hall smiling at her.

As Jeremy heads back into the living room giving the two some space. Buffy gulps before making her way towards him and standing awkwardly in front of him for a moment before finally she speaks "Hi."  
Stefan smiles at her "Hey." He goes silent for a moment before gesturing to the staircase "Can we talk?"

"Sure." She says quickly before leading him upstairs to her room, she quickly closes the door behind them and leans against it keeping a fair distance between the two of them.  
Stefan stands there merely staring at her, she was wearing a white tank top and her hair was in a messy bun yet she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever scene.

"So..." Buffy says slowly as she plays with her hands nervously waiting for Stefan to finally speak.  
Stefan sighs realising that he had been staring again, he runs a hand through his hair nervously being looking at her seriously "How are you?"  
"I'm fine." She says instantly, as though she had the words memorised from a script, there was no hesitation and no emotion.

Stefan frowns before leaning against the wall "Really?" He asks skeptically.  
"Yes." She answers before crossing her arms "Why?"  
Stefan couldn't help but let out a small chuckle "Well you've...you've been avoiding me." He finally says cutting straight to the chase here.

Buffy inhales sharply before shaking her head "I haven't been..." She pauses when she notices him raise an eyebrow at her causing her to roll her eyes "Okay...yeah I have."  
Stefan takes a deep breath before slowly approaching her "Is that about..." He trails off knowing that she would get his point.  
Buffy groans slightly before nodding as he continues to approach her causing her to look up at him, dammit she cursed her short height "The discussion we still haven't had...yeah."

Stefan nods and finally stops in front of her so that were in reaching distance "Thought so...you know you can talk to me about anything right?"  
Buffy blinks up at him catching his gaze and holds it as she answers "Of course I know that."

"Then..." He says softly before slowly placing a hand on her arm "If we're not gonna have _that_ talk then tell me what's bothering you." He knew her better than anyone and he could see that something was eating away at her.

Buffy sighs before stepping around him further into the room and out of his reach, she tugs on her hair for a moment before raising her arms slightly as she groans in annoyance, but not at him at her situation "I destroyed a building today Stefan." She says shocking him but he merely nods not interrupting her "Without even trying. Klaus said he would help me and I haven't heard from him in a week." Slowly as she speaks her breathing becomes more erratic and for the first time since she had been back she was showing emotion "I can't do this...I can't...what if I hurt someone? What if I hurt Elena...or Jeremy...I can't—I can't..."

As she continues to become more erratic Stefan steps over to her and pulls her close wrapping his arms tightly around her allowing her to bury her face into the crook of his neck taking in his scent which calms her slightly.

She remains in his arms for a few long moments before finally pulling back but his hands remain around her, as she looks up at him she gulps she could feel his touch throughout her entire body, everything was heightened.  
Slowly she pulls away needing to be out of his touch but he merely smiles at her "You're not gonna hurt anyone."  
Buffy scoffs "How can you know that?"  
"Because I'm going to help you."

* * *

Damon opens the door to Ric's old apartment and immediately spots Elena lifting weights in the middle of the room while Buffy was pounding away on the punching bag attempting not to send it flying off the hook but again failing.  
While Buffy goes to get another bag from the corner of the room Damon looks down at Elena a look of amusement crossing his features "What? Are you going to bench press a vampire?"

"Shut up, Damon." Elena hisses as she grunts while lifting the weights over her head again.  
"Ooh, look whose got a backbone."  
Elena glares at him "I've staked vampires before...don't make me stake you."  
Damon laughs slightly before making his way over to the young Gilbert as she raises the weight again he places his hand on the metal bar not allowing Elena to raise it anymore.

Elena glares up at him as she grunts in effort, he was forcing more weight on her and her arms were beginning to ache "Damon what are you doing?"  
"Oh come on Buffy 2.0"  
Elena glares at him before laughing slightly causing Damon to frown in confusion, Elena immediately smirks as she spots his hold on the weight loosen, taking her chance she twists the metal bar causing it to slam up and hit Damon in the face.

As Damon groans and stumbles back Elena quickly sits up and as she pulls her hair out of the ponytail as she takes deep breaths "Who's weak now?"  
Damon chuckles before rubbing his jaw "Okay. I give you props I hadn't seen that coming."

Elena rolls her eyes before standing and making her way into the kitchen to grab some water "Stupid obnoxious Salvatore." She mumbles under her breath before glancing over at him "So why are you here?"  
Damon sighs before glancing off in the direction of Buffy "I need to chat with the blonde."  
Elena crosses her arms before shaking her head "No. No vampire problems today. She's got enough to deal with. So I am taking her to a party tonight so she can relax and not have to worry about all the problems."

Damon glares at her slightly, honestly he preferred Elena when she was weak and screaming all the time, this new confidence of hers was really a pain in the ass.  
He sighs before glancing back at the blonde who was staring emotionlessly as the punching bag in front of her, he moves to take a step towards her but Elena clears her throat before moving to stand in front of him.

"Look I get your here to talk about the Mikael situation..." She whispers not wanting to disturb Buffy "But she is not ready. She's my sister Damon, let me be there for her. She'll come to you once she's ready."  
Damon sighs before running a hand through his hair before finally he glances down at the brunette in front of him "Make sure she's okay."  
"Always." Elena tells him with a small smile before pushing him out the front door and closing it behind him.

Elena leans against the doorway for a moment before sighing and making her way over to her cousin. Sitting down on the small leather couch she watches as Buffy continued to pound on the bag, she hadn't spoken since she had come here, she had literally just walked past her and began pounding on the bag in corner.  
"Wanna talk about it?" Elena asks cautiously.  
Buffy shakes her head and continues to pound on the bag her hits becoming more erratic "Nope." Buffy hisses.  
"Buffy..."  
"Elena if you wanna talk...you're talking to the wrong gal."

Elena frowns only to realise something, Buffy was angry, she was pounding on what was likely her third bag like it had said something to insult her. Elena couldn't help but smile Buffy was finally showing emotion again.  
"Buffy..." Elena says almost cheerfully as she stands and walks over to her cousin making sure to stay clear of the bag so Buffy wouldn't accidentally hit her "You're mad."  
Buffy shrugs before circling the bag so that she could see Elena while still pounding away "You noticed. It'll pass." She says before beginning to punch the bag again.

Elena's eyes widen, she didn't want it to pass, she liked the fact that Buffy was finally expressing her emotions again, even if the one she was choosing right now was anger "No!" Elena exclaims before calming herself "Buffy, anger is a powerful emotion...you should feel it."

Buffy nods before delivering a final hit to the bag sending it flying off the hook Buffy winces as she looks up and spots a large hole in the ceiling now "Think Ric will be mad?"  
"Never mind Alaric." Elena says not really wanting to focus on that "Buffy you're expressing emotion again. That's good."  
Buffy shrugs slightly "I guess." She says before standing there swinging her arms side to side "It's gone now."

Elena thinks not wanting Buffy to stop feeling anything, since she had been back she hadn't exactly been big with the whole range of human emotions and Elena really wanted Buffy to experience it more.  
"What brought this up?"  
Buffy frowns before shrugging "I don't know."  
Elena sighs before running a hand through her hair "Come on something must have made you this way."

Buffy merely shrugs again she wasn't really sure there was just a range of crap going on in her life right now "I don't know. I mean fought a demon, destroyed a building got humiliated in class, spoke to Stefan..."

At that Elena takes a breath that's what it was, Buffy had finally spoken to Stefan, that pilled on with what had happened in her class with Caroline plus the demon must have fuelled the Slayer with a sense of frustration and anger.  
"You spoke to Stefan?" Elena asks pushing the subject slightly.  
Buffy shrugs before stretching her arms out "Yeah."  
"Hmm." Elena mumbles before smirking "Could that be why you angry..."  
Buffy sighs before turning to her cousin "I'm not angry at him...I'm angry at the situation...I'm angry that I fought a demon today and lost control and destroyed the old science building."

Elena looks at her cousin sympathetically before stepping towards her and wrapping her arms around her in a hug. Buffy freezes standing as ridged as a statue for a long moment before slowly she allows herself to hug her sister back, taking comfort in her.  
Elena pulls back slightly and smiles at her sister "I have an idea."  
Buffy arches an eyebrow "What?"  
"There's a party tonight."  
"Elena..."  
"No, come on it will be fun. No drama no fighting no guys. Fun you remember fun right?"

Buffy sighs and looks at her sister but groans she knew Elena wasn't going to take no for an answer so reluctantly she agreed "Fine."

Suddenly the two gasp as a loud crashing noise comes from their side they pull away from each other and turn their heads only to realise that a large chunk of the ceiling had fallen to the ground.  
Buffy winces "Ric is gonna kill me."  
"Yep."

* * *

"Rebekah is here?" Damon asks as him, Ric, Elena and Caroline all stand in one of the empty classrooms at the college.  
Elena nods "Yeah. She's keeping an eye on Buffy."  
"I hate her." Caroline hisses still fuming about what happened earlier "She is trying to take my squad from me. Do you know how hard it is to become cheer captain at a college cheerleading squad...hint not easy!"  
Elena sighs "Caroline..."

Damon groans getting fed up with this he really just wanted to go get a drink, he claps his hands together hoping to speed this conversation along "Can't Bonnie just ju ju her and then we can be done for the night."  
Elena glares at him slightly before shaking her head "No, I'm trying to keep Bonnie out of this."

Damon rolls his eyes before pushing himself off the desk he was sat on and making his way over to the group deciding to point out the most obvious thing "No one remembering we have a Super Slayer on our side?"  
"No." Elena says sternly as she turns to Damon "I promised Buffy a stress free night and she needs it. Which means keeping Rebekah the hell away from her. Stefan's driving Buffy to the bonfire and he is going to make sure she has fun."

Damon groans "I'm way more fun why couldn't I have that job."  
Everyone in the room rolls their eyes at Damon before Elena clears her throat trying to focus, she turns to Ric "Jeremy?"  
Ric nods, knowing that Jeremy and Giles were still at the house hanging out "With Giles he's safe."

Damon rolls his eyes "Look Rebekah will follow around Buffy like a lost dog, especially if she's with Stefan."  
Elena rolls her eyes before turning to face Damon "Which is why it's your job to keep her away."  
Damon arches a brow, was Elena trying to purposely get him killed "How?! She's an Original. I'm not the Super Blonde I can't just toss her around like a rage doll like the Buffster. And last time I check we're out of daggers."

Elena rolls her eyes she was really getting annoyed with the vampire douche why Buffy liked him or even tolerated him she would never understand "So then preoccupy her with your charm." She mutters sarcastically.  
"Might have better luck finding the dagger." Ric points out making Damon glare at him.

Before anyone else could say another word however Tyler walks into the class effectively stopping the conversation "Sorry I'm late. What's going on?"  
"We need you to raid your mom's Vervain supply." Elena tells him "Just in case Rebekah tries to take Buffy tonight."  
Tyler frowns as Caroline moves over to him but he merely shakes his head at Elena "You can't do that to Rebekah."  
"Why not?" Caroline asks in confusion wondering what the hell her boyfriend was talking about.  
Elena frowns as well "Trust me Tyler, we can't risk Rebekah going after Buffy tonight."  
"She wouldn't do that." He says strongly as though he was so sure of it.  
Elena scoffs "Yes she would especially if Klaus told her to."

"Klaus is protecting Buffy so is Rebekah." Tyler argues as he shakes his head not agreeing with his girlfriend or one of his best friends.  
"We are protecting her!" Elena argues back anger filling her "This is what is best Tyler!"  
"Not in Klaus's interest." Tyler finally says causing everyone in the room to freeze at the words that had left his lips, it was actually starting to sound like he was on Klaus' side in this.  
Caroline turns to her boyfriend in confusion "But Klaus is the bad guy, Tyler. You know, why all of a sudden are you acting like some freaky, hybrid, slave minion."

"Uh-oh." Damon says from behind them all as he finally realises what was happening, and to say it wasn't good was an understatement.  
"What?" Ric asks in confusion as he spots Damon slowly approaching Tyler who was focused on Caroline.

"Klaus made me who I am, Caroline." Tyler tells the blonde vampire "I owe him everything."  
Damon rolls his eyes "Oh, boy."  
Caroline growls slightly before turning to face Damon "Ok, can we cool it with the commentary, please."

Elena frowns in confusion before glancing over at Damon, he seemed to know something that the rest of them didn't "What is going on?"

"I'm just gonna go." Tyler says after a beat before turning to face the door, as he does Damon grabs a Vervain dart off the table and runs up behind Tyler stabbing it into his neck, knocking him unconscious.  
"What are you doing?!" Caroline screams as she runs past Damon and crouches down to check on her boyfriend.  
"He's been sired."  
"What?" Alaric yells in shock, what the hell was that supposed to mean?

"Sired." Damon explains as he turns around to face them all "He feels loyal to Klaus because Klaus' blood created him."  
Elena frowns in confusion, that didn't make any sense Tyler had been a Hybrid for a year now and had never expressed any loyalty to Klaus before "How did we not realise."

Damon shrugs "He hasn't been near Klaus since he was turned, maybe Klaus being back in town strengths Tyler's need to seek acceptance from his master." Damon assumes before glancing down at the unconscious hybrid "Honestly it's really rare. But maybe not so much in hybrids."  
"So how do I fix him?" Caroline asks him desperately.  
Damon smirks "Get a new boyfriend."

* * *

"This is a bad idea." Buffy tells Stefan as she climbs out of his car and walks beside him towards the bonfire where tons of people were already drunk off their asses.  
Stefan chuckles slightly "Come on, Elena told me to make sure you had fun. So that's what I'm gonna do."

Buffy rolls her eyes but couldn't help the small smile that grazed her face however just as quickly as it had appeared it disappeared "Where is she anyway?" Buffy asks curiously as she glances around the forest looking for her sister "She made me come to this thing she doesn't get to ditch."  
"She'll be here." Stefan tells her before taking her hand "You could use a drink."  
Buffy arches a brow before shaking her head "No Buffy and alcohol non-mixy things."  
Stefan laughs before pulling her with him "Come on."  
At his words Buffy couldn't help the laugh that escaped her as she allowed herself to be dragged.

* * *

Elena glances around the Bonfire in search for her little sister, she knew that Stefan would be with her but that didn't make her worry any less.  
"Don't worry so much...you'll get frown lines." A voice says from behind her, Elena's frown deepens as she spins around only to groan in annoyance when she spots Damon standing behind her "Have you see her?" She asks cutting right to the chase.

Damon shrugs before glancing around the party as he does his vision catches that speak of golden blonde hair, his jaw clenches as he spots his brother holding out a hand towards Buffy who was staring at it hesitantly before finally taking it allowing Stefan to pull her further into the party.

"I need a drink." Damon mumbles angrily before walking away causing Elena to sigh, she turns her head only to spot what had made Damon so annoyed but instead Elena couldn't help but smile, Stefan really was good for her and made her happy. It was nice to see Buffy smile.

* * *

Damon continues to watch in misery as Buffy continues to speak with Stefan, he clenches his jaw hating that he had lost his chance again. When she had kissed him back months ago he had thought that maybe just maybe she would consider him but then she died before any questions could be answered and now...now his brother was trying to worm his way back into her heart.

Damon sighs sadly before he catches Elena glaring at him and gesturing behind him, he rolls his eyes at the brunette before glancing over his shoulder only to spot Rebekah about to walk in the direction of Buffy and Stefan.  
Damon glances back at Elena giving her a swift nod before he makes his away over to the blonde original a charming smirk on his face.

Sitting next to her as she sits by the fire Rebekah raises an eyebrow at his sudden appearance but lowers herself back into the seat she had been planning to vacate "What no friends your own age?"  
Damon couldn't help but scoff at that as he watches her place a s'more over the fire "Like you can talk."

Rebekah sighs and blows the burning flame off her marshmallow before turning to the charming vampire "Is this supposed to be fun? I've been through 10 of these."  
"No, you're just looking at it all wrong." Damon informs her as he begins pulling apart the hard marshmallow "This is a little rough on the outside but on the inside...yum"  
He smirks over at her before holding the end of the stick with the marshmallow on it towards her allowing her to bite it off.  
She smiles "Mmm...it's good."  
"Yep."

* * *

"It was green a nasty looking." Buffy laughs as her and Stefan sit side by side on a bench with drinks in their hands as they discuss the demon that attacked Buffy.  
Stefan shakes his head in amusement enjoying just talking to her again, honestly he had missed this so much.  
"They seem to just follow you everywhere."  
Buffy smiles and glances over at him before nodding "It's a good thing I dropped a building on him."

Stefan smiles and couldn't hold back the laugh, just her laughing made him want to laugh, her laugh was so infectious.  
Buffy shakes her head before finishing the rest of her drink, it seemed like another benefit to her power upgrade was that her tolerance had seemed to go up as well, so she was able to handle her booze a lot better than before.

Slowly she lowers the plastic cup and looks around the forest before sighing "I never thought I'd be here again." She whispers honestly.  
Stefan arches a brow and glances over at her "What do you mean?"  
"Mystic Falls." She says simply with a shrug "I mean when I gave up my life here...I figured that would be it there wouldn't be any turning back. Nothing would ever be the same."  
"It won't be." Stefan tells her honestly "But you're here. Back in the one place you thought you'd never return to and now...you can start over."  
Buffy chuckles flatly not really believing that for a second "Yeah like that's possible."  
Stefan glances back at her catching her gaze and holding it as he speaks "Things aren't always what we expect."

Buffy continues to gaze into his eyes losing herself in his eyes, she takes a heavy breath only for the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up as she feels him move his hand along the inside of her wrist.  
Her breathing became heavier and quickens slightly as she feels her heartbreak begin to go crazy...these heightened emotions were going to be the death of her.

In that moment of staring into his eyes, eyes which she had gazed into for two years lovingly Buffy couldn't help but gulp slightly. She suddenly felt nervous and her palms felt all sweaty, she quickly clears her throat before standing "I'm—I'm—I'm gonna go get a drink." She stutters "You want one? Yeah. Ok um...I'll be back...bye." She mumbles before quickly running off cursing at herself for being such a moron as she does.

* * *

"Can't believe you've never had one of these before." Damon says as he smirks at Rebekah while the two of them share a s'more.  
Rebekah tilts her head and looks over at him with a flirty smile "Well, I've been in a casket for 90 years."  
"That's no excuse." Damon flirts stealing a quick glance behind her to see Buffy walking away from his brother while his brother frowned in confusion.  
Damon swallows trying to keep the smile off his face as he continues to flirt with the Original.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asks suddenly "You hate me. You should be mean."  
Damon merely smirks at her "Well, I could be mean if that's what you're into."  
Rebekah scoffs, clearly she wasn't buying this for a second she stands keeping the large wooden stick in her palm as she does "You're distracting me. Why?"  
Damon smirks and stands up getting into her personal space "Just trying to give you a proper welcome to town."

Rebekah smiles before placing a hand on his bicep letting it slide down slowly as she edges her way closer "There's no fair fight between us, Damon." She whispers before shoving the stick in his gut.

As he grunts in pain she smirks at him "Now if you excuse me I have to properly acquaint myself with my future sister in law." She says sweetly before glancing over at her shoulder to where Buffy was pouring herself a drink from the keg,  
"No." Damon grunts only for her to shove him to the ground before walking off in the blonde's direction.

* * *

Buffy runs a shaky hand through her hair as she pours herself another drink and quickly downs it, she couldn't explain what she was feeling at the moment. One minute she was anti-emotion Buffy and the next she was a bag of complicated feelings and confusion.  
She sighs in frustration trying to push all thoughts of her ex-boyfriend out of her head as she pours herself another drink. She couldn't be thinking about guys right now...there was just too much going on...she was too messed up at the moment to even have any type of proper discussion with Stefan.

Yes she did owe that to him especially given the fact that before she died she kissed him and told him that she still loved him but that was before...now everything was just messed up.

"Hello sister." A British accent says drawing Buffy's attention away from the keg, she glances up only to spot Klaus's sister Rebekah walking over to her with a smile on her face.  
Buffy rolls her eyes, she really did not have the patience for this tonight "I'm not your sister."  
Rebekah chuckles before taking the tap off of Buffy and pouring herself a drink "Future sister in law." She points out only for Buffy to glare at her.

Buffy clenches her jaw before downing her newly refilled drink and sighing, she really didn't want to deal with Klaus' sister tonight, tonight was supposed to be simple and fun...clearly that was not the case.  
"Come on Buffy." Rebekah says with a smirk as she brings her drink to her lips "We're going to be family someday. We might as well pretend to start getting along now."

Buffy glares at Rebekah, she could feel her anger boiling and right now all she wanted was to rip Rebekah's head off and send it to Timbuktu.  
Rebekah smiles knowing that she was getting to the Slayer "You know we have a lot in common believe it or not."  
Buffy couldn't help but scoff at that as she grabs the tap and begins pouring herself another drink "I doubt that."  
Rebekah merely smirks before pointing over to where Stefan was stood now talking to Elena "Same taste in men for instance."

At her words Buffy clenches her fists completely shattering the tap in her hand, her eyes widen and she quickly releases it before Rebekah could see it.  
"Honestly I don't get you two together." Rebekah continues not noticing the struggling Slayer.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "And why's that?"  
"You and Stefan...it's like orange and blue...it doesn't go well together."

Buffy could feel her anger rising minute by minute she didn't like how this girl was talking about a relationship that she knew nothing about "Do you ever shut up?"  
"Come on." Rebekah pouts slightly, she actually quite liked the blonde, she was interesting and didn't take crap from her brother which she knew pissed him off, that just gave her more reason to like the Slayer "Just a little girl talk."

Buffy clenches her fist her cup breaking under the pressure, she was done she could feel herself about to lose complete control "Don't make me kill you."  
Rebekah could only scoff in amusement at her words as she moved to take another drink from her cup "Like you could."

Before Rebekah could even finish her sip she heard Buffy growl and the next thing she knew she was being pinned against a tree by the blonde Slayer.  
Buffy growls as she slams Rebekah's head violently against the wall causing the original to gasp in pain and fear "Actually... I know I could."

* * *

"Where is she?" Elena hisses as she turns her head towards the keg only to frown in worry as the certain blonde she was looking for was nowhere in sight.

Stefan's eyes widen in panic, he felt like such an idiot he shouldn't have let her wonder off alone especially with Rebekah here, he had just been so shocked by her suddenly taking off that he had frozen.

Stefan glances around the party desperately searching for the blonde while Elena was in full on panic mood.  
Elena couldn't help but feel guilty if anything happened to Buffy it would be her fault, she asked Buffy to come tonight and hadn't told her Rebekah was going to be here.

"Elena." Stefan breaths as he spots Buffy hidden away behind several trees, his eyes widen as he spots her holding Rebekah in the air by her throat.  
"Oh my God." Elena gasps as her and Stefan quickly run over, Elena's eyes widen as she spots a growling Buffy toss Rebekah across the floor.

"Buffy." Stefan whispers softly trying not to spoke her, the blonde immediately turns to face him and her eyes widen as she finally realises what she had been doing.  
She runs her hands through her hair before clutching her head and screaming out "Ahh!" She cries out as emotions begin overwhelming her...it was all just too much.

"Buffy." Stefan tries again but she shakes her head before speeding away out of sight "Buffy!" Elena screams as Stefan speeds after the blonde while Elena runs in their direction going a lot slower than either of them.

* * *

"Stop following me!" Buffy screams as she finally stops running and ends up in the football field.

"Buffy." Stefan says calmly as he stops running and hesitantly approaches her but the blonde merely clutches her head again and shakes her head at him "Stop!" She yells at him taking a step back towards the bleachers.  
"I don't wanna hurt you." She finally whispers as she climbs up the bleachers and sits down at the top digging her hands into the metal seats as she tries to calm herself.

Stefan sighs in worry before slowly making his way towards her "Hey, come on look at me."  
Buffy slowly takes her face off of her knees and looks up at him, her eyes were wide and she looked terrified, honestly he had only seen her this once before and that was right after she had dug herself out of her coffin.  
Buffy takes a shaky breath and blinks back tears as she looks at him "I can't control this Stefan."

"Yes you can." He tells her, he knew her better than she knew herself right now and he knew she was strong, she could handle anything that was thrown at her including this. This was just another bump in her journey.

As he gets closer to her Buffy stands and moves towards the edge of the bleachers standing right by the railing, she clutches onto the metal trying to calm herself down but it was taking everything in her right now to not destroy everything in sight.  
Stefan sighs before he spots Elena running towards them having finally caught up, Stefan glances down at her and shakes his head letting her know to stay clear.

She clenches her jaw obviously not happy with that but nods and moves to go and get Alaric's car as Stefan nods at it.

Once Elena was in the clear Stefan takes another step up towards Buffy who was still clutching onto the metal railing.  
"Buffy listen to me...you can do this."  
"I can't." Buffy breaths as she shakes her head refusing to look at him, she was so scared that she was going to hurt him and she didn't want to do that.

Stefan sighs only for this eyes to widen as he spots the metal railing beginning to collapse under Buffy's strong hold. What was more worrying was the fact that she didn't even seem to notice that the whole thing was shaking.  
"Buffy." He tries again and finally she glances over at him catching his gaze "I don't wanna hurt anyone." She breaths out making him smile gently at her.

However suddenly the railing snaps under her hold and Buffy being the klutz she is when she's been drinking trips and begins falling towards the group 15 feet below.

As she drops she couldn't help but wonder if she could actually die or if she was going to be cursed to be this way forever with no control over herself.  
A scream escapes her on instinct but she wasn't scared honestly she didn't feel anything as she fell until suddenly two solid arms stopped her from crashing to the ground.

Buffy blinks her eyes open and instantly they connect with Stefan's, Buffy takes a shaky breath as she holds his gaze unable to tear herself away from him as he continues to hold her in his arms bridal style.  
"You caught me." She breaths out the rage inside of her having seemingly disappeared.

Stefan continues to gaze at her before slowly her lowers her legs onto the ground but keeps an arm wrapped around her waist making sure she was steady "I'd never let you fall. Not again." He mumbles thinking back to that night, watching her jump while he had been helpless to do anything.

Buffy gulps slightly but doesn't move away from him, in this moment it was like two years ago all over again, like she had never left Mystic Falls, like they had never been separated.  
Stefan gazes at her and couldn't help the small smile that covered his lips at being this close to her, slowly he reaches a hesitant hand up and cups her cheek in his palm and she leans into his touch just like she used to. That spark, that tension between them was still there even after all these years.

Suddenly a car pulling up beside them made them both pause, Buffy instantly pulled away from him and backed away slightly trying to catch her breath.  
Stefan sighs before glancing at the car where Elena was mouthing sorry to him, knowing that she had interrupted something.  
He shakes her off before turning to Buffy "Let's get you home."

Buffy nods and moves towards the car only to pause when her foot hit something on the floor, she frowns and glances down only to spot a empty bottle of lighter fluid on the ground, she couldn't help but roll her eyes "Good to know our generation is still stupid."

Stefan chuckles only to suddenly go flying through the air "Stefan!" Buffy screams as he crashes into a metal fence, she turns her head only to gasp in shock as she spots the demon from earlier which Giles had informed her was an M'fashnik demon, now standing before her.  
She groans "I dropped a building on you! How the hell are you alive!?" She hisses only to groan in pain as the demon punches her in the gut sending her flying backwards.

Buffy groans in pain as her bag hits a metal pipe causing her to land awkwardly, she groans and rolls onto her stomach only for her eyes to widen as suddenly Ric's car begins bursting up in flames with Elena still inside "Elena!" Buffy screams as she stands and runs over to the car where Elena was banging on the window.

"Elena!" Buffy yells as she runs over to the car door where Elena was desperately trying to force it open but it wouldn't budge. "Elena open the door!"  
"I can't!" Elena yells back as she continues banging on the door "It won't open."

"Get back!" Buffy yells as she raises her fist only for the demon to grab the back of her head and yank on her hair dragging her away from the car "No!" Buffy screams as she struggles in the demons grip.

She presses her foot on the car and uses the momentum to flip herself over the demon landing right behind him, she then grabs the back of his head and launches him away.

Stefan grabs the demon as it lands next to him and kicks him in the face before sending him flying into the bleachers. He then quickly runs over to Buffy just as more flames begin to surround the car causing Stefan to pull Buffy back to keep her from being set on fire.  
Buffy's eyes widen as she spots Elena begin to cough violently as smoke starts filling her lungs "No!" Buffy screams as she runs at the car again only for the flames to rise causing Buffy's arm to be set on fire.

Buffy screams in agony and taps down the flames watching as the burnt flesh quickly heals before she turns to Stefan "We need to get her out of there."  
Stefan nods in a panic, he cared about Elena she was one of his closest friends and she didn't deserve to die this way.  
Buffy thinks for a moment before a thought occurs to her she steps back slightly before leaping up through the air and landing on the hood of the car.

"Get the demon!" Buffy yells to Stefan who quickly nods and speeds off to grab the unconscious demon while Buffy drops to her knees and begins punching her way from the metal roof of the car desperately trying to get to her sister.

"Elena!" Buffy screams as her fist begins making a hole in the car and instantly Buffy spots Elena who was still coughing violently.  
Buffy tries to reach for her only to scream in pain as she feels heat beginning to move up her legs, she looks down and spots the flames that were spreading up her feet.

Ignoring the pain she punches the hood of the car again and finally makes a hole big enough that she can grasp Elena's hand and pull her through.

Lifting her sister from the car she picks her up bridal style before leaping off the top of the car and landing on the ground a few feet away just as Stefan speeds over with the demon over his shoulder.

Quickly placing Elena on the ground as she gasps for breath Buffy runs over to Stefan "Quick before it blows!" She yells as she reaches forward and ignoring the pain of the flames burning her flesh she yanks the back door of the car open allowing Stefan to toss the demon inside before he grabs Buffy and speeds away over to Elena just as the car explodes, with the demon inside.

* * *

"What happened to you guys?" Jeremy asks with a worried frown as he walks down the stairs while Giles walks out of the living room, both of them staring in shock at the sight before them, Elena had a burn on her right cheek and most of Buffy's clothes had burn marks on them and were missing large chucks of fabric.

Buffy sighs before glancing over at Elena, the two cousins almost having a silent conversation before they both turn back "We got barbecued."  
Giles sighs before removing his glasses to clean them as he does he smiles at the girls "Are you both okay?"

"Yeah." Elena nods before moving over and hugging the Watcher "I missed you."  
Giles smiles slightly before hugging the brunette back and glancing over at Buffy who smiles back at him.

* * *

As Jeremy cleaned Elena's wound, Buffy, after getting changed out of her now ruined outfit, was setting up the couch for Giles, feeling really guilty that they didn't have a guest room or something so that he wouldn't have to sleep on the couch.  
"I know they're so cute you could die but...it's all I got." She says gesturing to the Dora the Explorer bedding she was placing on the couch.  
Giles merely chuckles at the sight "Think nothing of it. It's, um...whimsical."

Buffy smiles before handing Giles the pillow "They were Elena's when she was little. Couldn't find the guests sheets. We're still sort of living out of boxes." She points out gesturing to the fact that Jeremy and Elena were still slowly unpacking all the stuff they had brought back with them from Sunnydale.

As she places the sheet on the couch she couldn't help but sigh "We need one of those pull-out kinds. The kind, which won't need to be replaced in two weeks when there is another inevitable attack which destroys the front door."  
Giles lets out a small laugh before looking at Buffy as he sits on the couch, he watches her for a moment as she continues to stare at her arms.  
"Buffy?"

"I was burned tonight." She tells him honestly before looking up at him with a terrified glint in her eyes "I walked through fire and got burned. But I don't have any scars. It's like it never happened."  
Giles stares at the blonde in worry, he knew she was scared of her new abilities and didn't know what to do but this was one situation where he actually wasn't sure what to tell her. He had never dealt with anything like this before.

"Do you need me to do anything?" He asks her wanting to help her in anyway he could.  
Buffy merely smiles and offers him a grateful look "Nah...I'm healer girl now...I'll adjust in time...maybe...I'll get some perspective..." Slowly she sighs "And then wake up at 4am terrified."

She groans before flopping onto the couch next to him sinking into it slightly, Giles merely looks at the young woman who had grown so much in her years as the Slayer "You're putting too much pressure on yourself. I mean, to return from some unknown level of Hell...it's only natural that coming back will be a process. With or without the new abilities."  
Buffy sighs and continues to stare at the wall in front of her, she hated this, she hated feeling this way "And in the meantime, I'm scaring people."  
"Well that can take time too." Giles points out as he leans back into the couch and looks over at her "Well if it's any consolation, life can be pretty overwhelming even for people who haven't been...where you have."

"I guess."  
"Look tomorrow Alaric and I will begin looking into your new abilities." Giles promises her, the least he could do was help her understand how to control these new gifts "And we'll figure out a training regime which will help adjust to your new strength."  
Buffy couldn't help but look over at him with a small smile, he was one of the few people who could always make the worst of situations seem like everything was going to be okay "I'm glad you're here."  
"Well, I'm glad you are too." He says back with a smile as he reaches over intent on taking her hand but she didn't seem to notice as she merely stood up and moved away from him.

* * *

"So the Original witch is trying to kill my sister?" Buffy asks Stefan skeptically as he finishes explaining everything while the two of them sat in her training room.

Stefan nods before running a hand through his hair trying to think of the simplest way to explain what had happened "When you were missing she tried using Vikki as an anchor between our side and the Other Side. Bonnie banished all the ghosts but the Original Witch must be stronger now. She's had over a year to gain her strength back, gain a foothold in this world."

Buffy lets out a loud whistle as she takes in all this new information "I swear this town is literally another Hellmouth." Was all she could say which only made Stefan smile slightly.  
Buffy smiles back before looking away from him and staring down at her hands as she does Stefan reaches forward and takes one of her hands entangling it with his own "Buffy..." He whispers softly drawing her eyes to him "We need to talk about what happened tonight."

Buffy shakes her head and looks away from, she didn't want to talk about this not now, maybe not ever but clearly Stefan had other plans. He placed his other hand on the bottom of her chin and slowly turned her head so that she was looking at him again.

"It's emotion Buffy." He tells her softly knowing that the rage that set her off tonight was still eating away at her "You can't bottle in all your heightened emotions, it's what is causing you to lose control. You have to let it out."

"I don't feel anything." She argues but he didn't believe that for a second.  
"That's not true. You feel with everything you have in you. You always have but now that's amplified, you have to harness it or it will overtake you."

Buffy shakes her head pulling her self away from him but she still left her hand entangled with his, not wanting to let go.

She takes a deep breath and stares at the floor for a moment before finally looking over at him emotion filling her eyes "What if can't be helped?"

Stefan's eyes widen at that, she actually thought she was a lost cause, it hurt him just thinking that that was what she thought of herself, he steps in front of her crouching down before cupping her cheeks in his palm forcing her to look at him "You can. You can handle this. You are the strongest person I have ever known."

Buffy shakes her head and tries to look away but Stefan wouldn't let her she needed to listen to him "Buffy...I've been alive a lot longer than you. I have seen and done things I would rather you not know about. But in the past 100 years there is only one thing I have ever been sure about...and that's you." Slowly he raises one hand tangling it through her hair as he speaks "I've seen your kindness and your strength, I've watched you fight like hell for everything you have even when your faced against impossible odds. So I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are...not a monster...you're a hell of a woman."

Buffy takes a shaky breath as tears fill her eyes, his words clung to her making her want to feel every emotion she could, making her want to be alive again. To live.

She slowly and hesitantly almost nervously raises her hand to the hand he was running though her hair and grasps it, entangling their fingers together as she does.  
Stefan's eyes widen and he down at their hands before focusing on her beautiful green eyes which were staring right back at him.

"I meant it." She says so quietly that he almost didn't hear it.  
"What?" he whispers just as she tilts her head and raises one of her hands placing it on his cheek stroking her thumb along his jaw "That night on the tower." She whispers for the first time since coming back, she was scared and he could hear it in her voice.  
"What I said. I meant it." She repeats this time with a bit more confidence.

Stefan lets out a small breath as he stares at her, he blinks quickly trying to wake himself up from what had to be a dream but slowly it settled in, this was reality right here.  
As he realises it a small smile grazes his lips and he slowly leans forward and rests his forehead against her before finally he presses his lips to her.

Buffy freezes at first before slowly she begins to remember the feeling, the feeling of his lips against her, how they moved in perfect sink. So slowly she let herself fall back into the old habit and began moving her lips softly against his as her hands made their way to his neck pulling him closer.

However the kiss was interrupted too quickly as the gym door opened and the couple quickly separated only to spot Elena standing at the top of the stairway "I'm heading to bed." She mumbles before her eyes widen as she spots how close Stefan and Buffy were standing, immediately she groans before slapping her hand to her forehead "I did it again."

* * *

"Was he always like that?" Katherine asks Mary as she begins lighting the candles in the room now that it was dark outside they couldn't exactly rely on natural light to help them see.  
"Stubborn, rude, violent, cruel?" Mary asks teasingly but Katherine knew Mary well enough to know that this was no joke to her, this was her past, one she had tried so hard to bury.  
"All of the above really." Katherine says with a small smirk causing Mary to roll her eyes before smiling at her best friend.

"I apologise for my outburst." Mikael says as he finally wakes again and spots Katherine and Mary standing opposite him. "It would have made more sense had my daughter explained that I've been denying myself human blood for as long as I can remember."

Katherine glances at Mary with a raised eyebrow but the brunette merely shrugs "I have bigger things on my mind then remembering his dietary needs."  
"Still as childish as ever." Mikael says with a small chuckle only earning a glare out of Mary.  
Mary rolls her eyes before approaching the grave "Enough with the father daughter bonding. You skipped the past 900 years. I got over it."  
"Than why awaken me Marianna?" Mikael asks obviously confused as to why she would awaken him.

Mary smirks before leaning over the coffin "I thought you might know how to kill Klaus. You did last time I saw you."  
"And I still do." Mikael tells her as he begins struggling with the chains that were stilled wrapped around his body entrapping him.  
"Would you get your friend to him me I can assure you there's no way I can kill Klaus from beneath them."

Mary arches a brow before crouching lower so she could look the man she had once called father in the eye "Do you still have it?"  
Mikael merely nods confirming her theory but also making it clear by his silence that he didn't want to discuss the subject of how he could kill Klaus in front of Katherine.  
Mary sighs before standing and glancing at Katherine nodding at her.

Katherine sighs before walking over and yanking Mikael free of the chains, she leans her arms on the coffin as she stares down at him.  
"Thank you." He breaths as he slowly flexes his hands.

Katherine merely smirks down at him "A little blood will grease those muscles up real quick. Just saying."  
Mikael turns his gaze to Katherine "I don't feed on living things."  
"Then what do you eat?"

Suddenly Mikael leaps forward and grabs Katherine yanking her forward and digging his teeth into her throat as she screams from pain and shock.

Mary winces at the sight before glaring at Mikael as he drops Katherine's unconscious body to the ground "She's gonna be pissed at me now you know that right?"

* * *

After Elena had effectively ruined their moment Stefan had gone home and Buffy still being slightly wired from the fight earlier stood out on the back porch merely listening to the sounds around her trying to focus on one specific one at a time. To say she was suck-y at using this new power was an understatement.

She sighs before finally something catches her attention and she couldn't help but shake her head in amusement "Hello Klaus."  
"I see you're getting used to the hearing." Klaus says with a small smirk as he walks out of the trees and towards her stopping at the bottom of the porch.  
"Nope. But I could sense that jackass stench of yours from a mile away."

Klaus laughs at that only for Buffy to roll her eyes at his "Seriously what happened to the helping?" She asks curiously as she crosses her arms while still staring at the sky.  
"When you're ready for my help I shall provide." Klaus tells her seriously before tilting his head "Not enjoying the research party?" he asks as he hears Alaric and Giles currently discussing ways to deal with Buffy's _predicament_ "Seems like they care a great deal about you."

Buffy couldn't help but exhale in annoyance slightly, everyone was cuddling her...well except Damon but that's because Damon is well Damon.  
"They all care. They all care so much it makes it all harder."  
Klaus frowns in confusion before taking a step towards her "Bring the rest of us up to speed luv."

"I don't know." Buffy mumbles still not sure why she was telling this to him of all people but then again he was the only one who the knew the truth, so who else could she talk to "I just feel like I'm spending all of my time trying to be okay so they don't worry. It's exhausting. Then I loose control—"  
"And it makes them worry even more." Klaus finishes finally coming to an understanding.

Buffy finally stops staring ahead of her and glances over at him catching him watching her as she does, she keeps his gaze for a moment before looking away.  
Klaus smiles walking up the steps of the porch to stand beside her "I'm not to fond of any of them..." He tells her honestly "...I could take them out." He jokes which only made Buffy smile slightly.  
The fact that she smiled just made him grin "Knew I could get a grin."

Buffy shakes her head in amusement before glancing over at him and smiling, she holds his gaze for a moment before sitting down on the steps and letting out a small sigh.

As he sits down beside her she doesn't push him away or yell at like she knew the old her would but she merely lets him stay there and continues with this weird yet comfortable conversation "You always know when I'm alone."  
Klaus chuckles "Like I said last time...it tends to be when you're miserable. Which works out for me I'm not much for crowds at the moment."  
Buffy glances at him offering him a small smile as she does "Me either. But I doubt that philosophy will stick with you."  
Klaus chuckles before nodding "Well for now it works out nicely."


	93. There's Gotta Be More To Life

Giles lays on the couch merely staring at the ceiling as thoughts continue to plague him, the past few days had been hectic to say the least.  
Learning about the ritual used on Buffy however was the most worrying, the ritual could have destroyed the world and what it has done to Buffy well...that worries him more than anything.

He sighs before pulling himself up to a sitting position as running a hand over his jaw, a part of him was furious with Bonnie and Willow for even considering such a dangerous spell...more so with Willow for suggesting it but then he couldn't help the fact that having Buffy back made him unbelievably overjoyed.

Rising from the sofa he stands and begins to make his way to the kitchen only to spot an exhausted looking Elena walking down the stairs scratching the cast on her hand as she does.  
"Elena?"

Elena blinks slightly and turns to face him smiling at him slightly, Giles couldn't help but smile at the young woman "Can't sleep?"  
"Not really." Elena mumbles, she hadn't slept properly in weeks not since that night Buffy had jumped off the tower "You?"  
"Evidently not."

Elena smiles "You ever try mixing parts of every cereal you got in one bowl?"  
Giles arches an eyebrow at the girl, that sounded like a horrific idea "Does it work?"  
"Jeremy used to do it when we were kids I'm suddenly finding myself curious. Wanna join?" She asks as she slowly starts to head towards the kitchen, Giles following her.

"Perhaps I'll be the control group. As you get older you'll find you lose patience with throwing up."

At his words Elena couldn't help but let out a loud laugh.

* * *

 _Buffy was panicking, she didn't understand where she was...or why she was trapped in such a small space.  
She was feeling claustrophobic and she needed to escape...but she couldn't she was trapped._

 _She opens her mouth trying to scream for help as the horror of her situation hits her but no sound left her, her throat was too horse, she couldn't speak, she couldn't scream...she couldn't do anything.  
Her eyes widen in horror as the reality that she was going to suffocate hit her, she needed to get out of here. Grabbing onto the material of the box she pulls at it, attempting to rip it to shreds but it wouldn't budge...she wasn't strong enough._

 _Her breathing continues to pick up but this time it was because of the lack of oxygen in the small space, she couldn't breathe..._

Buffy gasps loudly screaming to the top of her lungs as she shoots up in bed and begins shaking violently trying to push the covers off of her. But in her mind they weren't covers she was still in her coffin desperately trying to grasp for air.

"Buffy!" A voice yells just as her bedroom door slams open, Buffy shakes her head and continues to scream loudly as she digs her nails into her palms slicing deep cuts into her palms, causing blood to drip all over her white sheets.  
"Buffy!?" The voice screams again and this time Buffy hears it properly she looks only to spot Elena crouched beside her bed with a worried frown.

Buffy shakes her head before finally raising her blood hands, they were shaking violently as the blonde continued to gasp loudly for breath.

"Shh." Elena soothes as she moves closer and climbs into the bed next to Buffy and wraps her arms around the blonde letting the small Slayer place her head in the crook of her neck.  
"It's gonna be okay." Elena says softly her voice wavering slightly, she had been about to fall back asleep when she had heard Buffy screaming, honestly she was surprised no one else in the house had heard it.

Buffy takes another gasping breath as tears begin pooling down her face "I—I couldn't breathe...there—there was no space...I couldn't get out..."  
"Shh." Elena whispers as she runs her hands through Buffy's long golden locks in an effort to sooth her terrified cousin, Elena takes a shaky breath of her own as she realises what this was, it was Buffy dreaming about being back in her coffin trapped six feet underground.

Finally after at least an hour of Elena merely holding her trying to calm her Buffy pulls back, her eyes now bloodshot and her throat aching from the crying and the screaming "Sorry I woke you." She says softly.

Elena looks at her with a heartbroken expression, the fact that Buffy felt the need to apologise killed her "Hey..." She says softly as she pulls back and looks at her sister "...never think you have to say sorry to me. I'm here Buffy always will be."  
Buffy smiles slightly before hugging Elena which stunned the brunette Buffy hadn't been very fore coming with displays of affection in the past few weeks.

Smiling into the hug Elena hugs her back tightly before finally pulling her away so she can look at her hands "They're healed." She whispers before sighing at the look on Buffy's face.  
Standing quickly Elena pulls the white bedding off the bed and grabs the spare from the top of Buffy's closest.

"Lay down." She tells Buffy and the small blonde nods before merely laying back down resting her head against her pillow as Elena places the bedding over her.

She moves back over to Buffy and squeezes her hand before moving to go but Buffy tightens her hold on Elena "Stay." Buffy asks so quietly that Elena almost didn't hear it.  
"Please." Buffy asks for the first time in a while sounding so vulnerable, Elena offers her a small smile before nodding.

She keeps a hold of Buffy's hand while the blonde moves up allowing Elena to climb into the bed beside her.  
Elena glances over at Buffy and smiles before giving her hand a small squeeze "I'm not gonna leave you, ever."

* * *

"Wait so someone sent that demon after me?" Buffy asks in shock the next morning as she sits in the kitchen with Giles chatting with Xander over the phone.  
 _"_ _Yeah."_ Xander informs her _"The demon robbed a bank here last week before it attacked you but we don't know why."_

Giles rubs his forehead and removes his glasses as he tries to think about what this could mean possibly "Perhaps someone hired him." Giles suggests as he closes the book he had been using to look further into the demon and glances at Buffy who was eating an apple to his left. "In exchange for the demon robbing the bank whoever hired him would provide your location."

Buffy frowns in confusion as she leans against the counter, the Buff-bot was still active in Sunnydale so no one should be questioning where she is "How though?"  
 _"_ _We think someone knows the Buffy-bot isn't you."  
_ Buffy groans in annoyance she really hated that thing "Gross. I hate that thing."

 _"_ _It's not that bad."_ Xander says with a small chuckle only causing Buffy to narrow her gaze at the phone and she swore that she could hear Xander take a terrified gasp he most probably knew she was glaring at the phone "It had sex with Spike. It's tainted."

"Buffy..." Giles sighs feeling suddenly very uncomfortable with the route their conversation had taken "...do you have any theories?" He asks Xander hoping to get back on track.

 _"_ _Not yet."_ Xander tells them as he clears his throat _"But we're big with the research mood we'll figure it out Buffy. Don't worry just focus on you...all about the Buffster for you."  
_ Buffy smiles slightly "Will do."

There is a small beat of silence and Buffy frowns as she hears Xander take a hesitant breath _"So—so um...how's—how's Elena...and Jeremy! I meant to say Jeremy as well not that I'm not asking about Elena! I meant them as a pair! Not—she—alone...please stop me."  
_ "She's fine" Buffy says her voice clouded with amusement, she hadn't heard Xander babble like that in a very long time. "Xander?"  
 _"_ _Yeah?"  
_ Buffy couldn't help the small smirk that came from her lips as he stuttered out the word "How did we get from Spike to Elena?"  
 _"_ _What huh nothing never mind—what's that Willow's calling me. Bye!"  
_ Buffy frowns "Xander I would be able to hear her—"

Buffy is cut off as the line goes dead, she shakes her head in amusement she had suspected that Xander had a small crush on Elena but she knew that he loved Anya so it was nothing more than that.

Giles shakes his head before walking towards the dining room table where all the books he had brought with him were pilled, he had promised Buffy he was going to help her find a way to deal with her new abilities and he was going to keep his promise. First by finding out as much about this bond between her and Klaus as he could.

"Don't you have your training session with Stefan?" He asks changing the subject, he knew that with Buffy still struggling with her control that it wouldn't be safe for him or Ric to train with her which only left Stefan and Damon...at least if she broke them they would heal.  
"Yep." Buffy says sweetly popping the 'p' as she does "Phase one in teaching Buffy to not go Bat-shit crazy and destroy the whole town commences today."

* * *

"I have all the strengths of a Vamp Slayer combo and non of the weaknesses. Great so I'm Blade?" Buffy asks sarcastically as her and Stefan stand in the middle of the forest.  
Stefan arches a brow at her before shaking his head in amusement "You're staling."  
"Am not."  
"Yes you are."  
"But—"

Stefan shakes his head before placing his hands on her shoulders turning her to face away from him "You can do it."  
"I know I can technically." Buffy points out as she glances up at him in amusement "I'm Blade remember. Think Stefan think."

Stefan sighs before gesturing towards the forest, he had been trying to convince her to use her new speed for the past 20 minutes but somehow she kept putting it off, it was a true gift the way she could distract him.  
"Go on then Blade."

Buffy rolls her eyes before bending her knees, she knew she could do it but it seemed like every time she wanted to, it never happened, having no control over these new powers completely blew.  
She groans in annoyance before standing up straight and shaking her head "Okay I'm a quitter."

Stefan smiles before stepping close to her so that he was right behind her leaning around her he gestures to a nearby tree "Alright it's like the starting line of a race so you just push off with every ounce of strength that you have."

"What if I go too far and end up on the other side of town?" She points out given the fact they had no idea just how strong she was now.  
"Just try not to." He merely says.  
Buffy rolls her eyes at him before bending her knees in preparation "Thank you for the brilliant advice Dr. Seuss."

"Come on." He challenges her as he moves closer to her and leans down towards her so that his hands were resting on her waist and her back was against his.

Buffy freezes as his hands hit her waist instantly all of her focus went to how his fingers were digger into her skin slightly making her nerves crazy, it felt like she was on fire, she could feel it throughout her entire body which was making it impossible to focus on anything else.  
"I can't." She breaths laughing slightly as she leans up "All I can think about is your hands on my body."

Stefan chuckles slightly enjoying this, despite the fact that they hadn't had a proper discussion about where they were this reminded him of old times. The tension the flirtation.  
"Do you want me to remove them?" He teases moving his hands slightly but she instantly stands straight so her back was pressed against his chest "No." She whispers softly "It's just...it feels different."

Stefan nods and begins rubbing circles along her hips with his thumbs making Buffy inhale sharply as he does "What does it feel like?" He asks her as one of his hands travels up her sides before playing with the ends of her long blonde hair.

Buffy moans slightly, this was very different then before, despite the fact she had always enjoyed stuff like this it had never felt like this...she couldn't even think of a word for it. Every touch was heightened making her feel it in ever nerve of her body.  
"It feels like..." Buffy couldn't help but whisper as she merely enjoyed the way his hands moved, she hadn't felt this way in a long time and she didn't want it to stop "Like your touching every nerve...you really weren't kidding about the heightened emotions thing."

"Hmm." Stefan mumbles as he begins stroking his hand up and down her arms before leaning his head against hers so he could whisper in her ear "I told you. Everything is heightened...taste..." As he speaks Buffy whimpers slightly while she tilts her head to the side as she feels his lips making their way down her neck, she tilts her head further giving him better access.

"Smell..." He mumbles against her neck before making his way back up again while his hand circles around her waist "...touch..."

Buffy couldn't help the small moan that escaped her, it had been a while since she had been touched this way...or anyway honestly and she couldn't help but enjoy it.

As Stefan begins placing small kisses along her neck she inhales sharply she could feel her body shudder under his lips, from the tips of her fingers all the way to her toes she could feel it. His movements were setting her nerves on fire and she wasn't sure how much longer she would be able to hold back.  
As his hands make their way to her hips again, one of them taking her hand entangling it with his own, while he continued to kiss his way down her neck Buffy felt her control snap.

In an instant she had turned her head and pulled his lips to her, instantly their lips crash together in a rough match and Buffy couldn't help but moan into his mouth allowing Stefan to quickly deepen it. They hadn't been together like this in over two years so at this point it was no longer just Buffy who didn't have any control.

A small growl escapes the blonde which just causes Stefan to growl back slightly "Jump." He mumbles against her lips, she didn't need to be asked twice.  
Jumping up he catches her wrapping his arms just under her thighs as her legs wrap tightly against his waist.

Suddenly something hard hits Buffy's back but she merely continues to kiss Stefan ignoring the pain of the bark from the tree he had pushed her up against.  
Removing her lips from his she trails kisses down his neck as he lowers her legs letting them hit the floor while he attempts to remove her belt.

Buffy groans in pleasure as he hands make contact with her hips, quickly grabbing the back of his neck she yanks his lips back to her while her hands force the jacket from his shoulders.  
Once she had rid him of it she switches their positions pinning him against the tree without removing her lips until she pulls back slightly only to rip his shirt open with her bare hands.

Stefan quickly grabs her hips pulling her flush against him again as his quickly leaves trails of kisses along her neck while pulling at her vest.

Buffy moans loudly before she slams Stefan up against a nearby mausoleum, as his back hits the wall he chuckles slightly before pulling her against him allowing her to wrap one of her legs around his waist.  
Buffy groans as Stefan begins going at her neck again, almost instantly he finds her sweat spot and she couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips. She leans her head back giving him further access before pulling his lips back to hers, shoving him back against the wall again as she does.

Suddenly a loud cracking noise makes the heavy breathing couple pause, they both turn their heads only for their eyes to widen as they realise that Buffy had shoved him against the wall so hard that it had given out and the ceiling of the mausoleum had collapsed in on itself.

Slowly Buffy pulls away from the shirtless Stefan and readjusts herself before staring in shock at the damage she had caused "Not again."

* * *

"So you destroyed the whole building?" Bonnie asks the blonde Slayer as the four girls make their way through the halls of Whitmore. Buffy nods at the witch, groaning as she thinks back to that moment with Stefan in the woods. She had lost control and honestly she knew that if it wasn't for the mausoleum collapsing in on itself the then she would have continued to loose control.

"The ceiling collapsed on itself and turned into rubble." As the words leave her lips Buffy's eyes widen "I literally destroyed someone's final resting place. I'm a suck-y person. I'm the worst."  
Elena glances over at her sister with a sympathetic gaze "It's not your fault."

Buffy shakes her head in disagreement, it was completely and utterly her fault, she just hadn't expected that her senses would be... _that heightened_ "I'm literally Hulk strong right now Lena, I shouldn't have let myself lose control like that."

Caroline arches a brow at the other blonde before moving in front of Buffy causing the whole group of girls to stop walking.  
Buffy stares at Caroline in confusion before rolling her eyes and leaning against the brick wall as she stares up at the vampire, waiting for an explanation as to why they had stopped walking.  
"What exactly had you so distracted?"

Buffy's eyes widen for a brief moment before she quickly looks away, she swallowed uncomfortably, she really really did not want to discuss this right now "Um...not—nothing important." She stutters slightly as she looks over at Bonnie and Elena for help but both of them were watching her with stunned expressions on their faces making her groan.

Caroline merely stares at the blonde unconvinced "I mean you and Stefan were just training right so the only thing that could have distracted you would be..."  
Caroline trails off smirking suggestively at Buffy as she wiggles her eyebrows.

Buffy glares at the female vampire while Bonnie and Elena continue to stare at Buffy stunned, honestly neither of them had been expecting to hear this today. But they couldn't help but not be surprised...it was Buffy and Stefan, two years of not being together and then finally having alone time together after so long it was only a matter of time before they killed each other or jumped each other. It seems as though they chose to go with the latter.

"Did you and Stefan..." Bonnie starts only for Elena to cut in finishing her thought for her "In the woods?!"  
At Elena's raised voice Buffy rolls her eyes "Settle down Esmeralda."  
Caroline merely grins, Buffy was being defensive and avoiding the topic but she wasn't denying it "Spill." She orders as she crosses her arms.

Buffy groans before pushing herself away from the wall intent on heading to class "There's nothing to talk about. Nothing to spill. Nothing of the nothing happened."  
Elena smirks slightly and quickly follows after Buffy as she begins trying to escape from them all "Thou shalt not lie."  
"I hate you." Buffy grumbles under her breath merely causing the other three girls to laugh as she tries to make a hasty exit.

* * *

Buffy taps her fingers on her desk as she stares blankly at the presentation, normally she enjoyed Art Appreciation, she had taken the class with Tara back in Sunnydale and had actually enjoyed it but now...she just felt off being here.

She continues to stare at the wall before suddenly a loud bell fills her ears causing her to groan in agony as the noise fills her ears making her head burn painfully, she clutches onto her desk.

She feels the wood splinter under her grasp before hearing gasps around her, she looks up only to spot everyone in the classroom staring at her in shock.  
Her eyes widen in confusion before she looks down and realises what she had done, she had snapped the table clear in half.

When the teacher and all the students around her begin questioning her Buffy panics the noise was becoming too much and she could feel her anger and frustration growing. And for some reason all she could think about was snapping all their necks to bring back the peaceful silence.

Trying to control herself she grabs her bag and walks out of the classroom, ignoring the calls of her professor and slams the door behind her.

She leans against the wall breathing heavily however as she places her hands on the wall her fist goes straight through the concrete wall.  
Her eyes widen, she hadn't even been trying she had put barely any pressure on the wall but still it crumbled under her strength.  
She shakes her head in a panic before speeding out of the building and continuing to run before she finally makes herself stop.

As her feet skid across the floor she stumbles slightly, clearly she still needed to work on her dismount.|  
Sighing she takes a deep breath enjoying the silence before she opens her eyes to inspect where she had landed.  
Her eyes widen as she realises she was in the middle of the forest on the other end of town "Oh Sh—"

* * *

After class, Elena walks into her living room closing the front door behind her before she tosses her jacket on the couch.  
With a sigh she runs a hand through her hair before leaning on the staircase "Buffy?" She calls hoping the blonde would be home but when there isn't a response she groans before making her way into the kitchen.

As she steps into the room she freezes as she spots Ric and Giles carrying what looked like 20 books each before they placed them on the dinning table.

"Uh, is this all research or just some kind of stress test for the table?" She asks causing both men to turn to her.  
Ric chuckles she sounded so much like Buffy now in the way she spoke, a year in Sunnydale clearly had altered how Elena and Jeremy spoke.

Giles sighs before removing his glasses and turning to face the young brunette who was smirking at him as she leaned on the table "I just want to be thorough. This curiosity regarding Buffy's abilities and her connection to Klaus needs to be solved. And if the demon attack here as well as the time anomaly in Sunnydale...they could be completely unrelated events, but if they're not, all of you might be in some danger. Specifically Buffy, that demon targeted her."

Elena sighs before leaning against the chair "Feels like Sunnydale's been brought to Mystic Falls."

* * *

Buffy stumps through the forest in frustration honestly despite how many times she had been here she always found herself getting lost.  
She sighs before running a hand through her hair, she knew that if she didn't get home soon Elena was going to end up sending out a search party, which she did not have the energy to deal with.

Continuing to walk for God knows how long something makes her freeze, she listens carefully before the smell hits her, that coppery smell that she had smelt too much in her life but now it was stronger. Honestly she was just glad that she wasn't craving it.

Speeding forward her eyes widen as she spots Damon standing in the forest clearly compelling the poor girl that he had been drinking from.  
An anger fills her and she couldn't stop herself as she surged forward and leapt on top of Damon pinning him to the ground "Leave her alone!"

Damon stares up at her in shock but she ignores his stares and merely stands turning back to the girl "Run!" She growls causing the girl to scream and begin sobbing as she runs away.

Buffy rolls her eyes before turning to face the now standing Damon who scoffed at her before turning his back on her, growling in frustration Buffy speeds over to him so that she was blocking his path "What the hell is a matter with you! You could have killed her!"

Damon merely tilts his head at her trying not to show any emotion as he stared into her forest green eyes "Could have. Didn't."  
Buffy rolls her eyes before crossing her arms over her chest "You almost killed her!"  
"She's fine Buffy! Running back to whatever cheap ass sorority she came from."  
Buffy rolls her eyes before turning her back on him "And here I thought you changed."

Damon freezes as he stares at her, images of their kiss filled his mind before slowly an anger built in him "Well I'm still a vampire Buffy!"  
Buffy freezes and suddenly she clenches her fists before she speeds over to him and slams him up against a tree by his neck "You almost killed Elena!" As she screams his jaw slackens and a broken expression fills his face, how did she know that? She was never supposed to find out.

He sighs before looking down at her "You were dead...you weren't supposed to die." He says softly as his expression softens with vulnerability.  
Buffy's eyes widen at that and she releases him allowing herself to look into his eyes "That was my choice not hers, Damon."  
Damon rolls his eyes "It's a little hard to keep track of all your choices lately Buffy."

At his words Buffy looks at him sadly she knew exactly what he meant there, they hadn't spoken about the kiss or anything between the two of them since she came back.  
When he turns his back on her she takes a deep breath summoning the will to tell him the truth "I remember everything."  
The moment the confession leaves her lips Damon pauses keeping his back to her trying to keep his emotions buried.

When he doesn't say anything she clenches her jaw shut before continuing "One of the highlights of turning into a super freak and drinking the memory potion..." As she speaks Damon slowly turns and walks towards her "...I remembered everything. Including everything you made me forget. Like how you and I met first."

Damon stops walking so he was standing in front of her but he doesn't speak he merely glances into the forest as he processes all of her words and what they meant.

Buffy sighs before continuing she knew if she didn't get this out now she'd never say it "You were a creepy stranger who wanted me to get everything I wanted from life."  
When Damon still refuses to look at her Buffy tilts her head at him "What didn't you tell me?"

"Would it have made a difference?" He asks softly still refusing to look at her as he lays his heart out on the table. Despite the fact that he and his brother had never told her to choose he knew that deep down she was aware that a choice would need to be made.  
Buffy takes a deep breath she had never expected that from him, honestly she wasn't sure. She had always thought it would be Stefan always but then she had been happy with Riley she had begun developing feelings for Damon and now her connection to Klaus was growing.

"How am I supposed to answer that Damon?" She says honestly "I don't know what I'm supposed to feel anymore. I don't feel joy when I'm supposed to and all my past feelings are confusing mushy mess and I don't understand them. I know that I love Stefan and I care about you...but that is all I know right now."

Damon freezes as the reality of what they were discussing hit him, now was not the time to ask her to choose when she was barely comfortable in her own skin "Buffy..."  
For some reason the blonde holds up her shaky hand silencing him "If you had been on the tower that night who would you have saved?"  
Damon doesn't even hesitate it wasn't even a question to him "You. In a heartbeat."  
Buffy lets out a small huff "And Elena would be dead. My sister would dead!"

"But you wouldn't have died!" He yells at her making her shut her mouth "You wouldn't have suffered in a hell dimension you would have gotten to grow up! To figure out what you wanted with your life outside of being the Slayer! A life you deserved and I know that I didn't used to get that but I do now and I wanted that for you Buffy. And I would have gladly given it to you and let Elena die because I am that selfish." Stepping closer he looks down at her seriously "But you knew that already. First night we met isn't all that you remember."

Buffy takes a shaky breath as images of Damon telling her he loved her for the first time filled her brain. She blinks forcing them away before she backs away from him and turns her back on him "Let Elena I'll be home later." Was all she said before she speeds back into the forest.

* * *

After pounding on a couple demons to try and calm her anger Buffy wonders through the graveyard enjoying the peace of being alone, it was a rarity these days.  
She just needed time to think to herself so she had switched her phone off trying to get all distractions out of her head. Everything lately was hard, it was hard being back at college, it was hard trying to explain her feelings to Stefan and Damon, it was hard connecting with her family.

Everything was just hard.

Sighing she pauses as she reaches the edge of the graveyard frowning in confusion she stops, she recognised this place, felt as though she had seen it before. There was something in her gut that had drawn her here she just didn't know what.

Suddenly the sound of snapping branches from behind her fills her ears clenching her fist she spins around and immediately slams her fist to the person behind her.  
Buffy's eyes widen as she spots Klaus's body go flying backwards crashing right through a tree causing the tree to crumble in two and fall to the ground.

She winces at the sight of it before crossing her arms and glaring at the immortal hybrid, she was really getting sick of him just showing up at of no where "What the hell are you doing here?"  
Klaus chuckles as he stands rubbing his now sore jaw, honestly she was getting a lot stronger than he had anticipated and he loved it. Honestly it was quite sexy.

When Buffy spots Klaus looking her up and down with a grin she walks over to him and punches him again this time only causing his head to swing violently to the side, she could hear the crack which almost made her let out a small laugh. She had broken his jaw.

Klaus winces before turning to the blonde, he was about to speak when she raised her hand silencing him.  
"Five words or less." She orders before placing her hands on her hips as she glares at him.  
Klaus chuckles before raising his hand counting off the words with his fingers "You're...on...my...property...luv."

Buffy's eyes widen at that before she rolls her eyes cursing herself for allowing herself to be drawn here. She should have ignored the feeling in her chest pulling her here and just gone back to the demon bar, there were still a few there she could probably get another beheading in before the night was out.

She swings her arms out in annoyance, today really had been a totally suck-y day "Great perfect end to a perfect day." She hisses sarcastically before walking past him only for him to walk over and begin walking beside her.

"What's wrong luv?" He asks with a small grin "Not fitting back into society as well as you had planned."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and continues to walk "Well I'm an Uber-Buffy without the taxi part so yeah it's totally easy." She argues with a sarcastic tone.  
Klaus arches a brow as he quickly speeds over to her blocking her path, he had an idea one she might actually agree too.  
"Let me help you."  
Buffy frowns in confusion but couldn't help but find herself curious "How exactly are you going to do that?"

Klaus smirks before holding out his hand towards her "Enjoy a moment of my time..." When Buffy merely stares at his hand skeptically he offered her a kind smile one that only she seemed to be able to summon out of him, slowly that smile becomes more of a childish grin "I dare you."

* * *

Buffy stares at the shot glass in front of her before grinning slightly, this couldn't be as bad as being in class or arguing with Damon.  
This was going to be fun and she needed it, hell despite the company everything was going to be great.

"This is going to be great." She assures herself one last time before she raises the shot glass to her lips and downs the burning liquid.  
As she places the glass back on the vintage table in the living room her face crunches up in disgust and she couldn't help but groan "Wahharg."

Klaus who was sat opposite the blonde smiles before downing his own shot, not having the same moment of disgust like the blonde.  
As he lowers his glass back down he looks over at the blonde who was staring at her feet "Life is stupid."  
"That is true luv. But there are other things in this whole world you are yet to see, experience."

Buffy smirks slightly as she glances up at him as much as she would deny it she was actually enjoying herself, his company had become less of a bother but that could just be because of the 200 year old bottle of whiskey they were drinking.  
"Yeah who's gonna show me that?" She asks before taking another shot again groaning in disgust as she does.

"I could." He tells her making her laugh slightly so he tilts his head at her "What?"  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement before pouring him another shot and pushing it towards him, at her challenging grin Klaus smirked slightly before downing the shot.  
As he places the glass down again he looks over at the beautiful woman before him "Come on now, why does life suck as you put it?"

Buffy shrugs slightly and glances back down at her hands "I don't know. Strength speed, emotions all suck-y plus there is someone targeting me from Sunnydale. Messing up my life. Except that it was kind of pre-messed already. You know, with school and my new super-super powers. It was pretty bad even without the evil."

Klaus tilts his head at the blonde trying to figure out what to say, honestly in over a thousand years she was the only person that could leave him speechless "Nothing can bring you down luv. You have one of the strongest souls I've ever seen. You'll figure it all out."

At his words Buffy glances up at him catching his gaze she takes a shaky breath as that feeling in the pit of her stomach returns that feeling terrified her because she had no idea what it was.  
"Not much with the research..." She says softly as she begins pouring herself another shot "...Giles is on it."  
Klaus chuckles slightly "Yes because the dear Old Watcher rules the mighty forces of library books."  
Buffy couldn't help but smirk "You'd do better?" She asks teasingly.

Klaus chuckles and leans across the table slightly towards her "Of course. I'm a 1000 year old Hybrid pet, one click and I could have every bit of information on any demon at your doorstep."  
Buffy rolls her eyes before filling Klaus' glass as well before smiling as he continues "Or we go old fashioned with a bit of torture...that tends to be my favourite."  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement "I'll bet it is. But it's not my kind of fun."

Klaus watches her closely before slowly a smirk crosses his face he could tell she didn't believe it herself "Yeah. It is. And trust me my dear sweet Slayer, your life and our connection will be a lot less confusing when you figure that out."

Buffy scoffs before shaking her head "You have had so too much to drink at this point, I am cuttin' you off." She teases not really realising that she was beginning to flirt with the hybrid as she downed her shot, him doing the same.  
As she makes another disgusted noise Klaus couldn't help the grin that crossed his lips, she truly was one of a kind "You my dear are no school girl. You're not a vulnerable human anymore. You're a creature of the darkness, like me."

* * *

Buffy groans as she finally pulls herself away from the toilet, she would have thought that this whole fast healing thing would be like an instant hangover cure. But apparently the 6 bottles of bourbon and whiskey her and Klaus had drank were not agreeing with her little theory.

Finally pulling herself out of the bathroom she groans holding onto the door handle while Giles who was leaning against the wardrobe in her room looks at her in worry.  
As she approaches him dragging her feet across the floor as she does he hands her a glass of water "Feel any better?"

"I think at one point I actually turned completely inside out." She mumbles before slowly walking further into the room "I didn't think hangovers would be heightened too. That's just cruel." Buffy sighs before slowly attempting to sip her water "But, yeah, better."

As she moves around the room Giles moves to stand in the doorway of her bathroom as he watches her "I'm sorry I still haven't found any new information on your connection with Klaus in my research."  
Buffy smiles up at him kindly as she finds herself crouching down to sit on the floor by her bed, not actually having the energy to climb on top of it "It's okay. I'm finally starting to realise that maybe the only way is through the beast himself."

Buffy takes a deep breath and rubs her hand on her forehead as all the stress that had become her life begins seeping through her brain filling every thought "I'm really screwing up Giles."  
Giles' eyes widen and he instantly shakes his head "What? Come on." He says as he moves to sit on her bed so he can look at her "You have had your entire world changed I don't call that screwing up."

Buffy shakes her head again refusing to let him make her feel better, forcing herself to look up at him she exhales "No, it completely is. I don't know what to feel, I'm allowing emotions I can't control to take over me. I mean look at today, what happened with Stefan, my argument with Damon..." Buffy groans before sighing, the worst sin of all was yet to come "I went to Klaus for comfort Giles. Klaus! I went drinking with Klaus, like we were some sort of buddy buddies. For some reason the only person I can stand to be around is the person who destroyed my life."

Giles looks at her desperately he hated that she was doing this too herself, she was too good to be putting all this pressure on herself "Go easy on yourself, will you? You don't have to figure out what this whole thing means for your life, at once you know. School, your relationship, this connection to Klaus and everything. You're pushing yourself too hard."

Buffy smiles slightly, he always did this made her feel like there was hope when she was in a pit of endless hell "Thank you." She breaths "For everything. I don't know what I would do if you weren't here. It makes me feel safe knowing you're always gonna be here."

* * *

Buffy ducks under the arm of the hybrid that was successfully pissing her off, she was getting really sick of these little pests everywhere.

As the hybrid continues to attack her Buffy couldn't help but roll her eyes "Okay I'm done now." She mumbles before merely speeding around the hybrid and severing his spine by kicking her knee into his lower back, when it begins howling in agony Buffy rolls her eyes "Geez could you be quiet people are sleeping."

With another sigh she forces her hand into the hybrid's chest effectively removing his heart.

As the forest fills with silence again Buffy smiles "See now we're communicating." With a small grin she drops the body to the ground before she spots her now blood covered her "Ew." She moans in disgust before bending down and wiping the blood on the hybrid's shirt.

Tapping his jacket she stands back up and crosses her arms as she stares at the body "You not gonna go poof?"  
When nothing happens she sighs again, why couldn't these things go poof, she really was starting to miss dusty vamps, no muss no fuss.

Muttering under her breath about how unfair it was that she now needed to bury the body the blonde walks away in search of a shovel however suddenly she finds herself falling.

As her back land on solid concrete ground Buffy groans in annoyance, "Really?" she mumbles as she stares up 15 feet towards the hole that she had just fallen through "I fell through a hole. Lovely."

Standing she dusts off her jeans before taking in her surroundings, as she does she freezes, her eyes widen as not only was she in some sort of crave but there were some sort of drawings carved onto the wall before her.

Grabbing her cellphone she quickly calls the house knowing Ric and Giles would still be home.  
 _"_ _Hello?"_ Ric answers  
"I think I found something."


	94. Dynasty - Part 1

"So the Lockwoods really have no idea these tunnels are under their property?" Elena asks curiously as she Ric, Buffy and Giles make their way through the maze of underground caves Buffy had stumbled upon the other night.  
Ric nods before gesturing to Elena's flashlight "Yeah. Careful where you shine that thing. Bats hate the light."

Buffy glances over at her sister watching as the hunter's words sink in, the look on Elena's face makes her chuckle slightly.  
"Wait, what?" Elena asks horrified only causing Buffy to roll her eyes "Don't worry pretty sure Dracula is off haunting another town right now."  
Elena glares at her sister "You're not funny. Plus you told me Dracula is real."

Giles sighs before turning to the two arguing sisters "Elena I can assure you Dracula is far from here."  
Elena groans before continuing to walk beside the watcher, despite what he said, Bats creeped the hell out of her.

"Elena." A voice whispers from the distance. Instinctively Elena grabs the blade from her waist and twirls it in her grasp, when she hears footsteps behind her she spins around and raises the blade only to groan in annoyance as she spots Damon now stood behind her.

"Boo?" He questions, rather annoyed that she wasn't gasping in shock she merely rolled her eyes and tucked her blade back into it's holder before moving over to Giles.

Damon shrugs in confusion before glancing over at Buffy who had her arms crossed as she stared at him unamused.  
"What?" He asks "You're the one that mad her all tough and not so squim-esh. I blame you."  
Buffy arches a brow at him "You're an idiot."

Footsteps from behind her make the blonde pause she spins around in a blur of motion and pins the person behind her to the wall only to groan in annoyance when she realises that she was currently holding Stefan up against the throat.

"Sorry." She mumbles as she releases him causing him to cough loudly.  
Damon laughs loudly only causing Buffy to roll her eyes before ignoring both brothers and walking over to her sister.  
Stefan glares over at his smirking brother "Shut up, Damon."  
"What?" Damon asks confused at to why everyone was picking on him today.

Buffy rolls her eyes as she continues through the tunnels "Just ignore him. That's what I do."  
Damon glances over at the blonde burying any visible emotion from his features at the argument from the other night "I take it your still pissed—"

"So you can't get in huh?" She asks loudly cutting him off, she really didn't want to discuss what had happened the other night, not now not ever.  
Damon clenches his jaw before nodding "No. Seems even the Ancient Lockwoods were anti-vampire."  
Elena frowns in confusion at his words "What do you mean, ancient?"

Buffy sighs before leading them all towards the tunnels "As we have ticked off another benefit of my new powers: I don't need invitation, I found these. And God they're weird."  
"I've been here before." Damon tells them as Buffy leads them towards the entrance, "Two years ago Mason..."  
Buffy pauses in her steps and turns to the annoying attractive vampire _"_ I thought he was dead"  
Damon shrugs "He is"  
"Than how...?"  
Damon merely arches a brow at the confused blonde "You really gonna comment on the dead walking and talking?"  
Buffy glares at him, before shrugging, he did actually have a point "Shut up Damon but fare point"

"This is as far as the two of you go." Buffy tells Stefan and Damon with a small smirk as she steps over the barrier into the tomb.  
Damon glares at her "Show off." He mumbles under her breath while Stefan merely rolls his eyes at his brother before glancing at Buffy who was still yet to speak a full sentence to him "How did you find this anyway? What is it?"  
Buffy shrugs "I fell through the ceiling." She says simply as she leads Giles and Ric, as well as Elena over to the cravings she had found.

"Remarkable." Giles breaths as he makes his way over to the wall, his hand coming up to trace the outline of some of the carvings, one in particular drawing his attention.

"What is all this?" Elena asks in fascination as she stares at the carvings she had never seen anything like this before.  
Buffy shrugs "I broke the ceiling my work here is done."

Elena smiles at her sister before turning to Giles who was still moving along the length of the wall "Giles?"  
"Viking script." He says softly "It has to be at least a thousand years old." He steps back so he is standing beside Alaric "It's a story."  
Alaric nods in agreement "In simple archaeological terms, it's a really old story."  
Buffy arches a brow "I think we got that from Viking."

Alaric glares at the blonde who merely smiles innocently, he shakes his head in amusement before gesturing to one of the images on the wall "That right there is a moon cycle." He raises his flashlight so it is pointing at the image of the would just above the moon "A man. A wolf."  
Elena's eyes widen "A werewolf."

Damon smirks "Yeah. It's the Lockwood Dairies, Pictionary edition."  
Stefan sighs before turning to Alaric and Giles "The Lockwoods came with our family in 1862—"

"Well werewolves have been chilling here a hell of a lot longer than that." Buffy tells them all "I mean look at this thing, it looks like the Master's face. It's that old and crinkly." Buffy pauses before grabbing Elena's hand and leading her closer to the wall "It gets creepier."

Elena groans "Don't tell me that."  
"I speak the truth."

Alaric sighs before raising the light towards the wall again where several names were written "Names, and they're not native."  
"It's runic." Giles informs them "Viking script. The language is almost dead."

"And that's your favourite type then." Buffy points out as she turns to her Watcher "You do love your dead languages."

Giles sighs before pointing at the wall "The names, when myself and Alaric translated it...Buffy it read to, Niklaus."

Buffy's eyes widen at that, okay they hadn't told her that, she swallows slightly "He called himself Nik. When he reintroduced himself. You know before he tried to kill us all again."

Alaric smiles softly trying to hide the hurt over hearing about what the four of them had all been through while in Sunnydale, so he merely continued translating the names "Elijah...Rebekah and Marianna."

* * *

1000 Years Ago – The New World

"Rebekah, let me have at it." Niklaus continues to badger as Rebekah carves her name into the wall of the cave.  
Marianna merely rolls her eyes as she continues to play with the pendant around her neck, "Let her be Niklaus."

Niklaus turns to the raven-haired witch before rolling his eyes and turning back to his sister "Rebekah."  
"Quiet Niklaus. I need concentration if I'm not to slice off a finger." Rebekah glances back over at Marianna "Could you give him paralysis?"

Marianna smirks slightly before shaking her head "Mother doesn't like it when I threaten the boys. She's worried about their pride."

Niklaus shakes his head in annoyance before turning to both women "Father will not like the two of you handling a blade."  
"If I want to wield a blade, I shall wield a blade. Father need not now." Rebekah argues while Marianna merely sighs, this arguing was boring her slightly.

"He will find out. He always does." Niklaus argues only causing Marianna to stand from her place on the ground and glare at him "Maybe if you did not always run to him and inform him of what is being done then he wouldn't find out."

"I cannot help it." The young man argues "He frightens me."  
"And I do not?" She teases with a smirk but at his serious expression she sighs "He frightens us all."  
"And here I thought nothing frightened _The Great Marianna Von Swartzschild."_

While Marianna merely rolls her eyes Rebekah walks over to the two of them entangling her fingers with Marianna's "He frightens us all. That is why we stick together as one, always and forever. Right, traitor?" She asks smirking slightly.

Niklaus slowly allows a smirk to gaze his lips "Right."

Rebekah smiles before squeezing her sister's hand and handing the blade towards her brother "Here you and Mari finish. I'm to help mother with the meal."  
Marianna rolls her eyes at that "I think Niklaus should help cook, he has more delicate fingers."

Niklaus glares at the young witch before turning to his sister ignoring Marianna's comments "Yes, go tend to dinner. Leave the blades to the men, little sister."  
"And what men do you speak of?" Marianna teases as she grabs the blade from Rebekah's grasp and twirls it in her grasp "For I only see a scrawny boy."

"Marianna." Niklaus hisses in annoyance while Rebekah smirks as Marianna hands Niklaus the blade, being sure to stab his hand as she does causing blood to spill from the wound.

Klaus hisses in pain while Rebekah and Marianna merely smile at him "It's just a little blood." Rebekah teases "Be a man about it."

* * *

Mystic Falls – Present Day

"These are the names of the original family?" Elena asks in shock as she stares at the names in front of her.  
Alaric nods confirming her question "Carved into a cave that's...that's been here since way before the Founding of Mystic Falls."  
"At least 1000 years." Giles informs them all as he makes his way over to one specific carving on the wall, for some reason it looked so familiar "Before the New World."  
Elena shakes her head "This has got to be one of Klaus' fakes."

Buffy shakes her head as she moves towards the wall her hand coming up to Klaus's carving of his own name "I don't think it is." She wasn't sure why but she knew this was real.

"Buffy?" Stefan asks curiously as he spots her going into some sort trance.

"They were here." Buffy says softly, she couldn't explain it but she could feel it in her bones, at one point a long time ago Klaus had been here "He was here."

Stefan clenches his jaw and glances at his brother who was wearing the same expression as him, this tether between her and Klaus needed to be dealt with and soon before it transformed into something more. God knows what that was.

"I think Buffy is right." Giles tells them as he comes to stand beside the blonde Slayer before gesturing to the name at the bottom of the list "The last name."  
"What is it?" Elena asks curiously.

Alaric and Giles both turn to Buffy and Elena who were both watching the two of them as they waited for the answer "Mikael."

Buffy's eyes widen at that, this had to be some sort of sick joke, they couldn't be serious "You have gotta be kidding me. The one guy that knows how to kill Klaus—"  
"Is Papa Original?" Damon asks drawing the blonde's attention "Yep."

* * *

"Good." Buffy tells Elena as she ducks under Elena's arm as they continue to spar in Alaric's living room.  
Elena smirks before sending a spinning kick to Buffy chest but the blonde catches her ankle and twists it causing Elena to spin through the air before landing with a 'thud' on the ground.

"What happened to little Miss Badass?" Damon teases as him and Stefan watch the girls spare.  
Elena climbs back up to her feet and glares over at Damon "I'll break your jaw again."

Stefan smirks at his friends words before turning to his brother, Damon's amusement falls and he turns to Ric and Giles hoping to get the attention off him "So what we got?"

"Wimp." Buffy teases as she catches Elena's fist in her hand before it could make contact, holding it tightly as Elena continued to struggle to get free.

"These images tell a story." Alaric says with a sigh as he glances at the photos his and Giles had taken, which were now covering his kitchen counter.

Giles nods in agreement and removes his glasses cleaning them "Precisely, if we can decipher these images we can reveal the story." As he places his glasses back on her glances over at Elena who was still struggling "Elena shoulder up!"

Elena rolls her eyes before pulling her arm out of Buffy's grasp and raising her shoulder slightly the way Giles had told her.

"Elena, come on, you're better than this." Buffy teases as she circles her sister, Elena rolls her eyes before leaping up sending her foot towards Buffy's chest, Buffy blocks the blow and pushes Elena's leg to the ground, before grabbing the brunette's arm and yanking her forward.

Buffy attempts to flip Elena over her shoulder but Elena allows herself to roll over her sister's back keeping her legs straight so that she lands back on her feet behind her.  
Buffy smiles happily "Better." She grins before dropping to her knees and sweeping Elena's feet out from under her causing the doppelgänger to drop painfully.

Stefan and Damon both wince at the sight while Giles sighs "Buffy stop toying with the girl!"  
Buffy raises her hands in defence before turning to Damon "What did not so dead yet dead Mason say about the place?"

Damon shrugs slightly "It was two years ago and I was hangover."

"Damon." Buffy says flatly crossing her arms glaring at him threateningly causing the bad boy brother to groan in annoyance "We couldn't get into the cave so the journey stopped but he did mention that it might have lead us to a weapon that could kill Klaus."

Stefan arches a brow at his brother "And you never mentioned this because?"  
"Yeah I second that because." Buffy comments causing Stefan to glance at her but she was still avoiding his gaze causing him to sigh before burying any emotion on his face and face his brother waiting for an explanation.

Damon groans in annoyance "2 Reasons, 1 Mason hates me I thought he was playing me and 2: We were a bit focused on finding you miss pops back from the dead." He says his focus on Buffy who rolls her eyes.

"Doesn't Mikael have a weapon?" Elena asks curiously as she stands and grabs the bo-staff off the wall while handing Buffy hers.  
"Yes." Damon answers "Which probably means the wall will lead us to Mikael, who we've already found and lost."

"We should have expected Mary would have done something." Stefan points out just as Elena swings the bo-staff at Buffy who easily deflects it.

Giles sighs at the girls who continue to spar in the center of the room before turning his attention back to the images on the tables "Given the resources I have from the Council we should be able to decipher the images soon and with that maybe we should be able to figure out what exactly this weapon is."

"As long as I get to run it through Klaus's heart I don't care what it is." Buffy argues as she spins away from Elena and taps her backside causing Elena to roll her eyes in annoyance "Stop doing that!"  
"Get faster!"

"Girls will you insist!" Giles yells in annoyance causing the sisters to giggle slightly before back to sparing.  
Alaric chuckles in amusement while Giles groans, "The earth is doomed."

Stefan smiles slightly, he did like the Watcher he was a kind man who hadn't immediately judged him because he was a vampire "Then all we have to do is find out what they mean."  
Damon scoffs "Well, fine, fine, if I'm being irritatingly optimistic like you all...how do you suppose we do that?"

Elena turns to the vampire "I have an idea. If the story's about the original family living here, then we go straight to the source."  
When everyone freezes and stares at her waiting for the joke Elena sighs "Rebekah is our best bet."

Giles sighs she did have a point despite how horrible it was she was right "Perhaps..."

"No." Stefan, Damon and Buffy all say causing Elena to sigh before she crosses her arms and focuses on her sister arching a brow.  
Buffy stands there in confusion for a moment before she finally gets what Elena was getting to "What no not fair? Are we forgetting I went all Rambo and tried to rip her head off the other day?"

Elena sighs "Buffy, you're the best way to get her to talk."  
Buffy's mouth drops open how on any earth was this fair "What but...why can't Stefan do it she is obsessed with you?"

Stefan chuckles "I've been ignoring her, and I'm not exactly begging at he feet like she wants."  
"Can't you just a little bit." She begs causing him to arch a brow, "Okay yeah bad idea. But still I'm not doing it."

Elena sighs, she was struggling to make Buffy see her point "Buffy, she practically thinks you're going to be her sister in law."

Buffy shudders slightly at the thought as does everyone else in the room, talk about nightmares.

"This is a bad idea." Damon argues.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I'm not gonna marry Klaus."  
"No, you talking to Rebekah."

Buffy sighs before glancing at Elena who was still adamant, sighing the blonde reluctantly agrees "That's too. But I'm the only one in this room she doesn't hate. Plus it helps I can kill her if need be."

Damon groans in annoyance, clearly not liking this at all "Just rip the skank's head off."  
Elena glares at the vampire "You're not helping."

* * *

Buffy groans in annoyance as she watches Rebekah the Original blonde bitch do back flips across the quad while the other cheerleaders cheer for her.

As the blonde comes to a stop in front of her Buffy rolls her eyes, she was gonna kill Elena for this.  
Rebekah ignores the annoyed look on the Slayer's face and merely grins "Hello sister."  
Buffy gags slightly just at the word "I'm not your sister."

Rebekah merely grins "Not yet." She says with a small laugh before looking at the other blonde seriously "Now what do you want? You're not gonna try and rip my head off again are you?"  
"That's starting to sound more tempting." Buffy says flatly before groaning, she could practically hear Elena yelling at her in her head "Actually I need to talk to you."

"About what?" Rebekah asks curiously, she actually had no problem spending time with Buffy, there was something about the Slayer she liked, she in the original's opinion was far more tolerable then the doppelgänger.  
"Stefan?" She teases before grinning slightly "Ooh or is it about my brother?"

"A million times no." Buffy says with a groan, she could already tell this was going to a be a long ass day if she had to put up with her the whole day.  
"Oh come on Buffy...I know your dying to know more about my brother. And since we're gonna be family soon, I'll lay off Stefan, girl code and all."

Buffy rolls her eyes but tries to bury the small sense of jealousy she could feel bubbling at the surface, burying down her confusing feelings for her ex Buffy quickly tries to make the talkative Michelson focus.

"Actually why don't we talk about my future family history?" She asks as she raises the photo of Rebekah's name that she had found in the cave.

Rebekah's face visibly falls, filling with horror at the sight of the image in front of her before she looks at Buffy's now smirking face.  
"Why don't you tell me why you've spent what? A thousand years running from your father?"

Rebekah clenches her jaw, clearly no longer eager to spend time with the young Summers "I should get back to the girls. Homecoming's right around the corner."

Buffy shrugs slightly as she watches Rebekah turn her back on her "Okay, guess I'll just have to ask dear old future father in law when we wake him."

At her words Rebekah halts in her steps and glances back at the blonde Slayer waiting for her to break, to admit she was bluffing, but Buffy merely grinned.  
Rebekah scoffs "You're lying. You don't know where he is. No one does."  
Buffy shrugs "Well I guess Mary was kidding when she said she had spent the past few days in Charlotte with dear old dad."

At her words Rebekah panics, the idea of her father being woken up terrifying her more than anything else, quickly she approaches the blonde "If you wake Mikael, we are all doomed. Including you. Do you really think he won't came after you considering what you mean to Nik?"

Buffy clenches her jaw she had been trying to put all thoughts of Klaus out of her mind lately unless they involved her throwing something very heavy at him and tossing him out a window.

"You want me to be apart of your family right? To be your friend? Well then tell me about the danger that I am apart of it?"  
Rebekah shakes her head, she didn't want to do this that much was clear but it only made Buffy want to push her more "You don't wanna know."

Buffy sighs at the vague answer, in all honesty if Rebekah was right and Mikael would come after her too she needed to know more, needed to know what she was up against.  
"Why don't you want me to wake him?"

Rebekah clenches her jaw before turning her back on the blonde "I have to get back to the girls, girl talk will just have to wait sister."

* * *

1000 Years Ago – The New World

Rebekah smirks as she watches the raven haired beauty who she had grown up with sneak into the house a wide smile on her face as she clutches her hand to her chest.  
"Now where have we been sneaking off too dear sister?" Rebekah teases causing Marianna to gasp in shock before glaring at her best friend.

"Bekah!" Marianna yells in shock and annoyance "I told you not to do that anymore."  
"And father told you to stop flocking around with that swordsman."

Marianna blushes slightly causing Rebekah to grin as she giggles and runs over to her adoptive sister and wraps an arm around her waist "You cannot keep secrets from me Marianna."

Marianna sighs happily before leaning her head against the door thinking back to her meeting with James "You cannot tell father."

Rebekah giggles before grabbing her sister's hand and linking their arms together as they leave their home and begin wondering through the small village "I shall never speak to a soul."  
Marianna sighs before a small grin covers her face "He wants us to marry."

Rebekah's eyes widen in excitement and joy for her best friend and she couldn't help the sequel that escaped her before she threw her arms around best friend "Marianna thats amazing news!"

"Shh." Marianna breaths out in a panic before looking around to make sure no one had seen them "I didn't say yes."  
"And why not?"

Marianna sighs as the two begin walking again arms linked together "I am the source of light magic Rebekah, my duty is to teach the next generation, to make sure the spirits and their ancestors don't give into darkness. When the spirits chose me I was told I couldn't let love get in the way of my duty."

Rebekah sighs feeling horrible for her friend, to find love only to be told you couldn't have it sounding so crushing, Rebekah could only imagine what heartbreak Marianna was feeling "I believe you could still do your duty and be with James."

"I don't know." Marianna breaths out "I love him but I will never age and the idea of watching him grow and die breaks my heart. Mother has always said that my power is a gift but that there are consequences."

Rebekah shakes her head refusing to believe that Marianna had to give up everything just because some higher power told her she was special "I shall not give up." She says with a smile and she wraps an arm around Marianna hugging her to her side "You will marry James and still be able to do your duty."  
"You have more faith than I."

Rebekah giggles slightly before her eyes falls of their brothers Elijah and Niklaus playing with swords while their youngest brother Henrik watched.

"Come our brothers are fighting again." She says gleefully as she grabs Marianna's hand and drags her towards the two.

As they watch the two fight Rebekah smiles as she spots Marianna no longer watching but now instead her focus was on James who was stood on the other side of the village his gaze fixed on Marianna's.

As they gazed at each other Rebekah could practically feel the love between them, it didn't make her jealous but rather hopefully, because maybe one day she could find a love like Marianna and James.

Marianna merely continued to stare at James, the words of her adoptive siblings falling to the back of her mind as she smiled at the man she loved.  
When he mouthed a simple I Love You to her she smiled brightly 'I love you.' She mouths back before Rebekah nudging her draws her attention.

Marianna tears her gaze away from James only for her eyes to widen as she spots Mikael and Ester watching Niklaus and Elijah. Her eyes fill with panic when she spots the look on Mikael's face, he was furious which almost made her quiver in fear.

Rebekah's hand clenches around hers as Mikael begins approaching Niklaus with murder in his eyes before taking the sword from Elijah "So...why don't you teach me that trick, young warrior?"

"Father!" Marianna tries only for Mikael to glare at her "Quiet woman!" he hisses before swinging the sword at Niklaus.  
"Father, we were just having fun." Niklaus tries, his voice quivering in fear as he speaks.  
"We fight for our survival. And you find time for fun?!" Mikael yells causing everyone in the village including James to watch in horror.

Marianna catches James's gaze she could see the worry in his eyes but she shook her head, she didn't want to risk anything happening to him.

"I want to have fun!" Mikael yells at his son taunting him "Team me. Come on!"  
"Father it was nothing." Niklaus persist but Mikael growls swinging his sword violently at his son who desperately tried to block his blows.

When Mikael knocks down Niklaus Marianna gasps as she watches Mikael raise his blade, before she could stop herself she raises her hand covering Mikael's sword in a bright purple glow making him freeze, no longer able to move his sword.

"Marianna!" Esther exclaims before making her way around to her prodigy who was staring fearlessly at the man who had raised her.  
Marianna ignores her adoptive mother "Enough!" She yells at her father "You've made your point, father."

"Release me, girl!" Mikael orders before looking over at her "Now!"

Marianna clenches her jaw before nodding and slowly the purple glow dissipates, Mikael glares at his adoptive daughter before turning back to his son "That is power my boy! Courage, she has it yet you...an impulsive boy don't even know the meaning of the word...some days, it's a miracle you're still alive...boy."


	95. Dynasty - Part 2

Whitmore College, Present Day

"Maybe Elena was right." Buffy tells Giles as she and Elena continue to study in the library at college while they spoke to the Watcher over speaker.  
"I am right." Elena says with a small smirk as she looks up from her text book to grin at her cousin "Is this the time for that I told you so?"

Buffy glares at her sister before focusing back on the phone call "She's gotten too snarky for my liking Giles."  
 _"Perhaps it's all the time with you."_ Giles sasses causing Elena to laugh while Buffy rolls her eyes in annoyance, she hated it when they teamed up against her.

"Okay what is with the team up against Buffy day huh?" Buffy asks her sister arching a brow while Elena laughs softly before clearing her throat "Sorry."  
Giles sighs over the phone _"Did she agree to tell you what happened then?"  
_ "No." Buffy says with a groan "But I'm pretty sure she wants to tell me."

Elena nods in agreement with the blonde "All you have to do is engage in a little mean-girl power struggle first."  
 _"Let's perhaps make sure Buffy doesn't power struggle her into a building."_

Buffy rolls her eyes "I destroy one building one time and everyone's gotta bring it up."  
Elena sighs before looking at her sister seriously "Buffy you've got this. If we can figure out a way to kill Klaus, you'll be free of this tether and the prophecy will never come to pass."

 _"Are you sure she's gonna come around?"_ Ric asks curiously as he joins in on the conversation most probably only abandoning the mass of images him and Giles had been staring at for hours for the first time _"I mean, a thousand – year – old vampire, I'm sure, has learned the art of patience."_

As the words fill her ears Buffy frowns as her phone buzzes with a message from the vampire herself "Speak of the devil."  
"Rebekah?" Elena asks curiously.  
Buffy sighs "Yep. Giles Ric, we're dealing with a thousand year old vampire who has joined the college cheerleading squad, I don't think this is a simple punch first ask questions later kind of play."

* * *

Damon groans as he walks into his house only to hear that dreaded sound that Stefan called music playing again, how he even listened to that noise was beyond him, he seriously needed to consider throwing that stereo out of the window.  
Walking up to his brother's room he leans against the wall as he watches his brother continue to pound on the punching bag in front of him.

"Having fun baby brother?"  
"Go away Damon." Stefan hisses as he punches the bag again causing it to swing violently.

Damon rolls his eyes before walking over to his brother and standing on the other side of the bag keeping it steady "What's biting you?" He asks before arching a brow "Let me guess, blonde strong and not a psycho so I'm gonna go with Buffy. Buffster back to ignoring you?"

Stefan freezes slightly and glances at his brother before groaning and running a hand over his jaw, Buffy had yet to speak to him about what had happened between them and it was beginning to drive him insane. She wouldn't even look him in the eye.

Damon sighs, despite not knowing what had happened between Buffy and Stefan in the woods he could read between the lines, and as much as that hurt what hurt more was that he could tell after their argument Stefan wasn't the only one Buffy was ignoring.

"I think we could both use a drink."

* * *

Buffy pushes the door open at the house Rebekah had texted her to come to, although house was not really a correct term, the place was insane, it looked like a freaking castle.

Letting out a breath Buffy stares at the inside of the stunning home before she begins wondering the halls, looking for the blonde bombshell.

"There you are." Rebekah says gleefully as she walks into the living room holding two bottle of bourbon in her hands, "Figured these would help with those pesky control problems." Rebekah tells her raising the bottles before placing them on the table and turning to face Buffy, a large smile on her face.

Buffy sighs before glancing at the bottle of liquor "Those better be strong." She insists, knowing that if she was going to have to endure this sister bonding for the next few hours she would need a drink...or many many drinks.  
Rebekah grins before pouring the young blonde a drink and making her way over to her linking their arms together as she leads Buffy further into the room.

Buffy groans at having Rebekah anywhere near her but honestly she could handle her a lot better than the main original brother at the moment.

"I know you don't like me." Rebekah tells her honestly as she stops walking and turns to face Buffy "And you're too good for my brother any idiot could see that, but...you remind me of a friend I had once...and I'm kind of lacking on the friend department these days and I know you are too."

Buffy opens her mouth to argue but she goes deadly silent, Rebekah was right, she hadn't been able to connect with any of friends since her resurrection, the only person she could stand to be around was a psycho hybrid.

As she stared at the original sister she couldn't help but feel for her, she may be crazy but she had literally no one right now, maybe playing friends would benefit them both.

Buffy rolls her eyes slightly before smiling and downing her drink causing Rebekah to smile before pouring Buffy another drink and clicking their glasses together.  
"Now before we get onto more depressing topics I do need your help."

Buffy arches a brow at that but allows the blonde to grab her hand and pull her through the halls of this house "What exactly am I helping with? I thought I was here to talk."  
"All in good time but first, I need a homecoming dress. I've seen your style, did you really think I would go to your sister for help?"

Buffy clenches her jaw slightly as Rebekah releases her, the Slayer opens her mouth only to freeze as she spots what looked like Rebekah's very own boutique in what looked like a ball room.  
Buffy lets out a breath "Did the shop come with house."

Rebekah shrugs "No. I compelling a wealthy family to go on an early summer vacation now..."  
Buffy cuts the other blonde, this was getting weird even for her "So you compelled these people to what? Help with all your fashion disasters."

"Don't be nasty." Rebekah says with a pout as she walks to one of the lines of dresses "21st century fashion is still a mystery to me."  
Buffy rolls her eyes at that "Here's an idea ask Mary, you know the adoptive sister, the one whose been living it up with all the 21st century fashions..."

Rebekah scoffs before picking up another dress and walking over to Buffy holding it up in front of the blonde causing Buffy to cross her arms and roll her eyes.

"As you can tell Marianna and I are not exactly on speaking terms...and if she of all people is willing to wake Mikael then we won't be for some time...this colour suits you." Rebekah says before handing Buffy the dress who, was currently standing their frozen, what had Rebekah meant by that "Why Mary especially?"

Rebekah chuckles slightly before making her way back over to the dresses "Let's just say their relationship is just as complicated as Nik's with my father."

Buffy opens her mouth intent on asking another question only to freeze when she spots Rebekah about to bite into one of the shop assistant's wrist, speeding forward she pushes Rebekah away causing the blonde to chuckle softly "I keep forgetting that you don't have to deal with blood."

Buffy glares at the other blonde before turning to the human's in the room "Get out!" She yells causing them all the run in fear before Buffy turns back to the original sister.  
Rebekah rolls her eyes at Buffy's glare "Who's gonna help me pick a dress now?"

Buffy groans in annoyance, this was seriously going to be a long day, walking over to the dresses Buffy picks up the short red dress shoving it into Rebekah's arm.  
"Talk before I start getting testy."

Rebekah tilts her head at the other blonde before speeding over so that she was stood head to head with the Slayer "I may like you Buffy but understand this...you will learn what I allow you to learn. Is that clear?"  
Buffy smirks slightly "Crystal." She says sounding very unlike herself as she takes Rebekah's glass and downs it before turning her back on the blonde "Don't threaten me again."

* * *

Giles turns his head as he watches Bonnie enter the apartment and sighs in relief, glancing over at Alaric he watches as the same expression covers his face.

They had been here for hours, and they had only been able to translate a few of the images from the caves and it was beginning to drive them both insane, all their resources and yet they were making barely any progress.

"I take it you guys are still struggling?" Bonnie asks curiously as she wonders into the room glancing at the table of insanity the two men were currently bent over.  
Giles chuckles and removes his glasses as he nods "Some help would be appreciated."

Bonnie smiles happily before walking over just as Ric stands holding up one of the pictures "So we've been staring at this image all day, wondering why it looked so familiar..."

As he speaks Giles pulls out a photo from Elena's birthday a few years ago, Buffy and Elena had their faces squished together as they hugged but one thing on the photo was drawing everyone's attention, the necklace around Elena's neck exactly matched the drawing from the cave.

"It's the same design." Alaric finishes "Before you went to Sunnydale, you told me that your grandmother said that this necklace belonged to the witch that put the hybrid curse on Klaus, right?"

When Bonnie nods Giles stands and turns to the young witch "This symbol is by far the most common on the wall, but if what your grandmother says is the truth than..." Giles pauses grabbing a pen and a sticky note quickly writing down the theory him and Alaric had come up with.

Bonnie's eyes widen at the word Giles had attached to the image **'Witch'**

* * *

"I'm not doing this." Buffy groans in annoyance as she stares in horror at the tequila shot Rebekah had placed in front of her.  
Rebekah pouts slightly "You're no fun." She moans before standing "You know if your sister had just invited me into the Salvatore boy home we could be doing something much more fun."

Buffy rolls her eyes at the elder girl, seriously this woman was gonna her drive her to jump off a cliff...again "And what's that, please enlighten me." She says sarcastically as she places her chin on her hands waiting for the response.

"Well we obviously would have riffled through our ex's room."

Buffy tenses at that causing Rebekah to tilt her head in interest slightly "Something didn't happen recently between you both did it?" She asks teasingly knowing that she was getting on the Slayer's nerves.  
Buffy ignores her and downs the shot of tequila before standing and leaning against the doorway "Can we quit with the ideal chitchat?"

Rebekah chuckles slightly before moving to sit at the table again pouring them both another shot, gesturing for Buffy to join her. "What would you like to know?"

Buffy hesitates not particularly wanting to be in close distance of the vampire but knew that the best way to get Rebekah talking was to play on the girl talk thing, which still made her want to gag slightly.

Sighing she walks over to the stunning glass table and sits opposite the blonde playing with the shot glass as she stares at the vampire "Mary and Elijah both said that your father was a landowner in Europe. Europe and Mystic Falls such a drastic and slightly less sunny change."

Rebekah sighs before doing her own shot, as though she was summoning courage to dive back into her history "My parents had just started a family when a plague struck their homeland. They lost a child to it. They wanted to escape and protect their future family from the same fate."

Buffy frowns at that before grabbing the bottle and pouring Rebekah another drink "And you ended up here how? And how does Mary faction in that?"

Rebekah chuckles "The questions become more complicated...my mother knew the witch Ayana who heard from the spirits of a mystical land where everyone was healthy...blessed by the gifts of speed and strength." Rebekah pauses only to do her shot before continuing "That lead my family here. It's what drew Marianna's family as well, a plague had struck Germany, killing her parents, when my family found her, she was not much younger than me, crouched over her aunts body, covered in her blood. They had heard the tales and had hoped to come live with the people."

Buffy arches a brow as she slowly connects the dots "The werewolves."

"Ding ding." Rebekah breaths out "To us, they were just our neighbours. My family lived in peace with them for over 20 years. During which time my family had more children, including me. Marianna, my father took her under his wing the second he found her, you see she was a powerful young child, when my mother went near her Mary almost lit the forest on fire. My father saw not just a lonely child, but in her he found the child he had lost. Hence the rivalry between Marianna and Nik."

Buffy lets out a small breath, almost all of it sounded normal "Except for the child prodigy witchy-ness it almost sounds normal."

Rebekah looks down at her hands slowly "It was...Once a month, our family retreated to the caves beneath our village. The wolves would howl through the night, and by morning, we'd return home."

* * *

A Thousand Years Ago

Marianna focuses on the candle Ayana had placed in front of her, and tries to make it light itself, they had been attempting to control her power so that it wasn't too uncontrollable, hopefully this time she didn't set the small hut on fire.

"Focus Marianna! Ayana breaths out softly as she circles the young witch, Marianna had been given a gift, one the spirits never gave to anymore, having immortality to provide guidance to future generations was a great honor but it would all be worthless if the 17 year old girl couldn't control the gift she had been given.

Marianna glances at her teacher before nodding, taking a deep breath she focuses on the flame and slowly the flame builds however Marianna finds herself unable to control the flame as it begins growing brighter and stronger.  
"Mari!" Ayana exclaims causing the raven haired young woman to snap out of her daze and focus on her teacher "I'm sorry." She quickly apologises.

Ayana places her hands on the girl's shoulders before turning her towards where Rebekah was currently staring at the necklace hovering by the window.  
"Focus your energy on the necklace, and only the necklace, we don't want you lighting you sister to a flame."

Marianna's eyes widen in horror but when Ayana glares at her she gulps before nodding putting all of her energy into keeping her powers focused instead of out of control.

As Rebekah's hand makes contact with the necklace, she quickly pulls it back wincing in horror that the piece of silver had burnt her.  
Rebekah turns only to spot Marianna and Ayana watching her, Rebekah glares at the elder witch "Ayana, you burned me."  
Ayana smiles at the young girl "Actually Marianna did...but either way that is not yours to touch."

"Mother!" A voice screams from outside causing Marianna and Rebekah to make eye contact, they both knew that voice Niklaus.  
"Is that Klaus?" Rebekah asks in horror "Something is wrong."

At her words both her and Marianna quickly run over to the window only to gasp in shock as they spot Niklaus carrying their youngest brother in his arms covered in blood.  
Marianna runs past Rebekah quickly crouching down in front of Henrik's body as Niklaus places him down.

"Mari you have to help him!"

At Niklaus' words Marianna turns her attention to the youngest among them, marks covered his body, blood seeping from open wounds. Taking his hand she begins chanting softly under her breath trying every spell she could think of to bring him back.

"What happened?" Ester asks as she crouches down by Henrik.  
Niklaus turns to her, tears falling past his cheeks as he stared at his brother in despair "The wolves. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Suddenly the wind picks up, violently swinging around them causing the trees to shudders and the ground to shake, everyone's eyes fall on Marianna who was now chanting louder as she clutched onto Henrik's hand.

"Mary!" Another voice yells drawing Rebekah's attention, Rebekah turns only to spot James running towards them, as tears continue to fall down her cheeks she stands blocking him from getting to her.  
"You could hurt her." She cries knowing that if Marianna broke her concentration she could die.

James' eyes widen before his eyes finally fall on the cause of Mary currently doing such a dangerous spell, at the sight of the young boy James turns back to Rebekah who was crying.  
Hugging her tightly he allows her to cry into his chest while he watches Marianna, his eyes filling with horror when he spots the blood dripping from her nose.

"Marianna stop!" Ayana yells as she crouches down and roughly grabs the young witch tearing her away from Henrik causing the spell to end.  
As Mary stops chanting her eyes widen in horror before tears begin spilling from her eyes "What-why would you stop me!?"  
"This is not what your power is for."

Esther shakes her head she refused to believe that her son could just be gone "There has to be a way."  
"The spirits will not give us a way, Esther." Ayana tells her sadly "Your boy is gone."

At her words Rebekah falls to the ground moving to hug her brother while Marianna stands backing away from the body her hands now bathed in blood.  
She wipes the blood on her dress before letting out a loud sob only to have arms wrap around her, Marianna turns to spot James and quickly wraps her arms around him crying into his chest as he stroked her hair.

* * *

Present Day

"And that was the beginning of the end of peace with our neighbors. And one of the last moments my family had together as humans."

Buffy's eyes widen at that, she couldn't help but feel as she watched the wave of emotions pass over Rebekah's face, Buffy couldn't even imagine what it would be like to have her brother or sister die in her arms.  
"I'm sorry." She says honestly before offering the girl a small smile "I know what it's like to watch the people you love die at such a young age. And I'm sorry."

Rebekah freezes not expecting the kindness from the Slayer, slowly a small smile covers her face and she pours the other woman another drink "I knew I liked you for a reason."  
Buffy chuckles softly "You're not so bad either." She says before taking her drink in her hands.

The two stay in a comfortable silence before a thought occurs to Buffy "Who was James?"  
Rebekah smiles sadly at the name "He was Marianna's husband."

Buffy's eyes widen in shock "Huh?"

* * *

1000 Years Ago

Marianna wipes the tears from her cheeks as she leans her head against the stone well by the edge of the village.  
Henrik was young, he didn't deserve the fate given to him and holding his still cold body in her arms broke her heart, more so when she realised that the spirits would not allow her to summon the power to bring him back.

Suddenly she feels two familiar arms around her waist causing her to sigh in relief and instantly relax into his hold letting him hold onto her.

"Mary..." James breaths softly as he rubs her arms softly trying to comfort her, Marianna smiles softly at the sound of her name, he was still to this day the only person that called her that and it always brought a smile to her lips.  
"This shouldn't have happened to him..." Marianna says sadly as another tear drips down her cheek "It's not fair."

James sighs before tightening his hold on the raven-haired beauty "The world can be dark Mary and uncertain and cruel, the only thing that really matters is that we face it together."  
Mary smiles softly before turning in his arms placing a small hand on his cheek, smiling as he leans into her palm "I will love you for the rest of my life."  
James back at her "And I you." He tells her before leaning forward and kissing her softly.

Mary smiles into the kiss, relishing in the feeling of him, the love passing between them, she knew deep down in her heart no one would ever make her this happy.  
"Marry me." He breathes as he leans back finally separating their lips.

Mary's eyes widen at that, she shakes her head now wasn't the time, they couldn't do this, not now, maybe not ever "James, we cannot...it's not just this, but...Esther wants my help with something dark, I can't put you at risk..." Slowly she looks down "And even if this wasn't happening...James I will never age." She tells him her voice breaking softly "You will grow and die while I remain the same, I could never do that to you."

James's eyes widen before he cups her cheeks in his hands "Mary...with everything that has happened today...it's pretty obvious that the only way for us to stay sane...is we need to be together..."  
Marianna smiles softly, wanting so desperately to say yes to him, but she couldn't be selfish with him "James..."  
He cuts her off by kissing her passionately causing her protests to end as she melts into the kiss her hands coming up to run through his blonde locks.

Slowly she pulls away and he leans his forehead against her own "I would give anything to spend my life... however long...at your side."

At his words Marianna lets out a small breath laughing softly to herself as tears this time of joy spilled from her eyes "Whatever the future brings..." He says softly as he pulls back and looks into her stunning eyes "You are my light."

Marianna's smile brightens and the future almost seems lighter, as if nothing horrible would happen as long as they were together, so she said the one word that terrified her most of all "Yes."

* * *

Present Day

Elena walks into the living of her house and flops onto the couch next her brother who was like usual playing X-Box, maybe she should have thrown that thing out during their move back to Mystic Falls, the constant noise was annoying.  
"Anything from Buffy?" Jeremy asks as he continues to shoot up the zombies on screen before handing Elena the spare remote.  
Elena stares at the remote for a moment before shrugging, if you can't kill them might as well join them. As she begins stabbing and shooting at Zombie she sighs slightly "Their big in the depths of Original history. She even got to hear Mary's love story."

Jeremy scoffs at that, the idea that Mary had ever been in love was just a sick joke "Jeez what did she do to convince the guy to like her."  
Elena chuckles softly before pressing violently on the controller, when the screen goes red Elena jumps in joy while Jeremy's eyes widen, how in the hell did she just beat him.  
Elena grins at his shocked expression "Suck it." She jokes only for him to push her causing her to land on the floor and glare at him.

He chuckles at the sight before resetting the game.  
As she stands Elena grabs her now vibrating phone before sitting beside her brother "hello?"

 _"Oh I see that Summers women are capable of answering the phone?"_ Damon says over the phone clearly annoyed.  
Elena chuckles slightly "Buffy still dodging your calls?"  
 _"Duh, why do you think I'm calling you."_

Elena rolls her eyes at that "Clearly my lovely personality is not the reason."  
 _"You need to stop spending so much time with your sister...now speaking of the blonde warrior princess...how's she doing with Rebekah?"  
_ "They are currently on their second bottle of tequila."

Damon chuckles, Elena could practically hear the smirk on his face _"Ooh, two pretty blondes hoped on Tequila...where can I join the party."  
_ Elena groans in disgust gagging slightly at his words "Ek, Damon." She says before rolling her eyes again "Rebekah's opening up. So far they've gotten into her human life and Mary's husband."

 _"Mary's what?!"_ Damon exclaims over the phone suddenly coughing violently from shock.

Elena sighs before becoming distracted by the noise coming from Damon's end of the phone "Where are you?"  
 _"No idea. But I'm pretty sure I'm overdressed...now back to the whole Mary was married thing..."_

 _"I'll be at the bar"_ Another voice says causing Elena's eyes to widen, what the hell were Damon and Stefan doing at a bar.  
"Is that Stefan?"  
 _"Yeah. I'm not the only one she's dodging...so brother needs a bit of alcohol therapy."_

Elena rolls her eyes "You're disgusting." She merely says before hanging up the phone before Damon could ask about Mary's husband again.

However before she could get back to beating her brother at the game the doorbell goes off causing her to groan in annoyance.

Pulling herself off the couch the brunette makes her way to the front door only to be shocked by the sight of Willow and Xander standing on the porch.  
Xander smiles softly at the young Gilbert girl "Hey Elena."

* * *

Damon stares at his phone in shock, he couldn't believe the Gilbert girl had hung up on him, she had seriously grown balls in the past 4 years.

"She hang up on you?" Stefan asks curiously as he quickly orders a bottle from the bar.  
Damon groans in annoyance at the question before taking the new bottle of whiskey off his brother and pouring himself a glass "Yep, I seriously don't like her when she's sassy."

Stefan rolls his eyes before leaning back in his seat "So Mary married? Weird huh?"  
Damon visible shakes in disgust "Poor guy. God knows how much she must have tortured the guy."  
Stefan chuckles slightly before grabbing the bottle "So what we drinking?"

* * *

"Ooh let's have a peak." Rebekah says curiously as she spots Buffy's phone buzz while the blonde was currently going through Rebekah's wardrobe, seriously the place was like a mall.

Buffy frowns and lowers her champagne glass only to spot Rebekah now flipping through her phone "Rebekah..." Buffy warns but the other blonde merely grins playfully before jumping onto the bed and continuing to flip through Buffy's phone.

"Elena wants to know if your okay." Rebekah says offhandedly before her eyes widen at something "ooh seven missed calls from Damon and seven missed calls from Stefan, we avoiding something luv?"

Buffy rolls her eyes and attempts to grab her phone only to have Rebekah speed to the other side of the room while flipping through the pictures on Buffy's phone.  
As she lands on a photo of Buffy and Stefan she frowns before showing the photo to the blonde "You know no offence, but honestly I don't get you two as a couple...it's all doom and gloom."

Buffy sighs before running a hand through her hair, this really wasn't a subject she wanted to discuss right now "It wasn't always like that."  
Rebekah smirks slightly "Buffy come on, you're the Slayer, he's a vampire. You of all people know that vampires don't care."

Buffy scoffs at this, she was done, standing trying to ignore the slight wobble as the alcohol went to her head she turns her back on Rebekah "We're done here."  
Rebekah's eyes widen as she spots Buffy heading towards the door "You haven't even heard the best part yet."  
Buffy groans and turns back to the blonde "And as much fun as drinking tequila like a sorority girl is...you're not squeaking."

As Buffy turns her back on the girl again Rebekah clenches her jaw, she wouldn't admit it but she didn't want to be alone, she wanted the company so she finally fesses up.  
"The necklace wasn't yours or Stefan's to give. It belonged to the Original Witch."  
Buffy's eyes widen "The woman who placed the curse on Klaus?"  
Rebekah grins noticing the look of curiosity in Buffy's eyes "Not just the hybrid curse. She and Mary are the ones who turned us into vampires."

* * *

A Thousand Years Ago

"Marianna is not ready for a spell like this!" Ayana yells as Mikeal and Esther continue to try and convince her and Marianna to do something to protect their children.

Marianna sits there watching as her elders yell, all of them arguing over what she was going to do. Or more correctly what they wanted her to use her power for.

"She must call upon the spirits before the next fill moon."  
At Mikael's words Ayana turns to him calmly "Marianna has not finished her training and even if she had she would need help and I refuse to do this. It is a crime against nature."

Esther places her hands on Marianna's arms, holding onto the girl she had raised tightly, just the idea of losing another one of her children scaring her more than anything.  
"Ayana, we have already lost too much. We cannot lose any more."

Marianna sighs softly "There must be a way one which won't affect nature, like with me. There has to be something, I have the power of every spirit, I'm sure..."  
"Marianna no!" Ayana yells causing the girl's eyes to widen and her to step back into the comfort of her mother.  
Esther places a comforting hand on Marianna's shoulder before turning to Ayana "The spirits can help us find a way to protect our children."

Marianna sighs before glancing across the room where she spotted Rebekah crouched in the corner hideaway, when her sister catches her gaze Marianna offers her a small sad smile, knowing that there was nothing the spirits would willingly allow to occur.


	96. Dynasty - Part 3

Present Day

"Oh look empty." Rebekah says cutting herself off from her own story as she spots the now empty bottle of champagne "I think we are in need of another bottle. Come on sister." She says before yanking the grumbling Buffy's hand dragging her out of the room while Buffy sighs.

"Again...I'm not marrying Darth Vader or as you call him Klaus."

* * *

Elena continues to stare in shock at the two people in front of her, this couldn't be real, she had been very clear that Buffy wasn't ready to be reunited with her friends, she was still struggling, just keeping her in a room with her, Bonnie and Caroline was difficult enough.

"Um..." Elena clears her throat nervously a little unsure of what to say, these were her friends too and she didn't want to upset them "What—"

"Elena's who at the door?" Jeremy asks as he walks over to her only for his eyes to glaze over in anger and slight fear at the sight of the Sunnydale twosome "What the hell are they doing here?" Jeremy asks his sister not wanting to speak directly to the people he was worried about convening Buffy to go back and be the active Slayer on the Hellmouth. He had only just gotten his sister back, there was no way in hell he was going to let them drag her back to the place that had gotten her killed.

When Elena stands there flabbergasted unsure of what to say Jeremy turns to the tow "We told you we didn't want you coming here."  
Willow looks up at Jeremy with glassy eyes "We just wanna see her, Giles' been saying she's been struggling and we..."

"Not a chance in hell." Jeremy hisses while Elena's eyes widen and she turns and glares at him slightly "Jeremy." She warns but he merely turns to her shocked that she wasn't angry as well.

"No, Elena all they care about is the Hellmouth. We call them to tell them she's alive and the first thing they asked was when she would be back in Sunnydale!"  
Elena sighs before looking over at her friend who both had guilty expressions on their faces, taking a deep breath she looks over at her brother "They're our friends too."

Jeremy clenches his jaw before leaving the room while Elena turns back to them "Come on in."

* * *

"So let me guess this straight, thangs, bloodlust and all around nutso murderous behaviour that comes in the form of vampirism was meant as a form of protection...this is sounding more like a bad porno than anything."

Rebekah rolls her eyes at the blonde as the two of them sit by the kitchen bar "My parents had heard tales of demonic vampires, they never thought that this would cause a new breed of vampirism. My parents only saw a way of keeping their children alive."  
Buffy frowns at that "But why stay there then? Why go through all of this bad mojo, why not leave?"

"Pride. My father didn't want to run anymore. He wanted to fight and be superior to the wolves. Where they could bite, we had to bite harder, where they had speed we had to be faster. Agility, strength, sense. Hence why a Slayer blood was used in the ritual. A Slayer is one of the strongest creatures on the planet, a curse made from Slayer blood was surely the best way."

* * *

A Thousand Years Ago

"Everything would be heightened." Mikael tells the three women as he continues to try and convince Ayana to help them "Our family could live forever, Marianna would not have to spend eternity alone." Mikael points out as he comes to step around his daughter placing a kind hand on her shoulder.

"At what cost?" Ayana asks before focusing on the young witch "Mari you know I am right. This magic your parents speak of breeds consequence. This is a making of a plague, Esther." Ayana warns her turning her attention to the elder woman "The spirits will turn on you, and there will be grave consequences for Marianna. The spirits control her life, if you anger them they might just end it."

Esther shakes her head at that, she knew Ayana was trying to scare her out of this but the spirits would never do anything to harm Marianna, not without Marianna completely giving into darkness and that girl had too much goodness in her heart to do so.  
"Please, Ayana."

Ayana shakes her head before focusing on Marianna once more "I will have no part in it...and I suggest you do the same Marianna, for the spirits if they do not take your immortality will make sure you suffer the most and those you love will suffer along with you." She warns giving the young girl a pointed look before leaving their home.

Marianna's eyes widen at that, what did she mean by that? Suddenly her heart thumps violently in her chest, what if this put James in danger and his family, or all of her friends, Tatia and her child...what if the spirits punished them for her crimes against nature?

"If she will not protect our family..." Mikael says drawing Marianna's attention as he focuses on her and his wife "...then it is your hands, the two of you."

* * *

Present Day

"Woah woah woah, hold up..." Buffy says causing Rebekah to stop halfway through her story and stop pouring the tequila in her hands into their glasses.  
The original looks over at the blonde Slayer in confusion "What?"

Buffy sighs as thoughts continue to run through her head "If it was down to Mary and your mom then does that mean...?"

As Buffy trails off Rebekah nods understanding where she was going with this "Yes my mother was a witch...the witch of the original family...the original witch."

Buffy lets out a long breath as that reality hits her, a witch willing to bend the rules of nature for her own children, it was just a lot to process.

"Part of the reason my father always favoured Marianna..." Rebekah says softly talking more to herself than Buffy at this point "She was a powerful witch, you can only be one...never both and when he saw the monsters we became he loved her that much more...something about her innocence."

Buffy scoffs at that, Mary was a cold hearted bitch just like Katherine "Mary innocent, yeah sure she sounds like the real nun type."  
Rebekah rolls her eyes at that "You know what I mean...she was good, had never killed...but when her husband died that innocence in her did too."

Rebekah shakes her head forcing thoughts of her once upon a time best friend before continuing to pour the girls a shot of tequila each "My mother and Marianna did this for us...my mother did not turn."

Buffy nods before downing her shot allowing the liquid to go down her throat before she focuses on Rebekah "So how did your turn work with the big spell and all, I take it demon suckage of blood not on the menu."

"Far from it." Rebekah says with a small laugh before thinking back to the horrid night she had become this creature "Mari wouldn't perform the spell herself, she was too scared the spirits would punish James and Tatia for her involvement but she wrote the spell. So my mother called upon the sun for life and the ancient white oak tree, one of nature's eternal objects, for immortality..." As she speaks Rebekah stands and slowly moves towards the fire place unable to look at the blonde as she recounts her history "That night, my father offered us wine laced with blood...and then he drive his sword through our hearts."

Buffy's widen at that standing she turns to face the other blonde who had her back to her, yes her own father was an ass but she could never imagine someone's own father killing them "He killed you?"

"And he wasn't delicate about it either."

* * *

1000 Years Ago

"Mary this is insanity!" James yells as the two argue in the woods just outside the hut where her siblings were currently laid in their own blood, dead thanks to Mikael.  
Marianna had finally finished explaining to him what they had done, her Mikael and Esther, and to say he was furious was beyond an understatement, he just couldn't understand how she could condone this.

Marianna sighs, she knew he was right but right now all that mattered to her was protecting the people that had done the same for her "James, it's more complicated than you can understand." She tries but he turns his back on her for a moment, his back tensing up before he turns back to her running his hands over his stubble before looking at her stunned by her words "Complicated?!"

"Yes!" She yells back getting frustrated "People will die James! I have already lost my brother! I am doing what I have to, to protect my family!"  
"Mary it's against all the laws of nature!" He yells as he places his hands on her shoulders trying to convince her but she shakes him off water filling her eyes from the anger.  
"You think I don't know that!" Marianna yells loudly her eyes flashing making James pause slightly before a strong burst of wind begins to build, the trees beginning to shake more violently.

He doesn't pay much attention to this however, he was too focused on the argument with his fiancé "Mary the spirits will punish you for this...you have to beg for their forgiveness! You need to listen to me I am saying this because I love you and I've put you first!"  
"You love a girl." Marianna hisses as she steps forward thunder now raining through the forest and as her eyes darken a blast of lighting comes from the sky.  
"You don't love a witch..." She continues "...or you would allow me to be one."

James freezes at that and merely stares at her before shaking his head "That's not true."  
Marianna scoffs before looking at him with a heartbroken expression, she knew her powers had always been an issue between them but it had never escalated like this before.

She moves to walk away as she spots Mikael moving towards the hunt but James grabs her wrist turning her to face him "Mary...you need to stop this...you're defying everything you stand for."

Marianna clenches her jaw before looking him straight in the eye "I would defy the devil himself if he tried to take the people I love away from me." She says with passion so raw that he found himself unable to speak.

The two stand there for a few moments before finally Marianna sighs and backs away leaving her fiancé in the woods while she makes her way towards her home.

Wiping the tears from her eyes before they could fall her eyes widen as she spots a now conscious Niklaus and Rebekah crouched on the ground.  
"What happened?" Rebekah asks before her eyes fall on Marianna, when Rebekah whimpers slightly Marianna quickly steps forward wrapping her arms around the blonde trying to soothe her fear.

Marianna pulls back and pushes the hair from the terrified girl's face "Rebekah it's going to be alright."  
"Father...he...he..." Niklaus tries to speak but the horror of what their father had done to them was still too hard to believe.

Marianna sighs sadly before taking his hand in her own however before she could say anything the three turn to spot Mikael entering the room with a young woman.  
"We must finish what we started." Mikael tells them all before yanking the innocent girl forward causing Marianna's eyes to widen.  
She stands and approaches her father "Father what are you doing?!"

"They must drink if they want to live."  
Marianna's eyes widen at that, that had not been apart of the spell her and Esther had agreed on "She's innocent you cannot do this." Marianna breaths out as she attempts to stop him only for him to grab her arm and yank her back.

"Drink!" Mikael yells as he pushes Marianna back before holding the bleeding girl's wrist towards Rebekah's mouth, while Marianna's eyes widen in horror Klaus turns to her both of them mirroring the same expression.

And finally as Rebekah bites into the girl's wrist completing the transformation Marianna lets out a small sob "What have I done?"

* * *

Present Day

"Okay gross." Buffy says cutting Rebekah off as she begins going into detail about the taste of the blood from the transformation "Literally that's skipping ick and going right grguck." She groans out going pale for a moment before attempting not to puke up all the booze.

Rebekah sighs before continuing "Ayana was right about consequences, the spirits turned on us and nature fought back." Slowly Rebekah's eyes fill with tears "Some of us suffered more than others. For every strength there would be a weakness. The Sun became our enemy. It kept us indoors for weeks. And though my mother found a solution. There were other problems. Neighbours who had opened their homes to us could now keeps us out. Flowers at the base of the white oak burned and prevented compulsion and the spell decreed that the tree that gave us live could also take it away. So we burned it to the ground."

* * *

1000 Years Ago

"I will need to go soon." Marianna tells James as she rests her head on his chest before sitting up slightly so she could rest her chin on his chest and look at his face.  
She smiled at the look on his face, he was smiling just as brightly as her, their fight from a few weeks before now forgotten.

She had come to him after realising what she had done and since then they had spent most of their time together in each other's embrace. When she had not been helping her siblings cope with their new lives she had been here with James, Rebekah making sure that Mikael suspected nothing.

"Must you?" He groans before bringing her lips to his trying to tempt her into staying with him, when she moans in pleasure he grins slightly before turning them over so that she was laid beneath him.  
Marianna smiles as he continues to plant kisses down her neck and across her collarbone "That's cheating." She laughs softly only for her lips to be drawn back to his.

"James." She giggles softly as she manages reluctantly to pull her lips from his before cupping his cheeks in her hands just as he sits up pulling her up with him so she was sat on his lap.  
"Mary." He mocks smiling brightly at her cause her to smile sadly.  
"I need to go...I'm worried about Rebekah and Nik..."

As she speaks he places a kiss to her lips his tongue seeking entrance but she pulls away rather breathless, she needed to focus but he was distracting her "What about the witches..." He kisses her again "...the consequences of the spell..." Again his lips connect with hers leaving her breathless "the spirits..."

This time it is James that pulls away from Marianna "There has been entirely too much talking." He tells her before kissing her again this time not letting her go as he pushes her down against the bed.

Marianna moans into his lips responding to his touch, slowly he pulls away and smiles at the beautiful girl in his arms.  
At his smile she frowns "What?"  
James lets out a small breath "If you could see what I see."  
Slowly a brightening smile covers her face "I am quite happy with my view."

James grins down at her and moves to kiss and continue with their activities however a knocking at the door causing them both to groan and for him to drop his head into her shoulder letting out an annoyed breath while she laughs into his neck.  
"I told you I had to go." She whispers causing him to pull back and kiss her.

"Mari get off your fiancé, father and the others are waiting!" Rebekah's voice booms from outside the door causing Marianna to sigh before she pulls herself from James' hold.

As he releases her falling back into bed Marianna quickly slips on her dress over her body and fixes her hair before turning back to her fiancé "I'll be back."

James smiles before leaning forward grabbing her hand so that he could kiss her palm "And next time I expect an actually discussion about our wedding." He teases causing Marianna to roll her eyes "You need to stop distracting me with..." He looks her up and down causing her to let out an annoyed breath and hit him over the head with the pillow.

As he laughs Marianna smiles before quickly slipping from the room where Rebekah was waiting for her with an arched brow.  
Marianna fakes innocence before walking past her best friend "What?"  
Rebekah chuckles slightly before linking her arms with Marianna's "Two days with the boy...quite scandalous Mari. Mother and father would be besotted knowing their innocent girl was not so innocent."  
Marianna's eyes widen in horror, her face flushing a bright red "Rebekah we are not speaking of this."

Rebekah merely laughs before the both of them stop as they come to a halt watching as the Mikaelson boys lit the white oak tree to flames.

Marianna sighs and turns to Rebekah only to spot her now speeding towards a man off the beaten path and digging her teeth into his throat.  
"Rebekah! Nooo!" Marianna screams as she runs forwards and holds her arm up towards Rebekah.

Suddenly the new vampire releases the innocent man and clutches her head screaming in agony while Marianna continues to stare in horror.  
The blood, the hunger was the worse consequence of them all...or so she thought.

* * *

Present Day

"All right, time to fess up." Stefan says to his brother as the two order another round of shots at the bar, as the shots are placed in front of him Stefan turns to look at his brother with a curious gaze "What's the point of this brother bonding? Hmm"  
Damon chuckles before looking at his brother with a teasing gaze "I thought you could use a hug, Stefan."

Stefan scoffs, he was curious as to what the real reason behind this trip was and why his brother had decided to drag him here "Come on Damon, we both know that this isn't about you cheering me up because Buffy won't answer my calls, you're here...because she's doing the exact same thing to you...and we both know that you care about what she thinks." He says pointedly before downing his shot.

Damon smirks slightly, hiding any real emotions that were running through him at this moment, not wanting his brother to see any weakness "Maybe I wanted to remind you what fun was like you know before Klaus turned you into mission man vamp edition."

Stefan nods before placing his own shot glass down "As long as Klaus is alive, Buffy is still tethered to him. So nothing else matters but fixing this."

"That's exactly my point Stefan." Damon tells him as he places his shot glass down and looks right into his brother's eyes "You're all business, Buffy may not answer my calls now but she was speaking to me more than you. Because this is all you are. Now, you can sit there and avoid your personal life or you can do something about it."

Stefan shakes his head before glaring at his brother "Buffy is tied to Klaus Damon. God knows how that is affecting her. And Klaus can't be killed."

"Maybe I can help with that." A voice says from behind the boys causing them both to frown in confusion to spot a man in suit walking towards them.

They both continue to stare in confusion only for Mikael to tilt his head at them, as though almost disappointed "This is them?"  
Both brothers glance at each other in confusion only to release identical sighs of an annoyance.

"Yep that's them." Mary says as she walks over to Mikael standing beside him before glancing at the boys "Hello brothers. Meet Mikael."

* * *

1000 Years Ago

"Rebekah what are you doing?" Marianna asks in confusion as Rebekah pulls her towards her bedroom. When Rebekah merely continues to smile at the raven haired beauty Marianna sighs "You're smile is worrying me."

Rebekah merely continues to grin before handing Mary a dress "Put this one...but keep your eyes closed."  
When Marianna looks at her skeptically Rebekah takes her best friend's hand in her own "Trust me Mari. You're going to love our surprise."

Marianna arches her brow in curiosity before rolling her eyes "What have you all got planned? Tell me you didn't involve our brothers."  
"I make no promises." Rebekah says with a sly grin, smiling properly for the first time since she had become a vampire.

Marianna sighs but couldn't resist doing as she asked, she missed seeing that glow inside Rebekah, it had felt as though it had disappeared when she became a vampire.  
So closing her eyes she takes the dress and allows Rebekah to help her place it on.

* * *

Keeping her eyes closed she allows Rebekah to lead her from the room, she stumbles slightly over god knows what causing her to groan in annoyance "Beks can we stop with the games."

Rebekah laughs softly before turning to the raven haired beauty "Open." She whispers into Marianna's ear.  
Marianna finally allows her eyes to open and immediately they widen as she finds herself stunned to silence.

They were stood in the forest all of her brothers stood there smiling in a bed of white petals leading to an alter made from branches and flowers, and stood there under the alter was James smiling at her as though her had never seen anything so beautiful.

Looking down at herself Marianna finds herself stood in a stunning white gown, letting out a stunned breath she turns to Rebekah, water filling her eyes as tears of joy fell.

"You did this?"  
"We all did." Rebekah tells her with a smile gesturing to Elijah, Finn, Kol And Niklaus who were stood beside James with smiles on their faces.

Marianna lets out a small breath before wiping the tears from her cheeks, turning to Rebekah she throws her arms around the blonde before clutching onto her  
"I love you Rebekah."  
Rebekah smiles "I love you too Mari, now come on let's make an honest woman out of you."

Marianna smiles and as Rebekah moves to stand by her brother Marianna's eyes fall on James.  
Smiling at him she slowly walks towards him her hands shaking as she held them tightly to her stomach.

As she comes to stand in front of him James smiles at her "I know you hate surprises."  
"Not this." She says softly before taking his hand in hers.

Elijah smiles before standing in front of the two "We don't have long." He tells them apologetically.

Marianna nods, she knew how much trouble all of them would have gone to for this to be happening, Mikael hated James and if he were to find out this he would not hesitate to lock her away.

James looks over at Elijah nodding at him before turning to Mary watching her intently as Elijah begins the ceremony to bind them, as he wraps a piece of silk around both of their wrists tying them together James couldn't help but smile.

"I promise you..." James begins looking deep into Marianna's eyes "I will never let you go. I promise to commit our hearts to each other...no matter what."  
Marianna's eyes fill with tears of joy and slowly a smile breaks out onto her face "I will love you for the rest of my life." She tell him honestly "I love you...I always have...it's you...it's always been you."

James smiles brightly and when the two glance over at Elijah he tightens the ribbon between them before nodding at James "Kiss your wife, James."

James smiles before stepping forward and pulling her into a kiss, Mary smiles into the kiss running her fingers through his hair as she holds onto him. Her husband.

* * *

Present Day

"So where is she?" Willow asks curiously as Elena places a cup of coffee in front of her and Xander before taking her own seat beside Xander.  
Elena sighs and purses her lips "She's talking to Klaus' sister." She says honestly only to groan when she realises by the looks on their faces that that may have not been the best idea.

"She what!" Xander exclaims looking at her besotted "What huh, why, why would that be a good idea, like ever?"

Elena sighs trying to think of the best way to explain this to them "She's trying to learn more about the Originals, the best way to do that is to bond with the girl who thinks they're gonna be family."

Willow and Xander glance at each other before both of them sigh, it was a fair point but it was still insane.

Elena takes a deep breath knowing that her words hadn't soothed either of them "Look guys, Buffy knows what she's doing...and if it helps she could crush her like a bug."  
Xander chuckles slightly before frowning as he turns to the brunette, he could see the bags under her eyes and how exhausted she was "So how are you doing?"

Elena chuckles before running a hand through her wavy hair "Tired...but she's alive...that's all I ever wanted." She pauses before looking at the both seriously "But don't let that stop you from telling me what you've been wanting to tell me since I let you into my house."

Xander gulps while Willow shakes her head in amusement, she should have figured they couldn't keep secrets from the Gilbert/Summers girl.  
Elena smirks slightly before turning to Xander, knowing it would be easier to get the information out of him "Xander."  
"Um...I..." Xander bites his lip but suddenly he couldn't stop himself "There are three nerds in Sunnydale who wanna destroy Buffy cause they think it will get them street creed, they are the ones who sent the demon after Buffy, they also made a freeze ray an invisibility ray..."

Elena arches a brow at that, they couldn't be serious "A freeze ray?"

* * *

1000 Years Ago

"You need to tell him." Rebekah pushes as the two stand on the edge of the village by the lake, it had been a few weeks since Marianna and James' wedding and they had still yet to tell Mikael.  
Marianna sighs as she leans on the small wooden log the girls had been using as a bench "Father hates James..."  
"No he doesn't." Rebekah says softly, not really believing her own words but she wanted to help her younger sister "He just doesn't think he's good enough for you."

Marianna couldn't help but scoff, Mikael had always said that because of how powerful she was love was meaningless, and that she should only focus on growing her power.

"If I tell father about this marriage now god knows what he'll do, all of your emotions are starting to heighten more and more as the days pass. His rage the worst of it."

Rebekah nods in understanding, all of them had been struggling with their transformations for the past few months, the heightened emotions was one of the hardest to deal with but...nothing beat the craving for blood. Honestly it was a miracle that non of them had killed anyone yet. If it hadn't been for Esther and Marianna watching them all like hawks, the whole village would have been massacred.

Rebekah sighs before placing a hand on Marianna's shoulder "Well then you at least need to talk to James, you cannot put your life on hold for us anymore Mari." She says giving her a pointed look before standing.

"Talk to me about what?" James asks curiously from behind them causing Marianna's eyes to widen as she turns to her husband, she had had no idea he had been listening to them.  
Rebekah gives her another pointed look before walking off but making sure she was in hearing distance, she may want to give them privacy but she was nosy.

"Mary what is it? I've been looking for you everywhere."  
Marianna glances at him before she moves to stand by the lake watching the calm waters hit the shore "We had such fun playing here when we were children. Do you remember?"

James smiles at the memory before nodding in confusion "Of course. We always used to talk about leaving, sailing to another part of the world."  
Marianna smiles slightly "Where we could be together, without all of this struggle. Like on our voyage as children. There was a seawall on a small island a days sail from here."  
James chuckles slightly "I remember it there...I taught you how to pitch apples there."

Marianna blinks back tears before finally turning to face her husband a nervous look on her face as she prepares to speak, unsure of what his reaction was going to be "It's wide open, with a gentle slope that could propel one...if you were say learning to walk."

As her words hit him finally connecting to where she was getting at James' eyes widen in shock and astonishment "You aren't."  
"I am." She tells him "I am with child. Our child."

She continues to watch him nervously only to be shocked when he smiles brightly and runs forward lifting her into his arms spinning her around causing a loud laugh to escape her.

"You're happy?" She asks stunned as he places her down and runs his fingers through her hair.  
James shakes his head in disbelief "Of course I am. Our child Mary. We're going to be a family. I could not be happier."  
Marianna lets out a relived breath as tears of joy fill her eyes before she pulls her husband into a passionate kiss.

* * *

"I've don't think I've been this happy my entire life." James tells Mary as he lies on top of her in bed with the covers over their heads, while running kisses down her neck.

Mary giggles and pulls the covers off from their heads so she could see him properly, when she looks at him she merely smiles.  
James smiles back "How did you manage to keep it secret from me for six weeks?"  
Marianna smiles softly kissing him before she answers "I didn't want it to interfere with helping my siblings with their transformation."

James smiles before placing a hand on her cheek "Were you honest about wanting to leave here? To leave Mikael?"  
Marianna nods, yes she loved her family but she was going to be a mother and she didn't want to risk Mikael being around her child "Of course...Rebekah has already decided she is going to come with us. I think she's excited about being an aunt...but it's still very early."

"Good morning! How's the happy trinity?" A voice booms as the door slams open causing the couple to quickly attempt to cover their bodies.

"Stop!" James yells as he quickly covers Marianna only to groan in annoyance as he spots his grinning sister in law "Oh God." He groans again before dropping his head onto the pillow while Marianna giggles slightly glancing over at the grinning Rebekah.

"Mother, father, unborn daughter." Rebekah says happily as she speeds over to the bed and hopes on the edge of the bed focusing on her sister "I'm hoping for a little niece, there are too many men in this family anyway."

* * *

Present Day

"So if Mary got her fairytale ending why is she the way she is now?" Buffy asks curiously as her and Rebekah walk around the gardens outside the mansion. Honestly the more she heard about the witch the more she felt for her despite everything that had happened between them.

"Nothing is ever that simple." Rebekah tells her "When my father found out about Marianna's marriage and her pregnancy he was furious, he almost killed James out of rage but my mother was smart. She convinced Mikael to see Mari's pregnancy as a blessing, her child could grow to be just as powerful as her, three powerful witches in the Mikaelson family, we would be untouchable."

Rebekah pauses burying down any emotion she could, not wanting to breakdown, the next part of the story broke her heart "Nik and I knew Mikael would ruin this child, so me and my siblings planned to help Mari and James get away to start over. However things don't always go as we expect them to."

"Is that how Mikael started hunting Klaus?" Buffy asks curiously "Because you ran."

Rebekah takes a shaky breath before turning to look Buffy in the eye "They never got the chance...when Nik made his fist human kill, it triggered his werewolf gene. With that, he became my father's greatest shame."  
Buffy frowns a bit confused as to how they were now on Klaus but she knew Rebekah would finish telling her the whole of it "The affair."  
Rebekah nods "That night we all lost a lot...Mary lost the most."

* * *

1000 Years Ago

Marianna's eyes widen as she hears screaming coming from a nearby forest, removing her hands from her swollen stomach she stands using the chair to pull herself up.

As the screams continue her eyes widen as she recognizes the scream "Nik." She breathes before she runs out of her home and into the forest towards the screaming.

"Niklaus!" She yells as she attempts to run forward only to have Elijah and Mikael hold her back, to keep her from getting hurt.

Niklaus' bones were snapping violently one by one causing him to howl in agony, Marianna gasps in shock and Elijah instantly pulls her back, standing protectively in front of her, as they watch Niklaus fall to his knees.  
"He's a beast." Mikael breaths "An abomination."

Marianna's eyes widen as Niklaus raises his face, he was a werewolf, just like them, which could only mean, that he wasn't Mikael's son.

"Marianna do something!" Mikael yells causing her to gasp before she focuses on Niklaus, raising her hand she mumbles softly causing his eyes to close and finally he collapses onto the ground.

"Mary?" A small voice calls from behind Niklaus' unconscious body, Marianna's eyes widen and she turns her head only to freeze.

"James?" She questions in horror watching as the blood covered James stares at her in shock before collapsing onto his knees and dropping to the ground, the sword in his hands dropping with him.

"James!" Marianna screams pushing Elijah and Mikael out of the way as she ran to her husband's aid.

"James?!" She breathes out, her voice shaking violently as she crouches down at his side and takes his cheek in her palm turning his head towards her, "Are you hurt, can you hear me?"

Looking down at his blood covered chest her eyes widen in horror as she spots the claw marks across his body, tears fall down her cheeks as she turns her head to glance at Niklaus only to spot blood on his claws, James' blood.  
Hyperventilating Marianna turns around spotting Rebekah running forward only to gasp in horror and shock "He's been hurt, get mother! Now!"

Elijah nods before quickly speeding off while Mary turns back to her husband "Esther is going to come, we're going to help you."  
"You can't." James tells her remembering the dangers witches go throw during pregnancy, too much magic and both her and their child would perish, he couldn't risk anything happening to either of them. He had already accepted his fate.

Marianna shakes her head rapidly, trying not to panic but it was beginning to settle in "You're going to be alright."  
"No, I won't."  
Marianna's eyes widen and she frowns "James."  
James smiles softly at her trying to ignore the pain as he strokes her wrist "We were meant to be happy and we were but...I have another fate."

At his words Marianna's eyes widen in horror, he was trying to say goodbye, no, she couldn't accept this, she wouldn't, he wasn't going to die, he couldn't "No, no, no, we have a child. We have a second chance our child needs you...I need you."

James shakes his head at her as he winces in pain, his body slowly growing cold "Mary there is no magic but what we make for ourselves."  
Marianna shakes her head "No...me and Esther we can..."  
"NO, no more. No more."

Marianna lets out a loud sob as tears roll down her cheeks, this couldn't be happening.

"Take care of our child." He tells her placing his other hand on her stomach "Let her know that her father loves her. And promise me you'll stay with your siblings, let them protect you."  
Marianna takes a shaky breath as she leans forward running her hands over his face as tears began dripping from her chin down onto his blood soaked shirt "Please, James don't leave me."

"Mary." James gasps out the pain becoming too much "Promise me. Promise me you'll protect each other."  
Marianna nods "I will. I promise. I promise."

James smiles sadly before looking up at the sky thinking of every moment they have had together, every kiss, every hug, every laugh. A life that he would never regret.

"Such beauty you have brought me." He breaths causing her to let out a sad laugh as tears continue to rain from her eyes.

James blinks back tears wanting to be strong for her in their final moments "I thank God for the time we've had." He tells her sadly "And one day, we'll be together...but...you must love again."

Marianna's eyes widen at that, she would never love anyone else, she knew that, he was her one and only "I can't." She cries "I will never—I will never love anyone the way I love you."

James smiles softly at her before allowing a tear to pass by his eyes as he looks up at his beautiful wife "I pray to God that you do." He says honestly not wanting to think about her being alone for the rest of eternity.

And that was his last thought before he turns his head, his eyes finally closing.

As his eyes close Marianna's eyes widen in horror "No." She gasps out before sobbing violently her head dropping onto his chest as she clutches to him begging for him to come back to her.

And so she stayed there clutching onto him, as she does Rebekah turns her head to her mother as she approaches.  
"Dear God." Esther breathes as she spots her daughter clutching onto her now dead husband "What happened?"

"Nik—he—he..." Rebekah tries but she couldn't even get the words out, Nik had killed James and he had died in Marianna's arms. It was too horrific to even speak out loud.

Slowly Rebekah steps forward moving around her mother and finally approaches her sister, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder "Mari."  
"NO." Marianna breaths knowing that Rebekah was trying to pull her away from the body.

Rebekah takes a shaky breath before bending down beside her "That isn't James anymore...he's gone."  
"I can't let him go." Marianna says softly.

Rebekah tilts her head sadly "Then let go and hold onto me." Grabbing Marianna's hands she slowly pulls her off of James pulling her into her arms, allowing the pregnant witch to sob into her chest.


	97. Dynasty - Part 4

Present Day

Rebekah wipes the tears from her eyes as the two women sit in the gazebo, telling that story had been harder then she thought it would be "Had I had known we could turn people back then, I would have turned him for her. In a heartbeat."

Buffy looks over at Rebekah and takes a shaky breath, she had watched the man she loved die before and she understood the toll that loss takes on someone, maybe her and Mary were more alike than she ever thought.

"Mary lost it." Rebekah continues "That night she came home screaming and when her eyes fell on Nik...she wanted to punish him. She was so far past anger and grief...she couldn't think straight. So her and my mother put the hybrid curse on Nik to suppress his werewolf side. Esther turned her back on him and Mary was more closed off, she knew Nik hadn't been able to control himself but a part of her never forgave him. She buried all the anger and grief she had and ignored it, it spent 250 years boiling before finally Nik beat her to near death and made her do the spell. That was the last straw for her. Everything she had kept boiled down spiralled over."

Buffy nods, not wanting to discuss this anymore, it was difficult hearing Mary's story with James "What about Mikael?"  
"Mikael's greatest weakness as a human was pride. As a vampire that was magnified. And while Mary spent the night ripping our home to shreds he went on a rampage and killed half the village. Then he came home and killed her."

Buffy's whole body goes ridged at that and for the first time ever she could see behind Rebekah's facade, they were a lot alike, girls with great power, cursed against their will, their mothers taken from them at such a young age "He killed your mom?"

Rebekah nods looking down slightly "He said she broke his heart so he would break hers. He tore it from her heart as Nik watched. Afterwards my father took off in a rage and the rest of my family scattered."

* * *

1000 Years Ago

Marianna storms into the hut blood covering her dress, James' blood, he was gone, she had nothing left anymore.

Running through the room she rips down the curtains in a rage and tosses the glasses out the window and at the walls listening to them shatter.

Swinging her arm out she lets a flame escape her hand as a violent wind suddenly fills the room, the air rushing around her violently knocking the shelves down and shattering the glass of the windows around her.

She screams loudly causing flames to abrupt from the ground and begin running up the walls lighting the whole hut up in bright flames.  
"Ahhhhhh!" She screams again dropping to her knees as lightning and thunder reign from outside summoned by her rage.

"Mari!" Rebekah yells as she speeds inside and quickly picks her sister up, running out of the now destroyed home.

"Get off me!" Marianna yells as she pushes Rebekah away before attempting to get away, she needs to get away from all of this "Mari wait!"

"I have been left with nothing!" Marianna screams as she turns back to face her sister fury dripping from her eyes as her body shock violently.

Rebekah's eyes widen as slowly the anger falls and Marianna begins sobbing, as tears roll down her cheeks Marianna looks over at the blonde "I don't even know who I am without James."  
"You still have me." Rebekah tells her softly as she herself cries "And I'm not going anywhere."

Marianna's lip quivers before a hand covers her mouth to cover the sob "I loved him Rebekah. And now it's done and I loved him."

As she begins sobbing again before she gasps in pain "Mari?" Rebekah asks in confusion as she steps forward and places her hands on Marianna's shoulders trying to look her in the eye "What's wrong?"

Marianna's eyes widen before another shooting pain runs through her body causing her to gasp loudly, looking she places her hands on her stomach before another wave of pain hits her, this more painful than anything she had ever felt her entire life.

"Ahhh!" She cries out as she clutches her stomach before falling forward, Rebekah panics and quickly catches Marianna in her arms lowering her down onto the floor.  
"Mari, what's happening?!"

Marianna sobs softly as the reality of what was happening hit her "No, no, no." She breaths as she holds onto her stomach before both her and Rebekah spot the blood dripping down her legs.

She was losing her child.

* * *

Present Day

Rebekah looks over at Buffy a heartbroken expression on her face "She betrayed the spirits for the last time casting the curse on Klaus and that was her punishment. They took away her only connection to James. And made it so she would never bare children. They wanted her to be alone with only them...for all eternity."

* * *

1000 Years Ago

A few days later Rebekah watches with tears in her eyes as Nik and her bury their mother's body right beside Mary's husband James.  
In just a few short days they had all lost so much and it was threatening to cripple her.

"I know you think she hated you, Niklaus, but she did not." Rebekah tells her brother honestly "She was just afraid. I'm sorry she turned her back on you. I will never do that."

Niklaus nods gratefully before looking at his sister, however, before he could say anything another voice fills the silence cutting him off "Nor will I."  
The two turn to spot Elijah walking towards them with a weak Marianna in his arms, she was pale and her stomach no longer had the small bump that had once been there.

Marianna glances over at Niklaus "I made a promise to my husband that I intend to keep." She tells him before taking his hand in her own clasping their fingers together.

Niklaus lets out a small smile and squeezes her fingers carefully before the three focus on Rebekah.  
"We stick together as one." Rebekah says before holding out her hand "Always and forever."  
The four all glance at each other before clasping hands, making a promise for eternity.

* * *

Present Day

"Always and forever." Buffy repeats the phrase once more after Rebekah had finished her tale.  
As she thinks about the phrase she looks back over at the blonde who was now putting away the last of the alcohol back into the cupboard.  
"Despite the whole coffin thing? Gotta say from experience I'm not too big on coffins."

Rebekah nods "Buffy you may not have felt the true struggles of heightened emotions yet but you will. I'm stubborn, Elijah moral and Nik...Nik has no tolerance for those that disappoint him. Over a thousand years as a family we've all made that mistake at least once. Myself and Marianna made it several times."

Buffy blinks for a moment after all he had done she still found it in her to stay with him "Why stay with him?"

"He's my brother." She says with a shrug "And I'm immortal. In a few centuries you'll understand. Soon me and my family will be all you have left. What other choice is there? To spend eternity alone?"

Rebekah takes a shaky breath before moving past Buffy "As fun as this has been you need to leave."  
At her sudden words Buffy frowns in confusion before she spots the water in Rebekah's eyes, the original didn't want her to see her cry.

Buffy moves to leave but Rebekah's words make her pause "I know you want my brother dead now...and I may like you Buffy but understand this if you go after my brother I will go after yours."

At her words Buffy's eyes glaze over in fury her heart rate thumping against her chest, speeding over to Rebekah she slams her up against the wall "You don't threaten my brother!" Buffy hisses before snapping Rebekah's neck and leaving her on the ground before speeding out of the house.

* * *

"Has Klaus entered the country?" Mikael asks Stefan and Damon while Mary was sat at the bar with a glass of rum in her hands watching with amusement as Mikael attempted to get information out of the two of them.  
"We don't know." Stefan tells him.  
Mikael rolls his eyes "Has he spoken to you since he left?"  
"Yeah he doesn't like us." Damon informs the Original vampire as he gestures to himself and his brother.

Mikael arches a brow at the two brothers in disbelief before turning to Mary "These two are the ones we are helping?"  
Mary shrugs before downing her drink and reaching to grab Damon's only to have him slap her hand away causing her to glare at him before reaching over the bar to grab another bottle.

"Will you persist, Marianna." Mikael hisses as he grabs the bottle from her hands before turning to the brothers.

"I really hope 20 questions isn't your big weapon against Klaus." Damon snarks causing Mary to roll her eyes while Mikael tilts his head.  
"You see, Damon, I've been a vampire hunter longer than you've been alive. It's why I found you here. It's why I'm gonna find Niklaus."

Damon rolls his eyes, god this guy was arrogant and that was saying something coming from Damon "Well Klaus has been running for a 1000 years so if you think you're gonna get a workaround he—"

Damon is suddenly cut off as Mikael shoves his hand into Damon's stomach moving towards his heart.

When Stefan moves to help his brother Mary places a hand on his shoulder halting him "One move, and he's dead." She reminds him.  
"Think Stefan." Mikael orders "Who can get Klaus back here?!"  
Stefan clenches his jaw only to have Mikael yank on Damon's heart causing him to groan.

"Wait." Stefan tells him "Buffy can do it." He tells Mikael hating himself right now for brining her into this but he knew she would have been really pissed if he had let his brother die. Plus Damon was still his brother he wasn't going to let anything happen to him.

"The Slayer?" Mikael asks curiously before turning to Mary "Are they tethered?"  
Mary nods at him "It's getting stronger. He'll trust her, not completely but enough for his curiosity to draw him back."

Mikael grins before removing his hand from Damon's chest allowing Damon to gasp loudly as he grasps for breath.

"Now..." Mikael says focusing on the two brothers "I suggest you get the Slayer, get her to bring Klaus back to Mystic Falls, and I will gladly drive a stake through his heart. Fail and I will drive it through yours."

* * *

"We filled in as much as we could." Alaric tells Bonnie and Buffy as he and Giles begin placing the labels for the images on the walls of the caves.  
"Vampire." Giles mumbles as he places it on the wall before gesturing to the others "Werewolves, mayhem, slaughter...all of these are the story but it's just the details missing."

Buffy nods before turning her head only for her eyes to widen as she spots a carving of a tree much like the one Rebekah had described "The white oak tree. Could have made a hell of a lot stakes out of that huh?" She jokes only to get arched brows off everyone.

Sighing she turns to the drawing next to the tree "And that must be from when they went all mob like and burnt the thing to the ground. And with that the only weapon to kill them."  
Alaric nods "Okay so tree equals weapon, but we already knew that so...what we're not sure about is this." Alaric then points at the image on the wall.

Giles makes his way towards the carving gesturing to the connecting parts "From what we can deceiver it seems to be the witch's death."

"Mikael killed the witch by ripping out her heart." Buffy informs them as she makes her way towards the carvings her hand hovering the drawing "All the blood and gore, big with the ick factor." The blonde pauses as she spots another image "What's with that one?" She asks curiously.

Giles sighs before removing his glasses cleaning them as he speaks "We're not completely sure, we've only gotten so far Buffy."  
Buffy frowns before slowly the image begins to connect in her mind, the story Rebekah knew was wrong, she had been forced with a lie.

Without a word she turns her back on the three and walks out, she needed to tell Rebekah the truth, she deserved that much.

* * *

"We've already cleared out all the booze." Rebekah tells Buffy with a chuckle when she spots the blonde walk back into her house "Unless you have some in your hands I need you to leave."

Buffy pauses clenching her jaw softly before looking at Rebekah sadly "That story about your mother's death. How do you know?"  
"Nik was there. He told me." Rebekah tells her with a shrug unsure as to where she was going with this.

Buffy takes a shaky breath, this was hard for her, she had spent so long believing one thing about her mother's death and when the truth came out it crushed her. She didn't want to do this but Rebekah deserved to know.

"That's not what happened."  
Rebekah chuckles in amusement "And how do you know that?"

Buffy clenches her haw before approaching the blonde "Because of the cave where your names are. The symbols on the walls tell stories of your family. All of it."

Slowly Buffy places the pictures in her hands on the tables before finally the symbol for hybrid appears "That's a hybrid and we both know who loves that title..." Pausing she places down the next photo "A witch. Your mom." And finally Buffy places the final image down "And the story of how she died."

Buffy takes a deep breath before looking Rebekah in the eye as water rushes to her eyes "The hybrid killed the original witch. Klaus did that."

Rebekah shakes her head, she couldn't believe this she wouldn't, her brother would never do this to her, to their family "No."  
"Think about it, her spent years torturing Mary because she helped your mother cast the curse. What do you think he would do to her, she rejected him, everything he was feeling was heightened! Maybe he just snapped but he killed her!"

"No!" Rebekah screams before shoving the photos to the ground "This means nothing, these drawings were done by stupid people who had no idea who my family was."

Buffy's eyes widen as Rebekah flips the table over in her anger, taking a deep breath she moves in front of the blonde "Why be upset then?"  
"Why are you doing this to me?" Rebekah asks her as tears roll down her cheeks "I have done nothing to you! I have tried to be your friend!"

"Do you think I wanted to tell you this!" Buffy yells back "I know what it's like to find out something you thought was right was wrong. Mary killed my mother! And Klaus killed yours! He has a hold on you as well as me! A thousand years Rebekah it needs to stop!"

"Shut up shut up! Don't talk anymore! Nothing!" Rebekah screams as she pushes Buffy up against the wall by her throat, The Slayer allows her to, not fighting back as she watches the reality slowly register on Rebekah's face.

After a moment Rebekah pulls away and drops to her knees tears spilling from her eyes, Buffy opens her mouth unsure of what to say, clenching her jaw she does something that feels so off to her.

Bending down in front of Rebekah she places a hand on the girl's shoulder before Rebekah falls into her chest sobbing.  
Buffy freezes for a moment rigid, but slowly she wraps her arms around the blonde vampire, allowing her to cry for the loss of her mother, just like Elena had done for her.

* * *

Mary frowns as she stares at the carvings on the wall in front of her, Buffy's human friends had left hours ago so she was able to be alone with her thoughts.  
She hadn't been here in a thousand years and just staring at these images reminded her of everything she had lost.

Closing her eyes she blinks back tears as her hand over her name and Rebekah's, 1000 years was such a long time, but still to this day everything that happened was fresh in her mind, as though it only happened yesterday.

 _"We were supposed to dance under the stars"_

 _"Your power is your most precious possession. Think twice before trading it.  
_ _"You are my most precious possession._

 _"I would rather have hope with you than certainty with anyone else."_

 _"You are thankfully, mercifully and blessedly my wife."_

 _"And I'm yours...truly."_

"Marianna." Mikael calls from the edge of the cave as he was unable to enter, sighing Marianna buries down emotions that hadn't surfaced in so long and finally she turns to Mikael, rolling her eyes she walks right past him.

"Marianna." Mikael hisses causing her to stop and finally turn to face him, crossing her arms across her chest as she focuses on him "What?"  
"I'm sorry for what Niklaus did to James." He tells her shocking her to silence for a moment allowing him to continue "He was a good man."

"You hated James." Mary hisses, the sentence harder than anything she had said in years, she had not said his name in centuries and it still cut into her dark heart.

Mikael sighs before looking at his daughter "I didn't hate him. He wasn't good enough for you...but...he was a good man."

Mary's eyes widen before tears fill her eyes and she shakes her head in disgust "He was my husband. I had a husband and I loved him and he was murdered in cold blood before my eye! I held him in my arms as he succumbed to Nik's wounds! I remember it all, every word, every moment for the rest of my life...1000 years and I still remember. And I haven't felt the same since."

Mikael freezes for a moment, he hadn't expected that outburst from her, clenching his jaw he focuses on her "I know you loved him..."

Mary scoffs before giving him a harsh glare "Love is irrelevant to people like us...that's what you told me when I was beginning my lessons..." Slowly a flat dark look, void of emotion, fills her eyes "Perhaps you were right."

When she turns her back on him he groans in annoyance "Trust me Mari."

Mary merely glances back at him "Trust is a luxury I can no longer afford." She tells him before she turns on him walking out of the cave and into the darkness of the night.

* * *

Buffy opens the front door of her house and as she steps inside and closes it behind her she leans against the door with a sigh. To say today had been a rough day was an understatement.

"Buffy?" Elena asks as she walks into the hall and frowns at the sight of the blonde "Are you okay?"

Buffy nods and quickly wipes any emotion from her face forcing a fake smile on her face "I'm good. Just hungry, seriously I could use chicken wings? You wings? Yeah cool Jeremy we're having wings!"

"Kay!" Jeremy calls from the living room while Elena frowns following Buffy into the kitchen.

Buffy heads towards the phone only to freeze as sat there in her kitchen were her best friends, her body goes rigid and she finds herself frozen "Wh-what are you doing here?"

Willow and Xander instantly stand and stare at the blonde, it was so strange seeing her here alive again, it made both of their hearts swell with joy, however that joy was quickly evaporated as they take a step towards her only for her to take one back.

Buffy moves to the other side of the room and crosses her arms now suddenly feeling very uncomfortable in her own skin. She wasn't ready for this, for them to see what she had become, to see how damaged she really was.

When she spots the hurt look on their faces she sighs taking a deep breath before moving back towards them, she didn't want to upset them. So slowly she allows them to hug her.

She remains frozen in the embrace from her friends only for her eyes to widen as she spots a familiar figure standing in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt." Damon says giving the two Sunnydale gang members a shrug before focusing on Buffy "I need to talk to you."

Buffy sighs in relief slightly gratefully for the save, she knew Xander and Willow meant well but she also knew the minute they were alone they were going bombarded her with questions, questions she wasn't ready for.

"Why don't you guys go order the wings? And pizza? We can talk after." She suggests before moving towards Damon leading him upstairs.

* * *

As they enter her bedroom the two stand awkwardly, they hadn't had a proper conversation since their fight and it was weird for both of them considering how close they normally were.  
"We got Mikael." He tells her simply trying to break the ice.  
Buffy's eyes widen at that "What? How—reverse...explain."

Damon shrugs smirking slightly as he moves to lie down on her bed making himself comfortable while she arches a brow and continues to stand.

When she gives him an unamused look he chuckles "No idea. Mary showed up with him. Guess her and Katherine came through. The plan's in motion."

Buffy rolls her eyes before moving to lay down beside him staring at the ceiling before she glances at him "I snapped Rebekah's neck today." She tells him with a shrug.  
Her confession causes him to grin madly like a child "Oh I love it when you go all super blonde."  
Buffy laughs softly "Yeah I was pretty badass."

"And you'll be badass when we kill Klaus." He tells her as he turns his head to look at her.

Buffy does the same arching a brow slightly as she looks into his blue eyes "Good cause I really don't wanna be Mrs. Klaus."  
Damon smiles at that "I think Mikael's weapon is a stake..."  
"Oh now your talking my language. Must be made of the white oak tree."

Damon nods at that smirking slightly "Yeah Elena filled me in when you were dodging my call—"  
"I was not!" Damon merely arches a brow at her causing her to roll her eyes, okay maybe she had been "Only a little."

Damon shakes his head in amusement before looking up at the ceiling "After all that I was right. The wall lead us to Mikael."  
Buffy nods as he turns to look at her again "More than that. I think we've got Rebekah too, and Mary I've never been more sure."

Damon frowns curiously turning his body slightly to face her fully "Really what'd you learn from her?"

"That we're a lot alike." She whispers "Lost her mom, messed up, loves blindly and allows it to consume her. And Mary...Klaus killed her husband and she lost her child..." Buffy pauses turning on her side so that she was facing Damon, the two of them now closer than before.

Looking into his eyes she smiles softly "When it all comes down to it...nothing beats the bond of family."

The two sit there in silence for a moment before Damon focuses on her "You know when it comes down to it, with everything your going through, that pit your on the edge of I know one thing...it's not gonna be me or my brother who will save you from yourself...it will be your sister."

Buffy takes a shaky breath and focuses on Damon's face, her eyes scanning over his features, slowly she clasps her hand with his allowing his fingers to entangle with her own "Thank you, Damon."  
Damon smiles squeezing her hand softly "Anytime."

"Buffy food's here!" Elena yells from downstairs causing Buffy and Damon to sigh, slowly the blonde sighs and glances back at him as she stands "Goodnight Damon."

Damon smiles at her not wanting to admit he was a little annoyed that Elena had interrupted their moment "Night Buff."

Buffy smiles softly before making her way down stairs as she walks into the living room she spots Xander and Willow with Elena digging into the food, while Giles was now sat flipping through a book as he tried to get a wing out of the box.

"Hey Buff, there's someone on the phone for you." Jeremy tells the blonde as he enters the room before moving to sit beside his sister.  
Buffy nods and heads out the room while Elena turns to Jeremy with a curious gaze "Who was it?"

Jeremy shrugs, he hadn't recognised the voice "Some British dude."

Elena shrugs before all of them go back to eating and chatting however a few moments later Buffy walks back into the room quickly grabbing her jacket.  
"Buffy who was that?" Elena asks curiously only for Buffy to turn to them emotion filling her face.

"Angel." She says softly "He knows that I'm—" She gestures to herself making it clear that she meant alive and no longer a dead corpse "He has to see me...I have to see him."

Giles nods and quickly places his book down leaning forward in his seat "Of course you'll leave for L.A first thing tomorrow."  
"Not L.A." She tells them "And not here...Somewhere in the middle. He knows a place."  
Giles nods and stands moving to approach the blonde "Yes well, you should rest then tomorrow..."

Buffy shakes her head "I have to go now." She tells them all before pulling on her jacket and leaving the house.


	98. Such A Night - Part 1

"Where is she?" Damon asks impatiently as him Stefan and Elena sit in the living room of the Salvatore home waiting for the blonde super slayer to finally show up.  
Elena sighs before shrugging, she had spoken to Buffy earlier trying to get details on what had happened with Angel.  
"She said she would be here by now."

"Why did she leave town anyway?" Stefan asks curiously, Elena hadn't said much about Buffy taking off and he couldn't figure out why she would just take off, especially with her friends in town and with what was happening with Klaus.

It just wasn't like her.

Elena gulps slightly cursing her sister for leaving her to be the one to explain this, "She got a phone call the other night and next thing we knew she was heading out of town."

Damon frowns at that, Buffy wasn't the type to just drop everything and run off without an explanation "Who called her?" He pushes Elena for intel.  
Elena rolls her eyes, before looking down at her journal "Angel." She reveals finally leaving the room in an awkward silence.

The room is silent for several long minutes, Stefan and Damon glance at each other both mirroring exactly the same shocked expression, before finally they turn to the eldest Gilbert "What?!"

* * *

Buffy adjusts the box of chicken in her arms as she pushes the front door of the Salvatore home open. Sighing she hesitates before heading inside, she really wasn't ready to face anyone after her meeting with Angel.  
It had been a strange and emotional experience to say the least, despite the fact neither of them had spoken much, just being around each other after so long had been emotional. Especially now that Mary's memory spell was broken. Aspects of their relationship that they had seen as so key had not even happened and it was a strange experience.

Taking a deep breath summoning her courage to face the music she walks into the house "I come bearing chicken pieces." She calls as she walks into the living room only to immediately sense the tense atmosphere in the air.  
Turning her head she spots Elena glaring at both Stefan and Damon who were now staring at Buffy with their arms crossed.

Buffy frowns in confusion "What? I was hungry? Helps with the wanting to remove everyone's heads thing." She says with a shrug before rolling her eyes "I brought enough to share."  
When both brothers merely remain silent Buffy turns to her sister "What's with the misery?" When Elena sighs and looks at her guilty Buffy sighs "You told them?"

Elena nods before ignoring the annoyed brothers and focusing on her sister "How—how was it? Seeing him, him seeing you?"

Buffy takes a deep breath and moves to sit down digging into her bucket as she does "I don't wanna talk about it." She says with a small shrug before biting into a piece of chicken "I will say heightened emotions aren't that bad. Chicken is so much better now."  
Elena chuckles softly before moving to take a piece of chicken only for Buffy to move the box "What happened to sharing?"  
"I burn more calories now?" Buffy almost asks not wanting to give up the chicken, when Elena looks at her with begging eyes she groans "Fine." She grumbles before turning to Stefan and Damon.

"So wanna tell me why I had to get take away?"  
Stefan turns to the blonde before gulping, hating that he had to ask this of her "You need to call Klaus."

Buffy's mouth falls open in shock "Huh?"

* * *

 _"_ _Hello luv, to what do I owe the pleasure."_ Klaus asks flirtatiously as he answers the phone only making Buffy roll her eyes, she was going to kill Stefan and Damon for this.

"Looking for a chat with my least favourite hybrid." She says flatly before glancing up at the others who give her a pointed look, she sighs before clicking her tongue "Actually I hear you left town."  
 _"_ _Missing me?"  
_ "Hardly." She tells him "More annoyed by the lack of you keeping your promise to help me."

 _"_ _Don't worry luv, I'll be back soon to fulfil that promise. I'd rather not stay here too long. Portland is fantastic once you can get over all the whiny music and all the healthy people, it's literally a breeding ground for werewolves. However a certain Slayer's presence is missing, so trust me I'll be back."_

Buffy sighs before glancing up at Stefan who gives her to nod letting her know to get to the point "Klaus..." She says softly "...something happened."

 _"_ _What is it?"_ He asks urgently _"Are you okay? Do I need to kill a Salvatore?"  
_ "You're father is dead."

Klaus goes deadly silent for a moment causing Buffy to frown and pull the phone away from her ear to make sure he hadn't hung up on her "Klaus, you still there?"  
 _"_ _What did you say to me?"  
_ Buffy frowns before shrugging "The thing about your dad or me not missing you?"

When he growls slightly she rolls her eyes "Okay geez no need to get all wolfy. Mikael. He's dead. Well daggered, so temporarily dead. But I don't see myself pulling that thing out anytime soon. Guy gives me the hibby gibbys."

As she speaks she glances over Mikael who was now laying on the ground beside Mary with a dagger in his chest.  
"Yeah so, cause this body doesn't exactly match my rug I don't plan on redecorating because of your dad. So you gonna come pick up the body? I killed him my work here is done."

 _"_ _Well luv, as much as I would luv to spend the day with you when I come to collect his body I will need you to tell me exactly what happened first."_

* * *

One Hour Earlier

"All right, we'll say that Mikael followed Elena in here..." Stefan tells Damon, Buffy and Elena as he leads the three of them into the Salvatore living room "He tried to grab her so he could use her as bait."  
Elena groans in annoyance "Why am I always the bait?"  
Damon chuckles as he moves to stand beside Buffy who was standing off the side "Because you're the human."  
Elena rolls her eyes before turning back to Stefan "And then what? You vervained him?"  
"No, we vervained him." Damon corrects gesturing to himself and his brother.

Buffy clears her throat before crossing her arms giving both brothers a pointed look "Please, Let's be realistic about this guys."

Stefan chuckles while Damon rolls his eyes "Correction Buffy vervained him. And then in the process she discovered he had a dagger."

Buffy nods as the story continues but inside she had a horrible feeling building, something in her was telling her that all this planning and everything was for nothing, but she buried the feeling, quickly focusing as Elena takes over.

"Which he planned to use on Rebekah. But instead—"  
"You drove it through his heart." Buffy finishes as she moves to stand beside her sister "See being the damsel isn't always that bad."

Elena chuckles softly before frowning as another thought occurs to her "And what happens when he asks to see Mikael's body?"

"Excellent point." A voice says from behind the three, Buffy clenches her jaw as she spots Mary standing in the doorway with a wicked grin on her face as she stands beside Mikael.  
Despite feeling for her now knowing her history Buffy couldn't stop the hatred she felt for the witch.

"It's not like we're compelled." Damon points out as he crosses his arms and faces his ex.

Mary rolls her eyes before stepping further into the room "No but you do possibly have a tongue tied Slayer, and given that plan rests on her, we need to be careful."  
Buffy arches a brow at that "What the hell does that mean?"  
Mikael sighs before focusing on the Slayer "You see Buffy, this tether between you and Niklaus is rather complicated, depending on how strong it is will determine the effects it has on both of you."

Buffy frowns even more in confusion "Can you explain with simple terms cause all I'm getting is a whole lot of huh now?"  
Mikael sighs before leaning against one of the large chairs "You two know each other on a separate level, it's what causes the attraction."

Everyone's eyes fall on the blonde, Buffy's eyes widen "What-no-there is no attraction-no feeling-no nothing!"

Mikael rolls his eyes and glances over at Mary who merely chuckles at him, causing him to sigh before continuing with his explanation "It's possible that the tether is strong enough that it will allow him to know if you are lying. You have to be careful with your words."

Buffy lets out an annoyed breath "Wait so this tether has freaking child locks?"

Damon groans, hating this new information they were getting on this tether between Buffy and Klaus, turning to Mikael he attempts to change the subject "Okay new focus if you're dead, he's gonna wanna see the body, and say he can tell Buffy is lying, she'll need to see it to."

"Then I shall be dead." Mikael tells them before nodding at Mary, Mary sighs before waving her hand causing a purple mist to form on the table, as it disappears left in it's place was a dagger and the white oak ash, the same ingredients that could kill an Original.

"What if he wants to see you in person?" Elena asks curiously as she slowly approaches to stand beside Buffy again.  
"Well, it means our plan is working." Mikael tells her "Klaus will absolutely want to see my body." He turns to Buffy "You lure him here, and I will kill him."

Mary clears her throat drawing her father's attention, when she glares at him he sighs "We discussed with Mari."  
"No, you discussed I blatantly ignored." She reminds him as she steps closer looking at him seriously "You are not killing him."

"Do not threaten me child." He warns his daughter only for her to raise her hand sending him crashing into the wall pinning him their with her magic "Klaus is mine. I will rip out his heart as he did mine."  
"Marianna." Mikael warns fury in his eyes but she merely steps closer.  
"Do not test my power and do not tempt my fury." She warns.

After a long moment of the two glaring at each other she finally releases him and turns back to the others "Where were we?"

Damon chuckles slightly before turning to the dysfunctional father daughter pair "So what are one of you going to kill him with? Those daggers won't work on him."

"Well, I'm in possession of a stake..." Mikael informs them "Fashioned from the wood of the ancient white oak tree."  
Buffy's eyes widen at that, that was something she really wanted to see "Nice gimme." She asks playfully only for Mikael to glare at her.  
As she steps back Mikael continues "The one that left these ashes when it burned."  
"Where is it?" Buffy asks curiously.

"Not here." Mary tells her causing Buffy to roll her eyes "Duh."  
Mikael sighs as he dips the dagger into the ash "Knowing its location is my insurance policy."  
"Against what?" Stefan asks.  
"You leaving this in my heart." He says as his eyes focus on the only human in the room.

Elena.

Slowly he hands the dagger to Elena who looks at it nervously "You want me to actually dagger you."  
Mikael nods at the human woman "Klaus will leave nothing to chance. Especially when it comes to trust."

* * *

Present 

_"_ _I want to see him."_ Klaus tells Buffy urgently as they continue to throw banter back and forth on the phone _"I want to see his rotting body for myself._ "

At his words Buffy stands and walks over to Mikael's body kicking it slightly with her foot "Well it's here, dead as rats. And it's starting to stink up my house. So you know get with the clean up crew sooner rather than later."

 _"_ _Buffy I may adore you but if you are lying to me, I will find out sooner or later. So answer me pet, is what you're saying the truth."_

"It's true." Buffy tells him as she thinks back to Elena driving the stake into Mikael's heart "My big cousin doesn't like being a damsel, trust me I'm the one that taught her how to stake a vamp, she's only missed the heart once or twice."  
 _"_ _Pet, don't take offence but I would like to confirm my thoughts with my sisters, preferably Rebekah."_

Buffy clenches her jaw slightly before turning to Rebekah and Mary who were stood together but keeping a fair distance, the two hadn't spoken in centuries and they hadn't had any plans to do so now.

"They're here." Buffy tells him earning a shocked laugh from Klaus _"And they haven't started bickering? Now that is a miracle."  
_ "More we are ignoring each other's presence Nik." Mary says sharply as she takes the phone from Buffy and puts it on speaker so both she and Rebekah could hear.  
Rebekah glares at Mary before sighing "We're here Nik."  
 _"_ _Rebekah luv. What's this I hear about Mikael's tragic run-in with a dagger?"_ Rebekah pauses and glances over at Buffy who gives her a small smile and a nod only making Mary roll her eyes "He's dead, Nik. Ding dong."

 _"_ _As much as I love to hear that Marianna, I would rather hear it from Rebekah, she hasn't spent the past few months trying to kill me."_

At his words Rebekah flinches before glancing at Buffy again, Buffy gives her another nod making Rebekah take a shaky breath "it's true. He's finally out of our lives for good. I miss you. I'm miserable here."  
 _"_ _I'll be home soon."  
_ "Good. I'll see you then, brother."  
Slowly Rebekah hangs up the phone before handing the phone to Buffy who squeezes her arm "He brought it." She tells the blonde Slayer "He's coming home."

Damon grins as Mary and Rebekah exit the room leaving just the four of them "Now was that easy or what?"  
Buffy takes a shaky breath that dreaded feeling creepy up on her again "Let's just get this other with. I wanna be un-tethered from this creep."

Elena nods before bending down and removing the dagger from Mikael's chest.

* * *

"I hate everything in my closet. I have nothing to wear for homecoming." Elena complains as she Bonnie, Willow and Buffy sit in her bedroom while the brunette rifles through her closet.  
"I vote jeans and t-shirt." Buffy says as she leans her head up from her position laid on the bed.  
Elena rolls her eyes "Not gonna happen and don't you dare think about doing that either."

"You do realise half of my wardrobe is in Sunnydale right?" Buffy points out "Couldn't exactly get my party clothes when I was you know...dead."

Willow, Bonnie and Elena all glare at her non of them liking it when Buffy takes the piss out of her death.

Bonnie sighs before turning to Elena "So don't go. Let's stay home order take-out and over-analyze ancient hieroglyphic thingies with Alaric and Giles."

Willow grins at the idea "I'm in. UC Sunnydale lot don't mix with Whitmore anyway. Plus be nice to do a girly night before me and Xand head back to SunnyD to deal with the nerds."  
Bonnie grins and wraps an arm around Willow's shoulder as the two of them nod "See that's two votes. Buffy?"

"Pass." Buffy says as she jumps up and moves over to Elena's closest "Buffy and hyrogyl-whatevers don't mix. Plus I'd rather deal with Klaus flirting with me all night, then deal with the wrath of Caroline."  
Willow chuckles slightly "You have him wrapped around your finger."  
"Hopefully not for much longer."

Elena nods in agreement, she just wanted this over with, she wanted Klaus dead so they didn't have to worry anymore and could actually live normal lives.

"Anyway like Buffy said, Caroline will kill us." Elena points out as she grabs a dress from her closet and raises it in front of Buffy only for the blonde to shake her head.

"Well, Caroline actually has a date."  
All of them freeze before glancing back at Bonnie "You know you can talk to us about Jeremy right?" Elena asks her.

Bonnie shakes her head "We broke up a long time ago, I don't need to talk about it. Our breakup was pretty clear, he fell in love with his ghost girlfriend and lied about it. What's done is done. We've already had this talk Elena. Jeremy is your brother, so I can never really talk to you, either of you."

* * *

"A million and one." Buffy says offhandedly as her and Damon continue to build the Vervain grenades in his bathroom.  
Damon frowns in confusion before glancing at the blonde haired Slayer "A what now?"

"Possible ways this could go wrong." She says with a small shrug before glancing over at him, looking in his blue eyes "We all know this isn't going to go smoothly. We aren't that lucky."  
"It will be fine." He tells her only causing her to slap his arm "Ow! Why!" He yells at her, cursing her now uncontrollable strength.

"You jinked!" She yells.

As her hand tightens on the grenade Damon's eyes widen and he quickly takes it off her "Let's not accidentally use your strength to blow my face off please."  
Buffy sighs before taking a deep breath and allowing him to take the grenade from her.

As he places the grenade down he places a hand on her shoulder turning her towards him so he could look in her eye "It's going to be fine. We're gonna kill Klaus and free you from his control."

Buffy looks into his deep blue eyes and takes a shaky breath before looking away "I don't know." She tells him as she steps out of his grip "I just have a bad feeling about this."

"We can't trust Rebekah not to turn on us." Elena says drawing the two's attention.

Damon clears his throat, not too happy about the disruption, this was one of the few moments he got alone with Buffy and of course Elena came to cockblock.  
"Oh, really?" He asks her sarcastically "Because those Original Vampires are usually so reliable."

Elena rolls her eyes before glancing over at Buffy "Buffy come on you heard what Bonnie said earlier. Rebekah may be made at Klaus now, but he is her brother."  
"Her lying, mama-killing-dagger-happy brother." Damon points out before nudging Buffy's shoulder "Come on Buffster, don't tell me you actually think Rebekah won't snap our necks."

Buffy rolls her eyes at the arguing pair "Okay guys I'm not a yoyo. But yes you're right. I don't like this." She says as she turns back to the wolfsbane in the sink that dreaded feeling in her gut from earlier slowly returning the more she thought about this plan "Something's gonna go wrong. I can feel it."

"Alright Debbie downer."

Elena nods in agreement with Buffy, there were to many unspoken variables' with this plan and she didn't want to risk anyone getting hurt, least of all Buffy.  
"There are too many people who can get hurt."  
"Well, I am formulating a secret contingency plan."

Buffy clears her throat and glares at him, he could not be taking credit for the whole thing.

At her glare he rolls his eyes before gesturing between him and Buffy "Okay correction _we_ are forming a secret contingency plan."  
Elena's eyes widen, curiosity eating at her "Really? What is it?"  
Buffy chuckles softly before shaking her head "Yeah no. Secret plan stays secret, we have a certain witchy missy in the house, so my mouth is shut."

"Buffy come on, I want to know, this whole mission and freeing you from Klaus rests of this plan you Damon and Stefan have."  
Buffy sighs and opens her mouth only for Damon to cut her off "She doesn't wanna risk getting her humanity involved by involving you Elena. Our missions always tend to go crashing to the sun when one of us gets our humanity involved."

Before any of them could say anything Stefan pops his head into the room his eyes instantly falling on Buffy who tenses up slightly at the sight of him.

"Hey..." he says softly as he clears his throat trying to ignore the uncomfortable silence that had filled the room as he focuses on Buffy "Can we talk?"

Buffy gulps slightly before glancing at Elena who nods as her and nudges her pushing her towards Stefan slightly.  
Buffy smiles softly before nodding and handing the wolfsbane grenade to her sister who took it into her palm carefully.

As she moves it Damon's eyes widen "Give me that."  
"Damon, stop..." Elena argues as she tries to take the grenade back "Give it, I know how to do it, Ric showed me."  
"Elena may I remind you if this blows up, only one of us heals quickly."  
At his words Elena sighs before handing over the grenade while Buffy follows Stefan out of the room.

* * *

The ex-couple walk outside in the garden in awkward silence, both a little nervous to start the conversation.  
After another long moment Buffy bites the bullet "So, um what did you wanna talk about?"  
Stefan chuckles nervously softly before glancing over at her "We haven't talk about what happened..."

At his words Buffy blushes slightly, tucking a lose strand of her ponytail behind her ear; she remembers back to that day in the woods where she had lost control.  
"Yeah that." She says with a nervous chuckle before stopping in her steps leaning against the brick wall of the gazebo "Look I'm sorry I've been dodging you...it's just with everything, I'm a little..."

"Confused?" Stefan asks causing her to nod softly before smiling at her "No matter what Buffy, remember I'm there for you."  
"I know." She tells him honestly so glad he understood, but she couldn't help but feel a little guilty knowing how much this hurt him after everything he had done to get her back.

Stefan slowly moves in front of her taking her hand in his "Buffy, look no matter what the future holds, what happens between us it's up to you."  
Buffy smiles sadly squeezing his hand as she looks up at him with big doe eyes "I'm not really think that far ahead, that's kind of the point of me trying to be me again."

Stefan smiles softly at her completely understanding her words, no matter how much it hurt him "It doesn't matter, because life isn't about your final moments, it's about the moments that lead up to them. And we've got plenty of time for moments, so whatever you wanna do, tell me when your ready."

Stefan steps forward moving closer to her as he places a hand on her cheek making her lean into his touch, bringing a smile to his face "We will have a proper talk once we're done with Klaus."

"I'm good with that." She tells him as she smiles up at him remembering back to every kiss, every hug, every moment they had had together before Klaus had pulled them apart.

The two stay there in a comfortable silence for a moment before Stefan's eyes fall to her lips and he finds himself moving closer, Buffy's eyes widen before slowly she finds herself leaning in as well. Old feelings returning making her bring her lips closer to him however just as their lips hover against each other her phone buzzing through the air makes them both pause.

Stefan groans and leans his forehead against Buffy's while she giggles softly allowing herself to remain in his embrace for a moment before she pulls away only to frown "It's Will..." She pauses to look at the message only for her eyes to widen "...they wanna say goodbye. Apparently the nerds they're after broke out of jail. I need to go tell Elena."

"Nerds?" Stefan asks with an arched eyebrow, chuckling slightly at the term.  
Buffy smiles "Yep comic book nerds who apparently wanna destroy me."

Stefan shakes his head in amusement before he spots the sad look on her face, stepping forward he places a kiss to her forehead before pulling back "Go, say goodbye."

Buffy smiles before pulling back and moving towards the house only for Stefan to grasp her wrist turning her back towards him "Buffy—do you wanna—maybe—um..." he pauses nervously, something about her always made him nervous "Do you want to go to the party together?"

Buffy hesitates before smiles softly "Yes."


	99. Such A Night - Part 2

Elena walks into the spare room she had show Rebekah to earlier when she had reluctantly allowed the blonde to walk into the Salvatore home.  
She pauses in the doorway watching as Rebekah stared at herself in the mirror admiring the red dress Buffy had chosen for her.

"Getting a head start, huh?"  
Rebekah pauses before a shy smile covers her face as she turns to face the brunette "Embarrassing truth, this is my first college party."

Elena arches her brows at that, finding it hard to believe that after a thousand years she had never been to any form of college party "Ever?"

"I never really had time for high school or college before." Rebekah shrugs sadly hating admitting it, but she had missed those experiences "Nik and I were always moving around. Running. Anyway I didn't want to leave anything to chance." Rebekah pauses and glances back at the brunette "Where's Buffy? I wanted her to see her success." She says gesturing to the dress that looks stunning on her.

Elena chuckles softly moving further into the room "Talking to Stefan."  
Rebekah laughs softly "I see." Slowly she turns back to the mirror, and as thoughts begin circulating her head a sad frown appears on her face as the reality of what was going to happen hits her "Have you heard anymore from him?"

"No." Elena tells her "But I'm sure when he does return he'll do it with flair."  
Rebekah nods as she continues to keep her focus on Elena through the mirror "And Damon, Buffy and my father are all set with their plan?"  
At the girl's expression Elena pauses, she could see the guilt in Rebekah's eyes, "Yes"

Rebekah gulps slightly before turning to face Elena refusing to look her in the eye, as though trying to ignore admitting what she had agreed to do to her brother "Don't tell me. I don't want to know. I just want to go to the dance and leave the rest to Mikael and Marianna." She says as she grabs the bracelet on the side table placing it on her wrists.

Elena takes a deep breath before moving further into the room "I know it's really hard, so thank you for helping us get Klaus back into town."

Rebekah nods water filling her eyes "Just be careful. I've been running for a 1,000 years for a reason. Mikael is not a good person and if he has managed to convince Mari to take his side then he is even more dangerous. He definitely cannot be trusted. No one in my family can."

Elena frowns as she spots the heartbroken look on Rebekah's face she couldn't help but step forward her conscious eating at her "Are you okay?"  
"I've spent my whole life loving and hating my brother with equal measure. I never thought that I would be the one to help drive a stake through his heart."

Rebekah takes a shaky breath and attempts to bury the tears as she turns away from Elena, not wanting to allow the human girl to see her fry "No tears. I—I don't want to ruin my makeup. How do I look?"

Elena watches her for a moment trying to bury her guilt before she stepped forward offering the blonde a small smile "You look amazing. But you're missing one thing."

As Rebekah turns back to face her Elena raises the necklace Buffy gave her "Buffy told me it was your mother's. You should wear it tonight."

Rebekah smiles before turning to face the window moving her hair out of the way as Elena places the necklace around her neck. A tear falls as she spots her mother's necklace around her neck, it felt like she was here with her.  
"Thank you." Rebekah tells the Gilbert girl "And tell Buffy, thank you for being my friend."

Elena smiles softly as she places a hand on Rebekah's shoulder before she suddenly drives the dagger she had killed Mikael with into Rebekah's back.  
As Rebekah's eyes widen with horror while her body desiccates Elena sighs sadly "I'm sorry. But I can't leave anything to chance either."

"Elena?" Another voice calls causing Elena to frown before she turns to spot a shocked Buffy standing in the doorway with her bag in her hands "What did you do?"

* * *

"How was the talk with Stefan?" Elena asks trying to change the subject as Buffy covers Rebekah's body with a blanket, an overwhelming sense of guilt eating at her.  
"Na-huh." Buffy tells her before sighing hating the fact that Rebekah, who she had slowly begun to consider a friend, was now laid under the blanket dead "Don't try and change the subject."

Elena sighs as she sits on the bed shrugging slightly "It had to be done. Rebekah was never going to be completely on our side."  
Buffy sighs before turning to Elena "Look I'm not big the judgy I've done worse I just...didn't expect you to go all Katherine on her."  
Elena glares at her younger sister, her expression annoyed "Not the way to make me feel better about myself, Buffy."  
Buffy opens her mouth before sighing "Okay fair point. But still—it's a little Katherine-y."

Elena sighs before looking at her sister seriously "Damon was right. Someone's going to let their humanity get in the way and screw this whole thing up. And it's probably gonna be me."

Buffy's eyes widen before she moves down to crouch in front of her sister "Elena, your humanity is what makes you strong. You have more compassion in you than anyone I have ever known."  
"Explain that to her." Elena snarks pointing down at Rebekah's unmoving body.  
Buffy takes a deep breath "Look Lena..."  
"No Buffy, admit it. I feel bad about this. I care too much that's the problem. I'm the weak link."

Buffy sighs before offering her a small grin "She's only temporary dead, dagger gone and she's back strutting off to steal the cheerleading squad from Care."  
Elena smiles softly before looking at Buffy seriously, lowering her voice she asks the dreaded question "Do you trust him? Mikael?"

Buffy scoffs "When he is working with the wicked witch of the west? Not a chance in hell. Which is why when this all goes down, I don't want you anywhere near it."  
Elena frowns in confusion at that "What does that mean?"

Buffy pauses before taking Elena's hand in her own "Do you trust me?"  
"Yes." Elena says instantly not even a hint of hesitation.  
Buffy smiles "Good. Then don't worry about it. I need to go say goodbye to the gang but Elena, remember you are not going anywhere near this mess."

* * *

Buffy groans in annoyance as she flips through her closet in disgust, she seriously had nothing left here anymore, especially considering all the events Mystic Falls tended to throw, she was definitely screwed.

"Buffy we're ready." Willow calls from downstairs causing Buffy to take a shaky breath before she moves downstairs where Willow and Xander were stood by the door.

"Do you guys really have to go?"

Xander chuckles before wrapping his arms around the small blonde "Someone's gonna have to keep Anya from burning down the Magic Box."  
Buffy chuckles softly and squeezes Xander as softly as she can being careful not to crush him.

She clutches onto him burying the tears before she pulls back "I expect an invite to the wedding." She tells him causing him to frown only making her laugh softly "Anya sent an email to me when I came back."

"Of course she did." Willow says with a laugh as she steps forward and wraps her arms around her best friend, hating the fact they had to be separated again so soon.  
Tears spill past the red head's eyes as she begins sobbing "I would stay but..."  
"I know." Buffy says sadly "The Hellmouth needs protection."

Willow nods wiping her eyes "Faith will be out soon now that she's stable, just focus on you for once in your life."  
"I will." Buffy tells her trying to keep from crying as her voice breaks slightly "Get home to you're girl. Both of you."

The three clutch each other's hands before Xander wraps his arms over both women pulling them into a group hug "Don't be a stranger this time." Xander breaths as in runs a hand through Buffy's hair.  
"I won't."

Finally the three tearfully and reluctantly pull away from each other, Willow rubbing her eyes furiously "We better go, Tara said that they have a lead on where Warren and the others are."

Buffy frowns at the familiar name for a moment trying to place it in her mind, before it clicks "Warren? Sex bot guy who I still need to pumble?"  
"That's the dork." Xander confirms "Turns out he's got some crazy obsession with destroying you."

"Fun." Buffy says flatly with a shrug before she squeezes her friend's hands once more before saying their final goodbyes.

As she watches them drive off towards the boarding house to say their goodbyes to Elena, Buffy takes a shaky breath and leans against the porch swing before something catches her eyes.

There sat on the bench was a white box with a cream silk bow wrapped neatly around it.

Picking it up she moves into the house and places the box on the table before cautiously opening it. Her eyes widen at the sight of the stunning, pink silk wrapped gown inside, it was clearly designer and most probably cost more than her house.

Frowning she picks up the stunning dress only to groan in annoyance at the note inside the box.

 _"A Queen deserves beauty, see you tonight – Klaus"_

Buffy groans in annoyance and now the stunning dress was ruined.

* * *

"Does this mean I don't have to go?" Elena asks Caroline curiously as she tries on the dress she had planned to wear tonight before Buffy had told her the plan.

 _"You wish. No, Tyler's moving the party to his house. It's the biggest and closest place to campus. So say you're still coming."_

Elena pauses when a knock at the door draws her attention, turning her head she glances down at the dress before shrugging, she could change in a second.  
"I'll see you there." She says before hanging up.

As she opens the door Xander who had been waiting freezes at the sight of her, having lost his breathe "Wow—um—Elena you look um...wow."  
Elena giggles softly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before smiling at him "Thanks I just wanted to try it on before it got ruined for me."

Xander frowns before looking at her again, she was gorgeous, absolutely stunning, he couldn't understand how the dress could be ruined for her. When he spots her frowning at his he quickly realises he had been staring at her for too long like a big doof, clearing his throat quickly he rubs the back of his neck.

"So why is it's gonna be ruined for you?"  
"Long story." She waves off before looking at him sadly "So I take it this is goodbye."  
"Yeah." He says nervously "Just for now though, no doubt I'll be annoying you again soon."

"You don't annoy me Xander." She tells him honestly before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around him tightly "I'm glad you came. I miss you guys."

"I miss you all too." He tells her as he wraps his arms her waist holding onto her tightly for a long moment before he pulls away reluctantly "Goodbye Lena."  
Elena smiles sadly squeezing his hand "Bye Xand."

Xander takes a shaky breath before pulling away from the stunning brunette and quickly climbing into his car and driving off Willow staring at him oddly the whole time.

As he drives off Elena remains in the doorway watching the car sadly, however, when she spots Matt approaching her she swallows uncomfortably before offering him a small smile "Um, slight problem with your homecoming date."  
Matt groans "What happened?"

Elena sighs nervously not wanting to admit what she had done to Rebekah "How would you feel about a back-up date?"

* * *

Buffy after giving up on finding something in her own wardrobe was now back standing in front of Elena's, but still there was no success.

Groaning in annoyance she runs a hand through her hair before something catches her eye. She had placed the box with the dress Klaus had given her on Elena's bed, reluctantly she moves over to the box, opening it she stares longingly at the stunning dress. Klaus may be insufferable but there was one thing she knew for sure, he had good taste.

She argues with herself for a moment before shrugging, not point wasting a beautiful dress even if it was from Klaus.

Quickly changing she sighs in delight at the feel of the silk material on her skin, this was by far the nicest thing she had ever worn.

Turning to the mirror her eyes widen, she looked good, it suited her body perfectly and the silver heels she had with it works perfectly.  
Slipping on her thigh holster she makes sure she has everything she needs just as the doorbell goes.

Walking down stairs she pulls open the front door only to pause as she spots Stefan standing in a suit with flowers in his hands. She had forgotten how good he looked in a suit. Swallowing nervously she smiles tucking a strand of her long curly blonde hair behind her ear.

Stefan merely gazes at her, she was stunning, the pink dress balancing well against her pale skin. Her blonde hair almost golden as it flower in waves past her shoulders.

She was beautiful and the sight of her made him catch his breath "You look beautiful."  
Buffy smiles "Really?  
"That's obvious." He tells her before handing her the flowers.

Buffy smiles taking them "Thank you." She says before placing them on the counter allowing Stefan to place her jacket over her shoulder before leading her outside.  
"So you ready?" She asks him.

Stefan nods before opening the car door for her "Ready as ever. Oh by the way there's been a change of plans. We're going to Tyler's."  
Buffy groans, that dreaded feeling creeping up on her "I really need this to go well."

* * *

Buffy's eyes widen as her and Stefan walk into Tyler's backyard where the party had gone completely insane, there were hundreds of people dancing and somehow it seemed as though, Tyler had managed to get ahold of a band on such short notice.

"Something feels iffy about this." Buffy tells Stefan as he leads her through the mass of people, before the two of them come to stop nearer to the stage.  
"Who are all these people?" Stefan asks her as they both glance around in confusion.

Buffy turn her eyes scanning the faces expecting to see some of her class mates, but there was no one, not one person that she recognised "Stefan I don't recognise anyone here."

"Hey guys." A voice booms from behind them causing the ex-couple to turn towards the voice, only to spot Tyler standing beside them with a case of beer in his arms.

Stefan and Buffy glance at each other both of them knowing they were clearly missing something here, "Hey Tyler." Stefan says politely as he stares at the band on stage "Nice party you got going on here."  
"Thanks, but I'm not the one throwing it."  
Buffy chuckles at that "Nice to know you're giving Caroline the credit."  
"It's not Caroline's party." He tells the blonde before moving to stand in front of the two "I'm just doing what Klaus wants."

Buffy clenches her fist while Stefan frowns "What do you mean?"  
"It's not a party, man. It's a wake."  
Buffy's eyes fill with horror before she turns her head only to clench her jaw as she spots the treaded hybrid in person, a smug grin on his face.

"Stefan." She breathes out placing a hand on his arm causing his attention to fall to her before it falls on the stage, where Klaus was now walking up to the band.

"Good evening everyone! I want to thank you all for being here with me to celebrate." At his words the crowd cheers while Klaus turns his gaze to fall on Buffy's hard face "It's been a long time coming."

* * *

After they separated Stefan watches as people wave around the party before the self proclaimed king of the party approaches him.  
Sighing Stefan glances at the grinning Klaus "Quite the homecoming."  
Klaus smiles "I've been planning my father's funeral for 1,000 years. Granted, in no version of it were any of these people invited." He says gesturing to the young adults around them before his eyes fall on the golden haired blonde in the pink dress speaking to Elena "Her however that's a different story."

Stefan clenches his jaw as he watches Buffy, before turning to Klaus "Don't you think you're obsession with her is getting a little old."  
Klaus chuckles softly before another grin covers his lips as he spots the dress she was wearing "Well she accepted my gift, so I believe I'm making progress."

Stefan sighs in annoyance wanting more than anything than to see Klaus dead, but he knew he couldn't ruin the plans, "So what's next? Stop running?" He asks hoping to keep the subject between them off his ex-girlfriend.

"Now..." Klaus says gleefully as he turns to face the vampire "...I reunite my family."  
"Your family?" Stefan asks scoffing slightly remembering what Mary had told them all about how he carted them all around "You mean, the people you cart around in caskets?"

Klaus pauses for a moment before he shakes his head in annoyance "Marianna." He realises before rubbing his jaw "She never was one for keeping her lips shut. But none of that matters any more. Mikael's gone. Bygones will be bygones."

As they speak they spot a girl walking past them with a crown on her head only making Klaus frown in confusion "Seems the homecoming queen is still in the land of the living which leads, me to believe Rebekah isn't here. Where is she?"

Stefan shrugs thanking God slightly that it was him Klaus was asking and not Buffy, otherwise they may have been screwed "I have no idea. I thought she was coming with Matt."  
Klaus tilts his head looking at his old friend with amusement "Oh, be honest now, Stefan. Where's my sister?"  
Stefan smirks at the older vampire, a small part of the ripper slipping past his walls "I said I have no idea. Now, would you like me to take you to your father?"

Klaus lets out a humourless laugh before his eyes fall back onto Buffy "Actually I have someone else in mind for that job."  
Stefan's eyes widen but before he could do anything Klaus was no longer stood in front of him, lost in the crowds of people.

* * *

"Did my daughter go to the dance?" Mikael asks as him and Mary walk into the living room of the Salvatore home where Damon was currently pouring himself a glass of blood.  
"Yep. You missed the photo op." Damon tells them causing Mary to frown slightly, it may have 500 years since she had seen Rebekah but that girl was always a sucker for a grand exit, something about his words worried her.

Noticing Mary's glare Damon rolls his eyes "Did you get the stake?" He asks before downing the blood.  
Mikael nods "It's where it needs to be."  
Damon scoffs "I'm not gonna take your word for it. No offence to your honour and all."

Mary rolls her eyes before pulling the stake out of her jacket "I will be making sure it gets to where it needs to."  
"And where does it need to be?" Damon asks curiously as he attempts to reach for it only for Mary to pull it back.

Mary chuckles softly "Damon, knowing you, would fall on it and kill yourself and as funny as that sounds, you know exactly who needs to be the one holding it."  
Damon pauses before he starts to get it, Mary was going to get the Stake to the only person strong enough to take Klaus down, who could get in the house.

She and Mikael were going to give it to Buffy.

* * *

"Nice dress." Elena comments with a smirk as she spots Buffy walking towards her the pink silk dress moving with her making it look more stunning on.  
"Thanks, not too happy about where it came from." Buffy says with a groan but she hated to admit it, the dress was beautiful.

Sighing she glances around the party bringing her glass to her lips downing the whiskey in one go as her eyes continue to scan over the party. Finally her eyes land on Stefan speaking to Klaus.

"That's not good." Elena comments as she takes a drink of her beer moving to stand beside the blonde.  
"No." Buffy says flatly before clenching her jaw as she listens in on the conversation, the increased hearing still a little weird for her.

"Is everything ready?" Elena asks curiously causing Buffy to glance as her before shaking her head "Just missing one piece of the puzzle."

* * *

After Buffy had left her to continue her way around the party Elena frowns as her least favourite hybrid comes to stop in front of her "Where's your date?"

Elena clenches her jaw uncomfortable resisting the urge to take a step back "Getting me a drink."  
Klaus grins before offering his bottle towards her only for her to glare at him, he couldn't be serious.

"Well..." Klaus says with a small laugh "...seems I have you and your sister to thank for Mikael's demise."  
"He came at me." Elena tells him with a steady heartbeat "I didn't have a choice."  
Klaus nods in understanding "Still I'm not impressed, it's not easy for a human to dagger an original."

Elena blinks before glaring at him looking at him dead in the eyes "Not the first vampire I've ever fought."  
Klaus chuckles softly "Yes, so I've heard. Seems Buffy has taught you well."

Elena looks away nervously as he chuckles, her eyes quickly scanning the crowd for any sign of the Salvatore's and mainly Buffy.

Klaus frowns as he spots the nervous look on her face "You seem nervous."  
Elena arches a brow as she tries to deny it "I'm not nervous. I just don't like you."

"Right, well I'll get straight to the point, shall I luv?" He asks his voice no longer containing that sense of amusement as he moves closer to her, more threatening than before "People have been after me for 1,000 years. And I am always one step ahead. So whatever it is you're thinking of trying, go for it, give it your best shot. You won't succeed."

* * *

Buffy grabs a bottle of scotch off a nearby table as she makes her way through the party, honestly being around this many people was starting to get to her. She could feel herself panicking internally.  
Downing a guzzle of the drink helps calm her nerves for a moment before her eyes fall on Damon as he enters the party.

When he spots her he freezes for a brief moment pausing as his lips parted, she was stunning.  
She offers him a small smile before nodding at him, he hesitates before nodding back and moving towards Tyler.

Buffy sighs and rubs a hand across her chest before clutching onto the bottle and continuing to walk.  
As she does, she continues to scan the party, however as she does she doesn't notice the hand that wraps around her waist before tugging her into another room.

* * *

Damon pushes Tyler into a spare room, Stefan quickly entering in behind them and shutting the door to keep out preying eyes.  
"As the host..." Damon taunts as he pushes Tyler against the desk "...you should know, those hybrids don't make the best first impression."

"Damon stop." Stefan tries as he spots Damon moving in on Tyler who was backing away, he had seen that look on his brother's face before and it never ended well.  
"Whatever move you're making, Klaus is going to be ready for you." Tyler warns them both "He'll kill anyone at this party if he has to."

Damon shrugs "Tell someone who cares." He hisses before speeding over to Tyler.  
Stefan's eyes widen and he quickly speeds over to get his brother off Tyler as the hybrid tries to bite him.

* * *

Buffy places her hands on Klaus' chest shoving him away from her and sending him flying across the room.  
As his body crashes into the wall before he drops to his knees he couldn't help but chuckle "I see you're adjusting well."  
Buffy scoffs rolling her eyes as she crosses her arms across her chest "What do you want? And please let this end with a dusty ending."

Klaus chuckles softly before approaching the blonde moving to stand right in front of her, moving into her personal space. Buffy being stubborn as she was held her ground refusing to let him take control of this situation.

Klaus tilts his head and looks down at the blonde admiring the dress, reaching up he pushes a loose golden curl behind her shoulder "You look stunning if it isn't obvious."  
"Your stylist isn't a complete moron until you." Buffy says slapping his hand away from her.

Klaus laughs softly before gazing at the woman in front of him, after a moment though his gaze turns into a serious glare "Trust me, my dear, you don't want me dead."  
Buffy tilts her neck so that she could look up into his green/blue eyes "Pretty sure that's not true."

"Really?" He teases as he takes a step closer causing her to take one back, he continues to do so till her back hits the wall, allowing him to completely invade her personal space.

Buffy freezes for a brief moment feeling a knot in her stomach at being so close to him, it was an odd feeling one that made her want to move closer, but quickly her mental sense kicked back in "I think I'd rather die...again. Seriously two was enough but you're pushing me towards that lucky number thre—"

Buffy is cut off as a pair of soft lips press against her own, she squeaks in shock as she finds herself pinned the wall, her eyes widening as she realized who exactly had kissed her.

Klaus was kissing her.

She remains motionless for a moment before something in her snaps making her want to move closer, slowly her eyes close and before she could stop herself she kissed him back.

Her hands move from his chest allowing her to run them through his hair as he wraps his hands around her waist pinning her against the wall, as his lips continued to move against hers.

Suddenly the feeling that was drawing her towards him snaps, that tether momentarily broken, pulling her lips away from his she quickly shoves him away before speeding out of the room and into the crowd of people.

Waving through the crowd she quickly stops around a quiet corner leaning against the wall trying to catch her breath as she processes what just happened.

It was like she had no control, whatever was in her drawing him towards her, she was losing control of it, Mary was right the tether was getting stronger.  
At the thought of Mary Buffy places her hand on her thigh and sighs in relief maybe the witch wasn't completely useless.

She needed to end this and now.


End file.
